BOSTON -- Before Wednesday night, there had only been 10 games in which Jonathan India’s name wasn’t written in the leadoff spot, and those were the 10 games he wasn’t in the lineup at all.
Wednesday was different, with Mike Yastrzemski hitting leadoff and India batting seventh against Red Sox right-hander Dustin May.
The new-look lineup immediately paid off, with Yastrzemski and India contributing to the Royals’ 7-3 win over the Red Sox at Fenway Park, salvaging the series as Kansas City continues to chase Boston and four other teams in the American League Wild Card race.
Yastrzemski went 2-for-3 against May, while India was on base four times and broke open the game in the seventh with a three-run home run off the top of the Green Monster.
“It’s a pretty comfortable spot for me to work an at-bat,” Yastrzemski said. “It was nice to get everybody shuffled up a little bit and feel a little rejuvenated, re-motivated, and I think it worked out really well.”
Manager Matt Quatraro wanted the left-handed Yastrzemski to face May as many times as possible, as lefty batters entered Wednesday slashing .253/.346/.472 against May this year; right-handers had a .234/.306/.395 slash line. Yastrzemski has an .803 OPS against right-handed pitchers in his career. He’s also now 7-for-14 against May in his career.
“[Yastrzemski] controls the zone, has really good at-bats for the most part, and it’s another what should be a tougher matchup for May,” Quatraro said pregame. “And [we want to] get that as many times as we possibly can.”
Quatraro also liked the balance of having a right-handed batter at the bottom of the lineup after he’d been stacking lefties down there against righties ever since the Royals acquired Yastrzemski and Adam Frazier ahead of the Trade Deadline.
When asked whether the new lineup had anything to do with India’s performance this season, Quatraro shook his head.
“Far more matchup based,” Quatraro said. “And what it does for the balance of the lineup is what is really a big factor in that.”
But when Quatraro talked to India about the upcoming move on Tuesday night, India understood it -- and that he needs to play better in general. Acquired to be the Royals’ leadoff hitter this offseason in a trade with the Reds, India has a .238/.325/.345 slash line, all down from last year and his career numbers. He’s striking out less (16.7% this year, entering Wednesday, compared to 20.3% in his career) but also walking less (9.3% this year compared to a career 10.3% walk rate).
“I’m not myself right now,” India said pregame. “I’m not being the hitter I know I can be. There’s a lot of factors in that. I understand. I’m not playing well. It’s just part of winning. We’ve got to win. That’s the bottom line.
“And I’m a team player. I want to win at all costs. Whatever helps the team, I’m in.”
India’s acclimation with the Royals has been rockier than expected. While learning a new team, he was tasked with learning a new position, as the Royals wanted to see if he could play left field at the beginning of the year. It took a toll on his body, and in May, the Royals pivoted to have him play only second base.
“Physically, it’s been a tough year,” India said. “It’s more physical than mental, but maybe mentally, too. I love all the guys here. I love the organization. But maybe I’m just not comfortable. I don’t know what it is. I’ve been searching for pretty much the whole year now, trying to find myself. My passion, my fire. And it just hasn’t come out. I don’t know why.
“It’s just part of baseball. It’s a new team, new atmosphere. … It’s nothing to do with the organization. They treat me with such respect. It’s very structured. And it’s a winning organization, which I love. So it’s me. I just need to get built in here and figure it out.”
What isn’t in question is how hard India works, which is brought up in nearly every conversation about him. The 28-year-old never stops moving -- probably to his detriment, he admits, because that can take a toll on his body, too. He’s appreciated the support he’s gotten from the team.
And India looked a lot more like himself on Wednesday night.
“There’s a lot that’s not normal with me [this year],” India said. “My whole career, I’ve never hit this bad, I don’t think. I’ve always found a way to come through in situations. This year it’s just not the case. I’m just not the same guy at the plate. I guess guys go through that. I need to find a way to push through it.
“I want fans to know that I’m not going out there and purposely [doing] this. It’s a transition for me that I’m going through, and I’m learning every day. I’m continuing to play, and I’m not afraid to be out there. I love this game too much to hide from it.”