Massey (low-grade calf strain) sidelined at least a week

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Royals second baseman/outfielder Michael Massey suffered a low-grade left calf strain this past weekend and will be shut down from game action for “hopefully about a week,” manager Matt Quatraro said on Tuesday.

Massey felt his calf tweak when he made a play in the fourth inning Friday against the Dodgers, fielding a single from Freddie Freeman and making a throw home. When the tightness didn’t subside during Sunday’s game against the White Sox, the Royals took him out after two at-bats and had him get an MRI scan to determine the injury and its severity.

The team and Massey are both hopeful that it won’t be too long of a return-to-play timeline because he’ll still be able to participate in some baseball activity, like taking swings in the cage and doing some defensive drills, while the strain heals.

“He’s going to be able to stay active,” Quatraro said. “It’s low grade enough that he can do stuff and not have to be completely shut down. … He’s disappointed, right? He’s been swinging the bat well, he’s felt good all winter, convicted in what he’s doing. It’s disappointing to have a little bit of a setback, but hopefully it’s just that.”

This is not the first time Massey has dealt with an injury. The 27-year-old logged just 77 games with Kansas City last year because he missed time with an ankle sprain, a wrist fracture and his recurring back injury that he’s dealt with for most of his career. When Massey was on the field last year, he struggled to produce, slashing .244/.268/.313 with only three home runs. He’s spent time on the IL in each of the past three seasons.

With Opening Day just over two weeks away, it’s hard not to think about his roster status when the Royals break camp and whether he’ll be healthy enough at that point.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t [thinking about it],” Massey said. “Right now, I feel pretty confident. I’m pretty calloused in this area, coming back from injuries and whatnot. Never directly dealt with a calf in my career, but I feel pretty good. We’ve got good trainers, good medical staff. I’m not a doctor, but the fact that I can swing and do some stuff gives me good hope. Just got to keep working.”

The Royals weren’t ready to say whether Massey would be sidelined for Opening Day or not. The reality is that they don’t know yet and will have to see how Massey heals over the next week before making a call.

“I don’t want to judge that right now, because hopefully [he’ll be] staying active,” Quatraro said. “And if he is back in there in a week, I think it wouldn’t be in jeopardy.”

Massey has been competing for a roster spot this spring, although it seemed like he had the advantage for one of the final spots based on his track record in the Majors and his defensive versatility going from second base to left field. His offseason focus was on his swing mechanics, and he’s been having a good spring, hitting .364 with a .962 OPS and one homer, along with just four strikeouts and two walks, in 24 Cactus League plate appearances.

For now, he’s hopeful he won’t have to miss too much time and can pick up where he left off when he does get back on the field.

“Going back to the day I hurt it, hitting didn’t hurt,” Massey said. “Taking ground balls didn’t give it any issues. It was really just running in a straight line. I think the thought is: Keep everything else going, give it time to heal from a running perspective, and hopefully by the time I’m ready to run, I don’t have to catch up on everything else. And hopefully it’s a quicker turnaround.”

If Massey isn’t ready by Opening Day, that’s another spot open to the several hitters involved in the Royals’ bench competition this spring. Not counting Massey, there are likely two position player roster spots the Royals will have to decide on, and the competition includes utility men Nick Loftin (who was scratched from the lineup with general soreness prior to Tuesday's 4-3 loss to the Mariners at Peoria Stadium) and Tyler Tolbert; outfielders Drew Waters, John Rave and Kameron Misner; and non-roster infielders Josh Rojas, Kevin Newman, Connor Kaiser and Brandon Drury. Outfielder Gavin Cross and infielders Peyton Wilson and Daniel Vazquez are also still in camp, along with non-roster catchers Canyon Brown, Elias Díaz, Elih Marrero and Luca Tresh.