In case you missed it, the Cincinnati Reds made a surprising move on Friday night, acquiring right-handed starting pitcher Brady Singer from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for infielder Jonathan India and minor league outfielder Joey Wiemer. . The deal While rumors about the trade surfaced a week earlier, the deal still caught many off guard, especially after speculation that the Reds might step back from pursuing Singer after Nick Martinez accepted the qualifying offer.
Both Singer and India will remain under team control through the 2025 and 2026 seasons, while Wiemer’s control extends at least through 2028, depending on his time in the minors. As for salaries, only India’s 2025 salary is set, with arbitration eligibility looming for both India (in 2026) and Singer (in 2025 and 2026). Here’s what some national media outlets are saying about the trade:
ESPN
Bradford Doolittle graded the trade with a B+ for the Reds and a C+ for the Royals. While he acknowledged that Singer can struggle with the long ball—something that could be problematic at Great American Ballpark—Doolittle believes the upside for Cincinnati outweighs the risk, and that they didn’t give up any key players that will be difficult to replace.
MLB.com
Mike Petriello took a balanced look at the deal. He praised India’s ability to avoid chasing pitches outside the zone, a key asset for the Royals, while raising concerns about Singer’s performance against left-handed batters and how his game might translate at Great American Ballpark.
The Athletic
Keith Law believes the trade could benefit both teams, highlighting that not every trade needs to have a clear “winner.” However, he leans toward the Royals benefiting more, sharing similar concerns to Petriello regarding Singer’s potential struggles in his new ballpark.
While Eno Sarris didn’t write a full piece on the trade, he expressed his skepticism on social media, suggesting that neither team truly came out ahead.