2 recent moves suggest Royals willing to maintain risky status quo at key position

The Kansas City Royals put the non-tender (or tender, if you prefer) deadline in their offseason rearview mirror Friday. Parting ways with MJ Melendez and Taylor Clarke while offering 2026 deals to the rest of their arbitration-eligible players wasn't earth-shattering news, but two other tender decisions suggest big change isn't coming to KC's infield.

The Royals, clearly unintimidated by the subpar 2025 seasons of Jonathan India and Michael Massey, steered away from non-tendering either second baseman. That keeps both in the club's plans and, at least for now, fans shouldn't count heavily on major developments at the keystone.

Instead, it looks like the Royals are willing to resolve — or at least try to resolve — their second base uncertainty with the two players who created it. Why, though, does the team seem ready to lean on India and Massey again?

The reasons are varied.

Jonathan India and Michael Massey give offensive potential to the Royals

Despite their mutual struggles at the plate this year, India and Massey have some promise. The excellent .352, four-season OBP India brought to Kansas City via last winter's Brady Singer trade with Cincinnati proves he can get on base with the regularity the Royals crave. And although he hit just .233 and homered only nine times for KC, he averaged 15.8 home runs per season for the Reds.

Massey also has some power — he clubbed 15 homers for the Royals in 2023 and 14 in 2024. His .244/.268/.313 line this season was disappointing, but he slashed .375/.412/.482 down the stretch after returning in late August from a long stay on the injured list.

Bringing Jonathan India and Michael Massy back gives them shots to prove themselves to the Royals

Kansas City is a club famous for its commitment to struggling players; take Melendez and Ryan O'Hearn, just to name two. Signing India to a new deal for 2026, and tendering Massey a new contract, proves the Royals will give both at least one more chance.

India came to the club ballyhooed as the answer to its nagging leadoff issues, but hit only .236 with a .321 OBP in 104 games at the top of the lineup.

He also disappointed defensively; perhaps the Royals' experiments with him in left field and third base, which began in spring training, continued intermittently as the season wore on, and involved spots at which he'd never appeared in the majors, adversely affected the body of his defensive work, but his -2 DRS and -6 OAA at second, -2 DRS and -3 OAA in left, and -2 DRS and -4 OA at the hot corner, can't be ignored.

Massey, on the other hand, can be excellent defensively. In 2023,only six American Leaguers had better keystone OAAs, and no big league second baseman had a better fielding percentage, than Massey.

Combined with his offensive potential, his defense might force the Royals to eventually think about him as the full-time second baseman. But he'll have to shake off his propensity for injury, his well-documented downside.

So it is, then, that the Royals are giving their two second basemen chances to prove themselves.

Jonathan India and Michael Massey give the Royals some insurance

It's too early in baseball's offseason to know whether general manager J.J. Picollo may snare a better second baseman than India or Massey. Speculation abounds, though, that the Royals are interested in acquiring versatile Brendan Donovan, who seems best with his bat when he's playing second base, but the competition to pry him away from the Cardinals may be too stiff for the Royals to win.

If that's the case, the club will survive with India and Massey sharing second, or if one wins what's bound to become a spring training keystone competition. It's risky, to be sure, especially given their 2025 numbers, but the Royals made it to the playoffs two seasons ago with Massey as their primary second baseman.

And relying on India and Massey for next season means Picollo can focus on the offensive sore spots that Kansas City's corner outfield positions represent.