The Cincinnati Reds have made a significant move by trading second baseman Jonathan India to the Kansas City Royals, as confirmed by the team on Friday. In this transaction, the Reds received starting pitcher Brady Singer in return for the 27-year-old India, while also sending outfielder Joey Wiemer to Kansas City. This trade follows earlier reports indicating active discussions between the two teams regarding India.

India has been a focal point in trade discussions for quite some time, particularly following the last offseason. Despite speculation surrounding his potential departure, the Reds opted to retain him throughout the 2024 season. Ultimately, the Royals successfully persuaded Cincinnati to part ways with a player who had previously demonstrated considerable promise early in his career. The 2021 National League Rookie of the Year, India has yet to fully realize his potential at the major league level. After an impressive inaugural season, injuries plagued him in the following years, impacting his performance significantly.

In 2023, India participated in 119 games, recording a batting average of .244, alongside 17 home runs and 61 RBIs. He managed to overcome a sluggish start to finish the season with a .248 average, 15 home runs, and 58 RBIs, while setting a personal record by appearing in 151 games. Following a minor ankle procedure in October, he is expected to have an uninterrupted offseason. The Reds concluded the season with a disappointing 77-85 record, placing fourth in the NL Central and missing the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year. Meanwhile, Singer concluded the last season with a record of 9-13 over 32 starts, achieving a 3.71 ERA and completing a career-high 170 strikeouts against 54 walks over 179.2 innings. He has shown consistency with a sub-four ERA in two of the last three years, including an impressive 3.23 ERA during his 2022 season, where he recorded a 10-5 record. Wiemer, who had brief stints with both the Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers during the 2024 season, struggled with a combined batting average of 4-for-26, which included nine strikeouts and two walks. Now, India is set to join a Royals team that finished with an 86-76 record in 2024 and was eliminated by the New York Yankees in the ALDS. If he can maintain good health, India is expected to be a valuable addition to a lineup featuring prominent players such as Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez.