Jonathan India appeared to be a big addition for the Kansas City Royals not too long ago.
The trade of Brady Singer to the Cincinnati Reds to acquire India was supposed to bolster Kansas City’s batting order.
Instead, India struggled mightily.
But despite that, the Royals signed India to an $8 million contract for the 2026 MLB season to see if he can get back to a better place.
There was a question of whether India would be non-tendered, but the Royals decided to bring him back after a down year. India hit .233 with a .346 slugging percentage in 2025 across 136 games played. He hit just nine homers and didn’t steal a single base.
“The second base job is his to lose, but it’s still a prove-it year for India, not just to put his first season with the Royals behind him, but also because he’ll be a free agent at season’s end,” MLB.com’s Anne Rogers wrote in a new article on Tuesday.
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India is really an X-factor in whether the Royals sink or swim this season.
They’ve got proven standouts in Bobby Witt Jr., Vinnie Pasquantino, Maikel Garcia and Salvador Perez.
The outfield, on the other hand, is almost an entire question mark.
India falls somewhere in the middle. He has been a solid hitter in MLB before, but he wasn’t in his first season with the Royals.
If he can lift his game back to better levels, India could help Kansas City contend in the AL Central Division. But if not, it’ll be bad news for the futures of both India and the Royals.
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