3 Royals whose roles in KC just changed after Brady Singer trade

Michael Massey may have to be a platoon player at second base

With India joining the roster, Michael Massey's role as the Royal's everyday second baseman is now in question. Massey's .259/.294/.449 slashline in 332 at-bats this year was respectable, but since India is slated to be the team's new leadoff hitter, the new acquisition will almost certainly take preference when it comes to claiming second base.

That leaves a few options for Massey.

Firstly, he could move to another position to make room for India at second base. The most obvious offensive weakness in the infield is Maikel Garcia, so taking over his third base duties isn't entirely out of the question, though Garcia's defense is strong enough to earn him at least some time in the position. According to the Kansas City Star's Sam McDowell, the Royals have "talked with Massey about left field," so a move to the outfield or a utility role is a more likely answer than taking over Garcia's spot.

Another option for Massey is a super-platoon situation at second base with India, and considering Massey's history with injuries, that probably wouldn't be a bad thing.

Massey started the 2024 season on the IL with back tightness, and after returning to the lineup on April 19, he only managed four weeks of play before he was back on the IL with a low back ligament strain. The 26-year-old wasn't reactivated again until June 24, so only appeared in a total of 100 games in the regular season, and only 82 of them were at second base since he stayed as the team's designated hitter while he recovered.

The Royals' plan for Massey next season probably won't be revealed before spring training, though the most likely scenario is for him to step into a utility role, covering some innings at second base but largely splitting his time between the outfield and designated hitter. Regardless of where he ends up, Massey's utilization in 2025 will be a storyline to watch.