<\/p>\n
It’s not the first time this season that the Kansas City Royals have entered a cold stretch at the plate. That being said, the stakes have never been as high as they are now with season just weeks away from concluding with the Royals knee-deep in a tightly contested American League Wild Card race.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Despite looking increasingly better at the plate in the second-half<\/a> as a whole, since Aug. 25, the Royals hold the joint lowest team wRC+ in baseball<\/a> at 68, while also sitting 28th in AVG at .212 and OPS at .616, dead last in runs scored at 27 and tied for 27th in HR at six.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Also occurring on Aug. 25, was the return of Michael Massey to the lineup<\/a> after his lengthy stint on the injured list.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Now, as frustrating as his first half was before hitting the shelf, where he posted just a 25 wRC+, Royals fans certainly can’t put the blame of their recent cold stretch on his shoulders. As a matter of fact, by most accounts Massey has been arguably the driving force of any offense they’ve been able to muster in the last week-and-a-half.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n For many Royals fans, it’s likely strange to hear that Massey is the go-to name in the Royals’ contending offense. After all, this was the guy that posted a .202 AVG, .479 OPS and a -1.1 fWAR when he hit the shelf.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n However, this is precisely the case as Massey has been nothing except a catalyst in a lineup that in the eight games since his return have scored one or less runs more times than they’ve notched five or more runs (three to two respectively).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Big hits! pic.twitter.com\/xxNoTrn3Fl<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Kansas City Royals (@Royals) August 27, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n <\/p>\nMichael Massey has been the go-to guy in the Royals offense since returning<\/h2>\n
\n