Michael Massey Becoming An Integral Bat For Struggling Kansas City Royals

Two days ago, Kansas City Royals second baseman Michael Massey came up to bat in the ninth inning against Cincinnati Reds’ reliever Tony Santillan, with the game tied at 2-2. 

With a runner on second with one out, Massey roped the 10th pitch of the at-bat for an RBI single, putting the Royals ahead en route to the series win. The at-bat was a testimony to the type of hitter Massey has blossomed into over the last month, stepping up to becoming one of the Royals’ most productive hitters.

Massey has been one of the lone bright spots on a struggling Royals team. His power numbers are beginning to show and he has been taking high quality at-bats, taking full advantage of the opportunity at hand with the Royals and becoming a key middle of the order bat.

At the end of April, Kansas City lost second baseman Jonathan India for the season’s remainder after he underwent shoulder surgery. With the injury, Massey was given a path to become the team’s everyday second baseman. 

It took some time for his bat to really take shape. He struggled through his first 23 games, recording a batting average of .194 with just 12 hits to his name. But ever since an 0-for-4 day at the dish on May 3rd, he has taken his success at the plate to the next level. 

Since that day, over his last 24 games played, Massey has hit .333 with five home runs and a total of 13 RBI, rediscovering his power stroke. The signs have been pointing to many positives for Massey, who played just 77 games last year due to a left ankle injury.

In the last week, he has taken his numbers to even taller heights. After hitting his sixth homer of the year on Thursday against the Minnesota Twins, he extended an RBI streak and a hitting streak to five consecutive games. Three of his six homers have come over the last five games, while also collecting 10 hits in that span.

Now in his fifth season in Kansas City, Massey has never really had a set spot in the Royals lineup, spending time at second base and in the outfield as a utility piece. His bat has often been utilized most against right-handed pitching, pairing that with a very strong glove wherever he is inserted on the field. 

But if he continues to stay healthy and produce at a high rate, Massey could see himself become more of a crucial piece to the Royals, as he is under team control through the 2028 season.