Reds exacerbate Jonathan India trade rumors with arbitration hearing likely

In what can only be described as a disappointment, the Cincinnati Reds failed to comes to terms with second baseman Jonathan India prior to Thursday's deadline. Mark Feinsand of MLB Network is reporting the two sides did not settle and will likely exchange numbers.

India has been the subject of trade conversations all offseason, and while Reds President of Baseball Operations Nick Krall continues to deflect questions about trading the former NL Rookie of the Year, failing to come to an agreement prior to the arbitration deadline feels like just another reason why India won't be part of Cincinnati's roster in 2024.

But let's not lay all this at the feet of Reds' management. India's represented by super-agent Scott Boras, and it's possible that he's attempting to strong-arm the Reds into trading the second baseman.

Reds exacerbate Jonathan India trade rumors as two sides head to arbitration hearing

This whole situation began back around the 2023 trade deadline. Rumors emerged suggesting the Reds were shopping India, and the rumblings got so real that the infielder was actually given a day off for rest. If you know India, you know that he doesn't take days off.

The trade rumors intensified once the offseason began and have only gotten louder. Once it was announced that Jeimer Candelario had agreed to a three-year contract, several fans assumed that the U-Haul was on the way to India's house the very next day.

Krall attempted to quiet the noise by suggesting Cincinnati may look to offer India the opportunity to find playing time at both first and second base during spring training. There's the chance India may even start shagging balls in the outfield once he arrives in Goodyear.

But the writing is on the wall; India and the Reds are likely headed for a split. This dispute over arbitration figures is just the latest in a long line of hints that India isn't in Cincinnati's long-term plans.

While no one really knows how this will end, the longer it drags on, the worse it looks. Perhaps it's time for Krall to pick up the phone and take the best offer for India. While his defense is questionable at best, the University of Florida alum has three years of team control remaining.