Jonathan India turned around a 94.3 mph sinker in a 2-2 count, launching it 392 feet over the left field wall for a leadoff dinger in Saturday afternoon’s Cactus League outing. It was precisely the kind of thing that made Cincinnati Reds fans smile for most of four seasons, the 2021 National League Rookie of the Year working a count, waiting for his pitch, and punishing it atop the lineup.
India, of course, is on the Kansas City Royals now. His homer came off Reds lefty starter Nick Lodolo and put the Reds in an early hole, one they’d never get out of in an eventual 6-2 loss. Good for Indy, though, who struggled mightily in his first season with KC and is looking for a serious bounce-back campaign in ‘26.
In his second start of the spring, Lodolo struggled a bit more than he had in his previous outing – he yielded 6 hits and issue a pair of walks in his 3.0 IP day – but he struck out 4 and didn’t allow anyone else to score after India, somehow. The Reds of the Cincinnati pitching staff looked rather excellent on the day so long as you ignore the outing by Caleb Ferguson, who was thumped for 5 ER in 0.2 IP after allowing a pair of walks and 5 hits on the day.
Cincinnati’s offense simply couldn’t wake up in Surprise on the day. Both Matt McLain and Elly De La Cruz went hitless, which is something that’s been completely unthinkable for both during their white-hot starts to Cactus League play, and Sal Stewart went 0 for 3, too. The lone offensive bright spots on the day came from Spencer Steer (2 for 3 with a double and a run scored), Dane Myers (who walked twice), and Christian Encarnacion-Strand (a double that plated Steer).
While India’s leadoff homer immediately set the tone for the day, he wasn’t the only former Red who did damage against them. Kevin Newman started at shortstop for the Royals and went 2 for 3 with a double and a run scored, and Brandon Drury went 1 for 4 as KC’s starting 1B on the day.
The Reds will head back to Goodyear and will host the Arizona Diamondbacks tomorrow at 3:05 PM ET, this time with Brady Singer on the mound to start. He’s looking to improve upon his rather ugly first outing of the spring, and he’ll get the chance to do so in front of your eyes as this one will be viewable via MLB.tv and Reds.tv (for those of you in the Reds TV area).
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