CHICAGO — When the Royals are playing on the South Side of Chicago, Michael Massey feels at home.
The Palos Park, Ill., native has four home runs in 15 games at the ballpark just 25 miles northeast of where he grew up, a career .282 hitter at Rate Field and .304 hitter against the White Sox in total.
Add Tuesday night’s game-tying, two-run single to the list, and put it near the top of memorable moments because of what it meant for Massey and for the Royals in their eventual 5-4 win over the White Sox at Rate Field, turning a four-run deficit in the top of the eighth inning into a game in which closer Carlos Estévez was able to notch his 35th save, matching the Padres’ Robert Suarez for the MLB lead.
“Chicago,” Massey said with a grin, as good of an explanation as any for why he hits so well here.
“It’s been a challenge, the year for me, but the great thing about it is the team’s got a chance to do something special,” Massey said. “Any time I’ve got a chance to help out and move the line along and drive some runs, [it’s] going to be great. Whatever happens about my year, it is what it is at this point. Just got to keep grinding for the guys in here and make sure my head’s on straight.”
Tuesday’s ninth inning was a good place to start. Massey had entered the game in the eighth as a pinch-hitter but flied out to left field as the Royals’ comeback was getting started. The offense had looked like a shell of its recent self the past two games, mustering just two hits Monday and one hit through seven innings Tuesday against White Sox starter Martín Pérez. Chicago had built a four-run lead off Royals starter Michael Lorenzen in five-plus innings.
A rally in the eighth, punctuated by Maikel Garcia’s two-run single, put the Royals on the board.
“It felt like we were right back in the ballgame,” manager Matt Quatraro said.
Massey was unsure he was going to get another opportunity in the ninth. But Vinnie Pasquantino’s leadoff single kept the momentum in the Royals’ dugout.
“You feel it right away,” Massey said. “Spark of momentum. They get on their heels. That was a big at-bat.”
Quatraro had emptied his bench, outside of backup catcher Luke Maile, in the eighth — the highest-leverage moment of the game at that point — which meant that he couldn’t counter when the White Sox brought in lefty reliever Tyler Alexander to face Massey, Adam Frazier and Kyle Isbel, the three lefties at the bottom of the Royals’ lineup.
With the bases loaded, Massey watched a sweeper land outside the zone for ball one.
“Honestly, that was kind of an auto-take because I feel like a lot of guys go up there off the bench and try to do too much right away,” Massey said.
Alexander stayed with that pitch but brought it slightly more in the zone, and Massey pulled it into right field for two runs.
Frazier was hit by a pitch, and Isbel followed with the go-ahead knock.
It took the Royals 16 innings to score a run this series. Before the eighth inning, they had managed just six baserunners between the first two games.
Just when it looked like it was over, the comeback was complete.
That’s somewhat of a parallel for Massey’s season. He entered Tuesday with a .200/.219/.255 slash line and just two homers to go along with 14 RBIs in 57 games. It was not a good start to the season for a core player the Royals believed would take a big step forward in 2025. And then he missed 65 games with a left ankle sprain, right wrist fracture and back tightness. He used the time on his rehab assignment to tinker with his swing and his approach.
But Tuesday’s moment was all about competing and coming through for a team that simply will not roll over as September nears.
“You got to put yourself aside and understand that we’re going to have some moments coming up that are bigger than any guy in here,” Massey said. “Trying to make sure your head is screwed on for those and you’re prepared. That’s why you come to work every day.”
