Michael Massey spent last winter trying to prove he still belonged in the Royals’ picture. By the end of 2026, he had done a lot more than that.
What began as a Spring Training battle for a roster spot turned into one of the best seasons of Massey’s major league career, complete with better offense, steadier defense and an American League Gold Glove finalist nod. For Kansas City, it also changed the conversation at second base heading into 2027.
That was a very different story from a year ago. Second base was one of the Royals’ biggest concerns last offseason, with the club’s second basemen combining for 0.0 fWAR in 2025 per FanGraphs, third worst in the Majors, while hitting .236/.301/.339.
Massey was part of that problem, too, after an injury-riddled year left him at -0.4 fWAR. An ankle sprain, wrist fracture and recurring back issues limited him to 77 games, and he finished with a .244/.268/.313 line, three home runs, 20 RBIs and a .581 OPS.
The offseason became a reset. Massey worked on his swing and even stepped outside the game to study the physics behind it, focusing on getting his bat on plane with pitches and keeping a more consistent path through the strike zone.
A left calf strain delayed the start of his 2026 season and sent him to the injured list, but once he returned on April 6, he stayed on the field. Massey played a career-high 131 games and put together a much stronger line: .274/.305/.430 with 13 home runs, 25 doubles, 50 RBIs and a .735 OPS. His OPS jumped 154 points from 2025 and came close to matching the .743 mark he posted in 2024.
His role grew as Kansas City’s infield picture shifted around him. Jonathan India opened the year as the Royals’ primary second baseman, but his season ended after left shoulder surgery in April. With India out, Massey got more run at his natural position.
The Illinois native appeared at four defensive spots, but he spent most of his time at second base, where he played 126 games. He finished with 2.3 WAR and +11 outs above average at the position, second among American League second basemen behind the Yankees’ Jazz Chisholm Jr.
(+15). That work earned him his first Major League Gold Glove Award nomination, five years after he received the honor in the Minors in 2021.
He ultimately finished behind Seattle’s Cole Young, who won his first Gold Glove Award at second base.
India is now a free agent, which leaves Massey as Kansas City’s top option at second base for the offseason. Nick Loftin gives the Royals more flexibility after seeing time at second base, third base and right field this season. The Royals leaned on him heavily at third while Maikel Garcia dealt with injuries, and Loftin also earned a Gold Glove finalist selection for his work there.
Kansas City can still look for more offense this winter, especially with the club wanting another bat to go with its established core. But the bigger priorities remain clear: rebuild the bullpen and add starting pitching.
Second base may not be a finished product yet, and the Royals could still jump if the right move comes along. Even so, after spending last offseason with real uncertainty at the position, they head toward 2027 with a lot more confidence in Massey.
In Other News...
Royals Just Opened The Door To Losing Familiar Depth Pieces
The Royals offseason roster trimming has already started to reshape the organizations depth chart, with a dozen minor league players now reaching free agency after not being added to the 40-man roster following six seasons in the system. Among the familiar names are reliever Alex Lange, along with Scott Alexander, Christian Chamberlain and Grant Gambrell, a group that has spent enough time in the organization to be part of the teams broader pitching and development picture.
For Kansas City, the move is less about one headline departure than the cumulative effect of losing players who have filled out the upper levels of the system and provided insurance when the big-league club needed it. Across baseball, 504 players became minor league free agents this offseason, and the Royals now have to decide which of those familiar pieces are worth trying to keep in the fold and which ones will be moving on to their next opportunity. [Read more 🡒]
Royals Rotation Need Could Make This Rays Arm Too Good To Ignore
The Royals are expected to spend much of their offseason trying to sharpen a pitching staff that needs to be better if they want to get back to October. That naturally puts them in the market for arms with real upside, and Tampa Bay right-hander Drew Rasmussen has surfaced as a name worth watching because of his looming salary option and the possibility that the Rays could prefer to move on rather than pay up.
For Kansas City, Rasmussen fits the kind of swing that could change the shape of a rotation without requiring a total overhaul. He would not come cheap in trade talks, and nothing is settled yet, but the fit is obvious enough to keep him on the radar as the Royals weigh how aggressively to attack the pitching market and how much they want to push for a more complete staff next season. [Read more 🡒]
Royals Have A Cheap Rotation Decision Worth Watching
Randy Dobnak gave the Royals a useful lift in the second half of the season, working his way into the rotation picture with a career-high 74.1 innings and a 3.51 ERA. For a club that always has to balance upside with cost, his appeal is easy to understand: he keeps the ball on the ground, avoids the big mistake ball and leans on a sinker-heavy mix that fits the way Kansas City likes to pitch.
The next question is less about whether Dobnak helped than how the Royals value that help heading into 2027. Projections put his arbitration salary in a range that makes him a relatively cheap arm to keep around, and that kind of price tag usually gives a team room to be patient with a depth starter. Kansas City appears likely to do just that, even if the larger decision on his role is still waiting to be sorted out. [Read more 🡒]