India and Massey are two of the Royals’ 15 arbitration-eligible players this offseason. Massey is first-time eligible and is likely to return, but India is a more interesting case. This is his third and final year of arbitration, and he’ll get a raise from the $7 million he made in 2025 — not a crazy number, but probably out of range for a bench player if he can’t get back to the hitter he was with the Reds. India also offers little versatility and really struggled defensively with -6 outs above average at second base in ‘25.
The Royals view the outfield as their most dire need for improvement, and it’s where they’ll focus their energy this offseason. If they’re able to find better and more reliable production in the outfield, they could be more patient with Massey and India at second base. It’s not hard to see how both could lengthen the Royals’ lineup if they return to form: India as an on-base machine and Massey making better contact while staying on the field. But it also wouldn’t be surprising to see the Royals at least scan the second-base market this winter.