Royals reportedly discussing swap of Brady Singer for Jonathan India
The Royals could add an on-base hitter to the lineup.
The Royals have made adding an on-base hitter a top priority this off-season. According to Ken Rosenthal and Reds beat writer C. Trent Rosencrans of The Athletic, they may have a target in Cincinnati infielder Jonathan India.
India, the Cincinnati Reds’ second baseman, is one of several hitters the Kansas City Royals are targeting, according to sources briefed on the team’s discussions. And Singer, a right-handed starting pitcher coming off one of his best seasons, is drawing interest from the Reds and other teams seeking to deepen their rotations, the sources said.
A trade involving India and Singer was not close on Saturday, and is just one of several possibilities under consideration for both clubs. The Royals also are entertaining the idea of trading a less established pitcher such as left-hander Kris Bubic or righty Alec Marsh for a younger hitter.
India and Singer were teammates at the University of Florida and were each first round picks in 2018. India made his debut in 2021, a year after Singer and won Rookie of the Year by hitting .269/.376/.459 with 21 home runs. He has consistently been a solid on-base hitter in his four seasons, drawing a career-high 80 walks this year, tied for the fifth-most in all of baseball. His power his diminished a bit from his rookie year, but he still hit 15 home runs and 28 doubles, while hitting .248/.357/.392.
The 27-year-old has two years of club control left, just like Singer, and will earn $5 million next season under his contract. With the Reds and Royals both looking to contend next year, this trade make sense as a pure baseball move. The Reds have a crowded infield next year with the return of Matt McLain, and could use more pitching to pair with their young hitters. The Royals had the worst offensive numbers from the leadoff spot out of any team in baseball, and India could give them the table-setter they need in front of MVP candidate Bobby Witt Jr.
India has only played second base in his career, a position currently occupied by Michael Massey. Massey or India could attempt to move to third base, or Massey could be used in a trade to address another need. India was a starting third baseman in 2019, his last season in the minors.
Singer bounced back from a disastrous 2023 season to post a 3.71 ERA in 32 starts with 170 strikeouts in 179 2⁄3 innings. Since he made his debut in 2020, he has 10.5 fWAR, ranking 36th out of 173 starting pitchers in that time.