The Kansas City Royals had clear offseason priorities, and the trade they made addressed two important needs, though it came at the cost of a homegrown asset. On November 22, the Royals sent right-handed pitcher to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for second baseman Jonathan India and outfielder Joey Wiemer.
The trade had been speculated earlier in the offseason, both as a logical move and amid trade rumors. In the end, Kansas City chose to prioritize an on-base leadoff hitter and additional centerfield depth over maintaining their strong 2024 rotation, in which Singer was a key contributor. The Royals announced the deal via social media, introducing India and Wiemer as the newest members of the team.
Jonathan India, the 2021 NL Rookie of the Year, is a perfect fit for the Royals’ lineup needs. He owns a career .253/.352/.412 batting line and has often batted at the top of the order during his MLB career. In 2024, he posted a .353 OBP as a leadoff hitter, with a 12.9% walk rate, contributing to a 104 wRC+ and 2.8 fWAR season.
Joey Wiemer, now with his third team in the past year, began 2024 with the Milwaukee Brewers before being traded to the Reds. At 25, he provides valuable depth across all three outfield positions, mainly in centerfield. Wiemer still has one minor-league option remaining and is not yet eligible for arbitration.
According to MLB.com’s Anne Rogers, trade discussions heated up over the past week, reaching a climax early Friday evening.
This trade comes at a significant cost for the Royals, who are selling high on Brady Singer following a strong 2024 season. The right-hander posted a 3.71 ERA over 32 starts, with 2.5 fWAR, the second-highest of his five-year career. Singer still has two years of team control left and is projected to earn over $8 million in arbitration this year. Meanwhile, Jonathan India also has two years of team control remaining, with a $5 million salary in 2025 and one more arbitration year in 2026.
How the Royals plan to utilize India will be an interesting storyline this offseason. Left-handed second baseman Michael Massey is still in the mix, and India’s bat could result in a super-platoon between the two. Rogers also mentioned that India “could have the ability to play outfield and might get looks there this spring.” Whether this occurs during camp in Arizona is yet to be determined.
Kansas City ultimately secured the leadoff hitter they urgently needed on a team-friendly contract, though it came at the expense of their rotation depth. With Brady Singer now traded, the Royals will need to rely on options behind Cole Ragans, Seth Lugo, and Michael Wacha to strengthen their rotation moving forward.
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