106 Loss Team in 2023 Pushing For a World Series Possibility in 2025
Kansas City Royals Continue Making Their Team Better With Recent Trade
After the Kansas City Royals defeated the New York Yankees 5-2 on Oct. 1, 2023, their 2023 season ended— and they had a record of 56-106 and finished last in the American League Central. This team was in a big rebuild after winning the 2015 World Series, and they looked no where close to a world championship. However, nobody would expect how close they came to one in 2024.
Building a team around star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. & veteran Salvador Perez, the Royals made many moves in the 2023-2024 MLB offseason that led to a playoff team. In 2024, the Royals finished with a record of 86-76 and were the runner-ups in the AL Central, behind the Cleveland Guardians. After sweeping the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards for the AL Wild Card round, the Royals faced the New York Yankees. However, the Royals’ run ended there where the Yankees defeated them in 4 games, ending their season. Even though they didn’t go all the way, the Royals had a good season to build off of.
The Royals recently added to their talent by making a trade with the Cincinnati Reds. In the trade, Kansas City sent RHP Brady Singer to Cincy in exchange for 2B Jonathan India & OF Joey Wiemer.
Jonathan India, the 2021 NL ROY, hit .248/.357/.392 with 15 homeruns and 58 RBIs in 151 games. India will also likely take over as the Royals’ starting second baseman, where he posted a .978 Fielding % in 2023 along with posting an OAA of 1, which ranks 113th in the league and 16th out of all second basemen.
Wiemer, who was originally a 4th round pick by the Brewers in 2020, will likely be a bench option for the Royals. Wiemer hit .154/.214/.154 with no homeruns or RBIs in a season between the Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinatti Reds where he played only 21 games. Wiemer, who is listed as a left fielder but has played all 3 outfield positions in the big leagues, had a .967 Fielding % in 2024. In 2023, he ranked 15th in the league in OAA with 8.
On the other side of this trade, Brady Singer had a decent year of 2024. Singer posted a record of 9-13 with a 3.71 ERA & a 1.27 WHIP in 179.2 innings. Singer has a pitch arsenal that includes a sinker (41.3%), slider (40.3%), four seam fastball (11.3%), sweeper (5.2%), & a changeup (1.9%). In addition to his pitches, Singer throws an average of 87.4 MPH. In Cincinatti, Singer will join a starting rotation featuring Hunter Greene, Rhett Lowder, Nick Lodolo, & Nick Martinez.
This trade could very well mean a lot for both the Royals & the Reds in 2025. Kansas City gets to add another veteran to a mostly young lineup & solidify their infield with Jonathan India along with finding a bench option that helps add depth to their outfield in Joey Wiemer. For Cincinnati, they get to add a young solid starter to a weak pitching core while making some space for big improvements.
India was the odd man out in the middle infield. The positive of this is McLain is healthy, and Reds aren’t looking at him or Elly in center field.