I have wondered the same thing: is Massey hurt? He had back trouble almost the ENTIRE TIME last year...and this year nothing? His defense has been great, but how do explain such a dramatic drop-off in offense? He's at risk of becoming an Isbel: how bad does his hitting have to become before you start wondering if you can sacrifice some of that defense for offense (and Isbel is hitting far better than Massey at this point). I mean, the guy was one of the best hitters on the team in the 2024 post-season!
The likely truth is a lot of these guys play hurt from time to time. I start to become more concerned about a guy like Massey, in his fourth season at 27 years old and tired of injured list stints, playing through something without reporting it to the training staff. He's up for arbitration for the first time this offseason and you don't get paid for being hurt; arb calculations are still largely (maybe entirely, I don't know) based on counting stats rather than ratios. He's in a prime position to try and play through something he shouldn't, unfortunately.
He can't be 100% healthy, and by now the team has to realize it as well. If he can turn the bat around at some point then being a fulltime DH might be in his future. That would be a shame because I enjoy watching him play second.
Yeah it's just so hard to free up DH for him regularly with Perez, Pasquantino and India needing time there. And that's before factoring Caglianone, if/when he's ready.
He may end up with Peyton Wilson breathing down his neck. Maybe if Massey has a good stretch they should try and deal him, then put India back at 2nd. Wilson can play left if he makes it to KC.
I have wondered the same thing: is Massey hurt? He had back trouble almost the ENTIRE TIME last year...and this year nothing? His defense has been great, but how do explain such a dramatic drop-off in offense? He's at risk of becoming an Isbel: how bad does his hitting have to become before you start wondering if you can sacrifice some of that defense for offense (and Isbel is hitting far better than Massey at this point). I mean, the guy was one of the best hitters on the team in the 2024 post-season!
The likely truth is a lot of these guys play hurt from time to time. I start to become more concerned about a guy like Massey, in his fourth season at 27 years old and tired of injured list stints, playing through something without reporting it to the training staff. He's up for arbitration for the first time this offseason and you don't get paid for being hurt; arb calculations are still largely (maybe entirely, I don't know) based on counting stats rather than ratios. He's in a prime position to try and play through something he shouldn't, unfortunately.
He can't be 100% healthy, and by now the team has to realize it as well. If he can turn the bat around at some point then being a fulltime DH might be in his future. That would be a shame because I enjoy watching him play second.
Yeah it's just so hard to free up DH for him regularly with Perez, Pasquantino and India needing time there. And that's before factoring Caglianone, if/when he's ready.
He may end up with Peyton Wilson breathing down his neck. Maybe if Massey has a good stretch they should try and deal him, then put India back at 2nd. Wilson can play left if he makes it to KC.