Baseball’s hot stove season is heating up as the Cincinnati Reds and Kansas City Royals agreed to a significant trade on Friday night.
The Reds have traded former National League Rookie of the Year Jonathan India and outfielder Joey Wiemer to the Kansas City Royals for starting pitcher Brady Singer.
The #Reds have acquired RHP Brady Singer from the Royals in exchange for IF Jonathan India and OF Joey Wiemer.
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) November 23, 2024
The Athletic’s C. Trent Rosecrans and Ken Rosenthal initially reported the trade discussions last week.
The Royals are looking to shore up their infield with their new second baseman in India. According to The Athletic, the team used five different players at second base this season. India, who is under club control for two more seasons, also fills the Royals’ need for a leadoff hitter. Kansas City’s leadoff batters posted a paltry .270 on-base percentage, while India has maintained a career .368 on-base percentage.
India had become expendable because of the Reds’ abundance of young infielders. He potentially could have been moved last season, but Matt McClain missed the entire year due to shoulder and rib injuries.
Welcome to Kansas City, Jonathan and Joey! https://t.co/RMG0KTuocY pic.twitter.com/Y88UiahGFk
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) November 23, 2024
India slashed .248/.357/.392 with 15 home runs, 28 doubles, and 84 runs scored this season.
For the Reds, Singer provides another reliable arm to slot in with Hunter Greene, Andrew Abbott, and Nick Lodolo. Cincinnati also has Rhett Lowder waiting in the wings. The team used 11 different starting pitchers last season due to injuries.
Welcome to Cincinnati, Brady!
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) November 23, 2024
The righty set career highs for the Royals in 2024 with 32 starts, 179.2 innings, and 170 strikeouts. pic.twitter.com/GHZwDJOBfJ
Singer had one of the best seasons of his career, making 32 starts and striking out a career-high 170 batters in 179⅔ innings. He walked only 54 batters, posted a 3.71 ERA, and recorded a 114 ERA+. Like India, Singer is under club control for two more seasons.
Related: Cincinnati Reds hire two-time World Series-winning manager Terry Francona
MLB insider refers to trade as ‘weird’
One MLB insider is perplexed by the trade and doesn’t think either India or Singer will thrive with their new teams.
“The Singer/India trade is weird to me. I think both players would do terribly in their new parks. Mediocre stuff in Cincy? Meh batted ball metrics in Kansas City? Good luck,” The Athletic’s Eno Sarris posted on Bluesky.
The Singer/India trade is weird to me. I think both players would do terribly in their new parks. Mediocre stuff in Cincy? Meh batted ball metrics in Kansas City? Good luck.
— Eno Sarris (@enosarris.bsky.social) November 17, 2024 at 4:58 PM
Fans of both teams are hoping their new additions will fare better than Sarris predicts.
Related: Juan Soto sweepstakes: Six outside-the-box teams that should sign All-Star slugger