Yankees Surprise Trade Idea Would Send Royals Starter With 105 OPS+ To Bronx
The Kansas City Royals haven't been all that busy as of late, but will they soon begin fielding trade calls?
Michael Massey has developed into a solid role player for the Royals, and he's cost-controlled, which helps a ton with the budget. He had a .743 OPS/105 OPS+ in 100 games for the Royals last season, and will make just $800,000 in his last pre-arbitration year in 2025.
The Royals evidently didn't see Massey as their everyday second baseman in 2025, however. They traded for Jonathan India from the Cincinnati Reds to spell him, though he'll likely still see some time there. A position change to left field has also been frequently discussed.
Is Massey locked in as a Royal long-term, though? Evidently, there are other teams whose fans believe he could be a more valuable piece in their own lineups.
In a recent article, SB Nation's Nick Sarnelli urged the New York Yankees to trade for Massey, given the Yankees' opening at second base with the departure of long-time starter Gleyber Torres.
"One under-the-radar trade the Yankees could make is acquiring Michael Massey from the Royals. Kansas City acquired Jonathan India from Cincinnati, creating something of a quagmire at second base."
"It’d be a bit glib to automatically assume that any lefty-pull hitters who hit fly balls will always see a jump in home runs at Yankee Stadium, though Statcast says he would have hit 20 home runs last year if his home stadium was in the Bronx rather than Kansas City."
Massey to the Yankees might sound great from New York's perspective, but Sarnelli didn't pay much mind to the Royals and what they'd seek in a potential return. He briefly mentioned bullpen arms, but with Kansas City's offensive needs as great as they are, there's no point in giving up a quality bat for a reliever.
Frankly, the first thought the Royals should have if the Yankees call them about Massey is, "Yeah, right." But you never know what might be offered in a trade discussion, so the move can't be ruled out entirely.
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Jackson Roberts is a former Division III All-Region DH who now writes and talks about sports for a living. A Bay Area native and a graduate of Swarthmore College and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Jackson makes his home in North Jersey. He grew up rooting for the Red Sox, Patriots, and Warriors, and he recently added the Devils to his sports fandom mosaic. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "Kansas City Royals On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org