Inside Jonathan India’s nagging injury: How surgery came after 5 painful years
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- India had surgery on his left labrum after playing with shoulder subluxations since 2021.
- The Royals placed India on the 10-day injured list April 20; he had surgery on April 28.
- India, tendered $8 million last November, will be a free agent after this season.
It’s been a procedure five years in the making for Jonathan India. He finally had surgery on his left labrum.
Athletes are used to playing hurt. In many cases, it can be required to excel at the professional level.
But India, 29, had been playing with shoulder subluxations for five years, since his major league career started with the Cincinnati Reds in 2021. His left shoulder, the side the second baseman catches with, would pop out of place. He’d simply pop it back in.
“Sounds psychotic, but just the person I am when I’m on that field,” India told reporters Tuesday.
The infielder has left games previously after diving on his left side. One play against the Cleveland Guardians early in this season was the final straw. When the Royals suffered a walk-off loss in Cleveland in frigid temperatures on April 7, India went for a routine dive.
After the dive, his shoulder simply had nothing left to give, he said.
“I couldn’t lift my arm above my head the next week,” India said. “I even tried to play the next week, you know, I did everything I could. The trainers helped me try to prepare for the games, and it was just ... I couldn’t swing. So that was probably the final straw, physically.”
India was placed on the 10-day injured list on April 20 during KC’s series against the New York Yankees.
The Royals got him checked by medical staff and were hopeful to get him back, but they made the determination that surgery was needed. The surgery was performed on April 28, putting India out for the season.
It took essentially the whole organization to encourage India to get the surgery he’s been needing for so long. Head trainer Kyle Turner, general manager J.J. Picollo and manager Matt Quatraro were some of the loudest organizational voices influencing him.
“They really made me realize, ‘Hey, you’re hurting yourself. You’ve dealt with for so long, and we could tell that you’re in pain every day. We appreciate how tough you are, but we need you to be at your best,’” India said.
“It actually made me realize it’s time to do it. And I couldn’t thank this organization enough for believing in me, and being honest with me. And not saying, ‘Oh, we need you to play every day. We need you on the field no matter what, at all costs.’ They actually care for your health and they care for the person you are. So it’s pretty special to me.”
Quatraro explained the Royals’ big-picture approach.
“When you undergo something like that, you want to get as many opinions and look for the immediate consequence and the long-term consequence and all that for his career,” Quatraro said on Tuesday. “I think he understood that this was probably the best thing long term. He was going to be a free agent at the end of the year, all those things, and he’s been playing hurt for at least the year-plus that we’ve had him. And after a while, that just wears you down.”
In New York, several of his teammates made it clear they want him healthy, and he clearly was not.
“We all had a gathering after one of the games, and a lot of them just kept reassuring me, like, ‘Hey, we could tell your pain. It’s not worth it anymore. Just take care of yourself, take care of your health, and your health is the most important thing in the world.’ So most of them were telling me that message, and it was amazing to hear that,” India said.
India arrived in Kansas City last season in a trade that sent right-hander Brady Singer to the Reds. He hit .233 with nine homers and 45 RBIs in 136 games last season while dealing with nagging injuries.
The Royals kept India by tendering an $8 million contract last November to avoid arbitration. He is due to be a free agent after this season.
This season, India hit .167 with two homers and eight RBIs in 17 games as the primary second baseman.
He plans to “crush rehab” for the rest of the season and cheer his teammates on.
The Fort Lauderdale, Florida native’s impending free agency was a big part of his decision. But he chose to focus on getting healthy and will await what happens after the season in free agency.
“I’m a free agent. What a terrible timing to have the surgery,” India said. “But I just know that there’s a plan. The Lord has a plan for me, and I’m no use if I’m that badly injured on the field. So why not get healthy, mentally healthy, and be myself again after the surgery, and someone will give me an opportunity. If it’s the Royals, or if it’s not the Royals, I’ll have an opportunity.”
