PITTSBURGH – Jonathan India was out of the Cincinnati Reds lineup Saturday for the first time in six weeks as manager David Bell called him probably the player furthest away from 100% healthy.
“He’s not ever going to let on (about an injury) or, for sure, not ask out of the lineup,” Bell said before Saturday’s game. “He wants to play so bad that I just had to do it and I didn’t need to talk to him about it. I just took him out of the lineup for his sake.”
India’s response?
He joined Nick Castellanos as the first two players to walk onto the field for pregame batting practice Saturday and he spoke to Bell during the game to say he was ready to start Sunday’s season finale. Bell said India was adamant about playing one more game.
India received his wish and his name was written in the leadoff spot Sunday for the Game No. 162 lineup card. It’s nothing that surprised his teammates or coaches. That’s India’s style. He was hit by a league-leading 22 pitches and never wanted to come out of games.
