Kansas City Royals infielder Jonathan India faced off against a familiar opponent on Tuesday night his former University of Florida teammate Brady Singer. The two, who were part of a major offseason trade, found themselves on opposite sides for the first time: India in Royals blue and Singer now pitching for the Cincinnati Reds.
“It’s a strange feeling,” India admitted. “You’re competing and trying to win for your team, but seeing Brady on the other side in a different uniform definitely felt weird. He pitched really well tonight.”
India went 2-for-4 with an RBI single off Singer, but Singer came away with the win as the Reds defeated the Royals 7-2. The two shared a hug postgame in the tunnel between clubhouses.
The Royals, now 29-27, struggled offensively once again. Their only runs came in a third-inning rally that saw seven batters come to the plate. India and Kyle Isbel drove in the runs, and the Royals collected four of their seven hits in that inning.
Meanwhile, Reds star Elly De La Cruz launched two home runs including a 451-foot shot while Tyler Stephenson added another. Singer pitched seven innings, allowing two earned runs and striking out three, while limiting Kansas City to weak contact throughout.
“He was sharp tonight,” Isbel said. “We couldn’t get enough runs across.”
The Royals went with a bullpen game, starting lefty Daniel Lynch IV, who gave up one run in 2 ⅔ innings. However, the bullpen faltered late, especially in the eighth when John Schreiber allowed three runs due to walks and a throwing error. The Reds (28-28) clinched the series win.
Reflecting on the trade that brought India to Kansas City and sent Singer to Cincinnati, Royals manager Matt Quatraro said it met the teams’ mutual needs pitching for the Reds and an on-base threat for the Royals.
So far, the trade has been balanced. Singer has been a strong presence in the Reds’ rotation, while India has added consistency and base-running prowess to the Royals lineup. Despite some defensive lapses, India’s resilience is respected, and the Royals hope his bat continues to heat up.
Looking ahead, rookie pitcher Noah Cameron (1-1, 0.93 ERA) will start the series finale for Kansas City, facing Reds ace Hunter Greene (4-2, 2.54 ERA) on Wednesday night at Kauffman Stadium.
