The Kansas City Royals were buyers at the trade deadline as the team eyes a playoff berth with a second-half push. And new addition Mike Yastrzemski helped power Kansas City over the Toronto Blue Jays in the series opener. However, the Royals lost the game and their leadoff hitter on Saturday.
Jonathan India got drilled on the left wrist by a 95 mph Max Scherzer four-seamer in the third inning. After being hit by the pitch, the fifth-year veteran dropped to one knee in obvious pain. While India managed to stay in the game initially he was forced to exit the contest in the fifth inning.
After initially staying in, #Royals Jonathan India left the game a few innings later. He took a pitch right off his wrist. pic.twitter.com/xsGfdKs7lK
— Mike Kurland (@Mike_Kurland) August 2, 2025
Fortunately, X-rays of India’s wrist and forearm were negative, per MLB.com’s Anne Rogers. The second baseman has a contusion from the beaning. The Royals didn’t immediately indicate if India will miss time with the injury.
Royals look for offensive boost in playoff push
Kansas City added India in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds over the offseason. The team was hoping a change of scenery would reboot the 28-year-old infielder’s career.
India hasn’t been able to live up to the lofty expectations created by his strong debut. He won Rookie of the Year in 2021 with 21 home runs, 34 doubles, 98 runs scored and an .835 OPS. Since then, India’s offensive production has tailed off. After racking up 4.1 bWAR in his first 150 games, he’s tallied 2.3 bWAR over his last 474 contests.
India showed signs of a rebound in 2024, playing in a career-high 151 games and finishing with a triple digit OPS+ (104) for the first time since his rookie year. But he’s struggled this season.
India is slashing .242/.323/.344 with five home runs and 48 runs scored in 102 games for the Royals. He’s down to a career-low 86 OPS+ and he has yet to successfully steal a base in 2025 after averaging 10.5 steals a year over his first four seasons. Although, India did play the hero for KC with a walk-off home run in extra innings against the Guardians last week.
Saturday’s loss to the Blue Jays dropped Kansas City to 55-56. The team trails the first-place Detroit Tigers by 9.5 games in the AL Central. But the Royals are just 3.5 games back in the Wild Card chase as they look to make the playoffs for a second straight season.
