The Reds announced Sunday that they’ve placed second baseman Jonathan India on the 10-day injured list due to plantar fasciitis in his left foot. The move is retroactive to Saturday. Outfielder Stuart Fairchild was recalled from Triple-A Louisville in a corresponding move.
After the move was made, India told Reds beat writers that he’s hopeful of requiring just a minimum stint (link via Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer). India acknowledged that he’s been playing through pain for some time but reached a point where it became untenable. “I can’t make this worse,” he said. “If it’s worse, I’m out the whole year.”
In 103 games this season, India is hitting .251/.336/.409 with 14 homers, 20 doubles and a dozen steals. That includes a swoon at the plate over the past couple months. India hit .290/.376/.440 for the season’s first two months, but dating back to Memorial Day weekend he’s limped to a .211/.292/.376 slash.
With India on the shelf, Goldsmith notes that Elly De La Cruz will likely play shortstop regularly, with Matt McLain taking the majority of the reps at second base and Spencer Steer slotting in at third base. That crop of standout young hitters has been the driving factor behind the Reds’ surprising surge into postseason contention in 2023, and the depth they provide gives Cincinnati the ability to withstand a hopefully short-term absence for the 2021 NL Rookie of the Year.
India’s name has surfaced in trade rumors over the past few weeks, with the Reds reportedly willing to consider offers on him as a means of acquiring immediate, controllable rotation help. That’s different, of course, than the Reds actively shopping India — and a deal has never seemed especially likely. Now that he’s on the injured list and dealing with a plantar fasciitis diagnosis, it stands to reason that the already slim chances of a trade involving India have dwindled even further.