Kansas City Royals infielder Michael Massey was hit with a dose of reality last season.
Baseball will humble you quickly — if you let it.
“I think it’s just appraising situations in the proper way,” Massey said. “Obviously, nobody wants to struggle. No one wants to go through hard times. But that’s just the reality of this game, man, this is not an easy game.”
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Massey, 27, posted career lows in 2025. He scuffled in April and things worsened from there. He batted a paltry .202 with a .479 OPS (on-base plus slugging) during the first half of the season.
The end results weren’t good. Massey produced just three homers and 20 RBIs in 77 games in 2025.
And then there were the injury woes.
Massey suffered a left-ankle sprain early in the year He tried to play through it, but the discomfort never subsided completely. He went on the injured list in June and didn’t return until August.
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The injury afforded him time to think. He began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha and significantly altered his swing mechanics. The goal was to be on-time and adjust to where the pitch crossed the strike zone.
“As a hitter, the main thing you are fighting for is timing,” Massey said. “So that’s really what all the mechanical changes and stance changes are based around. It’s how can I give myself more time to see the ball?”
Massey fared better with the Storm Chasers than he had with the Royals. He posted a .754 OPS in 25 games during a rehab stint. His batting average returned to optimal and he was spraying the ball over the field.
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That momentum carried over to the final stretch of the season, too. In September, Massey hit .378 with 17 hits in 49 plate appearances.
“A lot of guys have tough years,” he said, “and you just keep fighting and you learn something from it. You learn from it, you move on and you kind of leave the result in the past.”
Massey is excited for a fresh start at spring training in Arizona, where the Royals played the Texas Rangers in their Cactus League opener on Friday. The Royals will utilize him in more of a hybrid role this season because of how their roster is constructed. It’s expected he will see time at second base and keep working in the outfield, as well.
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Royals infielder Michael Massey makes a sliding catch during a game against the White Sox at Rate Field in Chicago on Aug. 27, 2025.
He experimented with playing left field last spring. There was a learning curve to understanding route angles and throwing alleys. He feels more comfortable after another offseason of honing his craft.
And he has drawn praise in camp.
“I think the more you do anything, the better you theoretically should be at it,” Massey said. “So having a year under my belt of getting out there, getting some work in (is good). Having a full spring training of being able to get reps and kind of go back and forth is going to be helpful.”
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Massey said he is focused on helping the team and is willing to do whatever is needed in pursuit of a return to the postseason.
The Royals will likely give Jonathan India extensive playing time at second base again. The club also has Isaac Collins, Nick Loftin and Tyler Tolbert in the mix.
Given his defense, Massey could find time in left field — in addition to playing some second base. As a left-handed bat, he needs to be consistent in order to draw regular playing time.
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The Royals will give him every opportunity this spring.
“I think, first and foremost, it starts with your health,” Massey said. “That’s been a focus for me for a long time. It’s just trying to take care of my body and stay as healthy as you can.”
He is seeking a return to the form he showed in 2024, when he hit .245 with 14 homers and 45 RBIs.
“You have a good year in ‘24 and felt like we had a good year as a team,” he said. “I felt like I had a good year personally. And guys get smart and they make adjustments. They look at your report, pitch you different and find your holes. And last year, maybe they found some holes and I just didn’t do a great job adjusting back. So hopefully, it’s kind of my turn to swing back.”
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Massey is off to a good start in 2026. He hit a two-run homer off Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi in Friday’s Cactus League opener. He finished with two hits as the Royals beat Texas 7-3.
“Very encouraging,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said later. “And from his standpoint, he puts a lot of time and thought into his at-bats and his swing. So any results early are going to be positive.”
A strong spring from Massey could help prime the Royals to take an important step forward in the American League Central this season.
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“You always want to go out there and play well,” Massey said. “But it’s going to be my fifth season in this league.
“I know I can play. I’m not really looking for the confidence to do it. I’m more so looking for the physical changes to be able to go out and be more consistent than I have in the past.”