Jonathan India Undergoes Season-Ending Labrum Surgery
The Royals introduced that second baseman Jonathan India He underwent a labrum restore on his left shoulder right this moment. He’ll miss the remainder of the season.
India’s second season in Kansas City ends after 17 video games. He batted .167 with a pair of house runs whereas reaching base at a .310 clip. There’s a good likelihood this may make an unlucky finish to India’s tenure with the Royals. Acquired from the Reds over the 2024-25 offseason for Brady Singerhe had a disappointing .233/.323/.346 line a season in the past.
It’s the continuation of a downward pattern for the 2021 NL Rookie of the Year. The former fifth total decide broke into the majors with a .269/.376/.459 line and 21 house runs. His offensive numbers dropped to league common over the following three seasons as he started battling accidents. India missed time in 2022 with a hamstring pressure and handled plantar fasciitis in ’23. He performed a career-high 151 video games throughout his ultimate season as a Red, hitting .248/.357/.392 with 15 longballs.
Kansas City acquired India within the hope that he’d be a high-OBP presence in entrance of Bobby Witt Jr. atop the lineup. They additionally tried to maneuver the career-long second baseman to a utility position. Neither purpose labored as meant, as India struggled to get comfy in left area or at third base. The Royals moved him again to second base full time final May. He additionally did not hit a lot and dropped to the underside third of the order in August.
India hasn’t been enjoying at full power for a lot of that point. He first injured his left shoulder diving for a ground-ball final June. He performed by means of the damage within the second half and for the primary few weeks of this season earlier than happening the injured listing on April 20. It evidently reached some extent the place he might not keep away from surgical procedure.
The Royals tendered India an $8MM arbitration contract over the offseason. It was an odd transfer even on the time, particularly if they’d any indication the shoulder would possibly stay an issue going into 2026. Their hope for a rebound did not pan out and so they’re left with an underwhelming second base outlook.
Michael Massey would be the main second baseman in the intervening time. He has some energy and was a league common hitter again in 2024. Massey battled damage and did not hit final season (.244/.268/.313 by means of 277 PAs). The lefty hitter has a homer and 5 doubles in 47 plate appearances this 12 months, however he has solely walked twice whereas placing out 11 occasions.
Righty-hitting Nick Loftina profession .223/.301/.328 hitter, is KC’s main various to Massey. Kevin Newman, Josh Rojas and Abraham Toro are all within the group on minor league contracts. None of them have topped a .716 OPS in opposition to Triple-A pitching.
It’d be an apparent space for the Royals to handle in the event that they’re in place so as to add on the commerce deadline. Their 11-17 begin is not encouraging in that regard, however they’ve rebounded from an eight-game shedding skid to win 4 of their final 5. The whole AL Central has performed common or worse ball thus far, so it is a lot too quickly to jot down the Royals off. Luis Arraez and Brandon Lowe are impending free brokers whose potential commerce candidates in July hinge on the respective performances of the Giants and Pirates. Gleyber Torres can also be in his stroll 12 months, though it’d take an sudden Tigers collapse for them to commerce him to a division opponent.
India will probably be a first-time free agent subsequent winter. He’s both a minor league contract or an incentive-laden, one-year MLB deal. The Royals will transfer him to the 60-day injured listing every time they should open a 40-man roster spot.