Former Reds fan-favorite is struggling mightily with new team after offseason trade

This past offseason, the Cincinnati Reds were quieter than most fans would've liked, but Nick Krall and the front office still did an efficient job of upgrading the roster around the edges. The Reds were able to make some free agent signings and trades that didn't break the bank, but still helped upgrade the team's roster for the coming year.

Brady Singer was the biggest pitching acquisition, but it came at the cost of long-time second baseman Jonathan India, who had grown to be a fan-favorite around Cincinnati. India was shipped to the Kansas City Royals (along with outfielder Joey Wiemer) in November in exchange for Singer.

India, 28, was the Reds' first-round pick in 2018, and once he arrived in the major leagues, made quite the first impression by winning the 2021 NL Rookie of the Year Award. India battled through some inconsistencies, but was well-liked during his Reds' tenure. Unfortunately, there's some disappointment on the way for those fans who wished him well in his new uniform.

Former Reds fan-favorite Jonathan India is struggling mightily with the KC Royals

Strictly a second baseman for his entire big league career prior, India has seen his role shift to utility player on his new club. The Royals have given India looks at second and third base, as well as left field. The latter two positions are ones he's learning on the fly.

Perhaps India's offensive game has been thrown off by all of his new defensive responsibilities. Entering Friday's action, India has yet to hit a home run and has gone just 17-for-85 with a ghastly .565 OPS and 66 OPS+. To India's credit he's still walking a ton and finding ways to get on base. India's also taking to his new positions nicely, but the bat just hasn't been there.

The Reds, meanwhile, have been reaping the rewards of India's replacement. Reds' offseason acquisition Gavin Lux is fitting in well with his new club. A former first-round pick in his own right, Lux is hitting .316/.419/.418 with a 131 OPS+ and doing something that India never did during his Reds' tenure—playing multiple positions.

The Royals were in a similar situation to the Reds this past winter, in that they didn't do much to upgrade their roster. India was easily Kansas City's biggest offensive addition, but he's been completely valueless to open the 2025 season.

This is far from the start Royals fans were hoping to see, but Reds fans are quite happy with the production they've seen from Singer this season. The right-hander is 4-0 with a 3.62 ERA in five starts. This trade seems to be working out well for the Reds, but not so much so for the Royals.

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