The Reds and Royals are discussing a trade that could send the second baseman Jonathan India to Kansas City in a right-handed exchange Brady Singeraccording to a report from C. Trent Rosencrans and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Rosenthal added that a deal between the two sides is not considered imminent and that India is one of “several” players the Royals are looking at as they consider addressing their rotation depth.
India, who turn 28 next month, will be out of the 2024 repeat campaign. After averaging just 111 games per season the past two years with below-average offensive numbers while dealing with hamstring issues and plantar fasciitis in his left. foot, posted his best season since winning the 2021 NL Rookie of the Year award last year. In 637 trips to the plate in 151 games this year, India has slashed a respectable .248/.357/.392 (108 wRC+) while slugging 15 homers and stealing 13 bases. He also hit 19.6% of the time on a 12.6% clip, making him one of only three players (alongside Freddie Freeman again Juan Soto) to strike out less than 20% of his plate appearances with a walk rate of at least 12%.
That impressive demeanor at the plate makes India a valuable asset as his power and speed numbers fall short of 20/20 power. Just five professional second basemen have posted better offensive seasons with a wRC+ rating than India did last year, and his 2.8 fWAR ranks seventh at the position. On the surface, the loss of that production would appear to dampen a Reds offense that ranked fifth-lowest in baseball in wRC+ rating in 2024. That being said, it is important to note that India appears likely to enter 2024 without a clear condition to do so. drive home until the 2023 Rookie of the Year final Matt McLain missed the entire 2024 campaign due to shoulder surgery and high expectations Noelvi Marte missed the first half of the season due to an 80-game PED suspension.
Marte struggled (31% strikeout rate, 46 wRC+) in 66 games with the Reds this year after returning from suspension, but McLain proved to be the team’s catalyst in his 89-game rookie campaign back in 2023. at just 23 years old, the youngster slashed an impressive .290/.357/.507 (127 wRC+) with 16 homers and 14 steals in just 403 plate appearances. If he can produce anything close to that level of offensive firepower in the full 2025 season, it could offset the loss of an Indian bat from the lineup. It’s possible the club can find a way to keep both second basemen—McLain has found a few fans at third and center during his run in the Arizona Fall League—but TJ Friedl Just one season removed from a 3.9-win campaign in the middle and the Reds unlikely to give up on Marte after less than half a season in the majors, it would make sense for the club to cash in on India now.
One logical way for a club to do that would be to target a quality pitching arm like Singer. Both Singer and India are under control through the end of the 2026 season, making the exchange a clean one from the team’s perspective. India is guaranteed a $5MM salary for 2025 and eligible for 2026, while MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects Singer for an $8.8MM salary ahead of his trip through arbitration this winter. That small increase in salary commitments would likely not be a problem for a Reds club that plans to spend wages “at or above” 2024 next year, giving them some financial breathing room next season.
In Singer, the Reds will get a quality middle-of-the-rotation arm to pair with Andrew Abbott again Nick Lodolo behind the ace staff Hunter Greene. The 28-year-old righty pitched to a solid 3.71 ERA (114 ERA+) with a 3.94 FIP in 179 2/3 innings of work across 32 starts last year. This is a big step forward from a disastrous 2023 season that saw him post a 5.52 ERA in 159 2/3 frames, but not up to his 153 1/3 innings of 3.23 ERA ball last year. Overall, Singer has pitched to a 4.15 ERA (103 ERA+) with a 3.94 FIP over the past three seasons, laying a solid foundation for the right-hander’s leadoff hitter even if he doesn’t return to the level of production he flashed. in 2022.
With Seth Lugo, Cole Ragansagain Michael Wacha all released for the club’s 2025 rotation, it makes sense for the Royals to explore trading their backfield weapons that include not only the singer but also. Kyle Wright, Alec Marshagain Chris Bubic. Those last two names have already found themselves in the rumor mill this winter, and Rosenthal’s report confirms that the Royals are “still entertaining” the possibility of moving Marsh or Bubic instead of Singer, although he adds that Lugo, Ragans, and Wacha are all. understood as “unlimited”. That being said, he notes that teams interested in pitching quickly are picking Singer over both Marsh and Bubic and the Royals are likely to get a smaller, less consistent hitter if they’re going to deal with any of their young arms.
Bringing in India would be a big deal for the Royals, though, as it would take away a solid second baseman. Michael Massey. Massey enjoyed the best season of his career in 2024, slashing .259/.294/.449 with 14 homers and a 102 wRC+ in 356 trips to the plate while playing back-to-back issues early in the season. Both Massey and India have played second base almost exclusively in their careers thus far, although Massey has been seen at the hot corner and the Reds toyed with the idea of playing India at first or in left field last year before losing McLain for the season. It’s certainly possible to think that the Royals are getting the right amount of playing time for both players by using the DH on days there Salvador Perez it is catching, especially if India can also meet the field from time to time.
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