"It's an old-fashioned baseball trade” - MLB analyst breaks down Royals-Reds swap involving Brady Singer, Jonathan India and Joey Wiemer
On Friday, the Kansas City Royals and Cincinnati Reds pulled off one of the biggest moves of the offseason. Cincinnati sent veteran infielders Jonathan India and Joey Wiemer to Kansas City in exchange for pitcher Brady Singer. Both teams landed the exact type of player that they needed, which tends not to be the case in trades these days.
The Royals entered the offseason with bolstering their lineup as their number one goal. On the other end, the Reds were in the market to bolster their pitching staff.
The Reds had a surplus of infield batters, so clearing their log jam while adding a proven arm is a major win for the club.
This is something that MLB analyst C. Trent Rosecrans dove into on the MLB Network's "Hot Stove" on Monday.
"It's an old-fashioned baseball trade," Rosecrans said. "You look at it from both sides, and you go, "Yep, I see it." I like that a lot for the Royals. I like that a lot for the Reds."
While he pointed out that the loss of India goes beyond simply on-field production, the team filled a significant void by bringing Singer into the fold.
"Jonathan India was a huge presence in that Reds clubhouse and that's tough to replace," Rosecrans added. "However, you know what else is really tough to replace? 170 innings. Those are incredibly important."
Singer was solid for Kansas City last season and should be exactly the type of player that Cincinnati has been looking to add to their rotation. In 179.2 innings, Singer posted a 9-13 record with a 3.71 ERA and 170 strikeouts.
Jonathan India could be the missing piece for the Kansas City Royals
Jonathan India has been mentioned in trade rumors for the better part of two seasons. Now, he may have found a better landing spot with the Royals. The former Rookie of the Year will likely find himself in a prominent role in the lineup next to stars like Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez. He should be able to see his production jump next to the two superstars.
While there will be questions about where he will play on defense, it seems more likely than not that he will be lined up at second base. India may not be an elite defender. However, as C. Trent Rosecrans points out, lining up beside Witt on defense helps everyone.
"Anytime you're next to Bobby Witt Jr., you're going to be a better defender," Rosecrans said. "It's like putting me out there and like, 'Hey, you stand here if it's hit at you, you're fine. If it's hit to the side of you, just let Bobby have it.'"
After reaching the American League Division Series, the Kansas City Royals will hope that the addition of India and (to a lesser extent) Joey Wiemer will help them get over the hump in the playoffs.