Royals' Jonathan India Delivers Playoff Message After Clutch Home Run

The Royals are thinking October

Aug 17, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals second baseman Jonathan India (6) runs the bases against the Chicago White Sox after hitting a two run home run to tie the game in the seventh inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

It was a monumental swing of the bat for Jonathan India and the entire Kansas City Royals team.

On Sunday, with the Royals trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the seventh inning, India launched a 450-foot blast into the fountains at Kauffman Stadium to tie the game against the Chicago White Sox. Kansas City needed a sweep over the White Sox to stay in the playoff hunt, and that's what it got.

After a Maikel Garcia RBI single provided the winning margin in the bottom of the eighth, the Royals got their sweep, and most importantly, they're finally more than a game over .500. At 63-61, they're hanging around, still only four games out of a potential wild card spot.

Jonathan India speaks on playoff chase after clutch homer

Aug 17, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals second baseman Jonathan India (6) is doused by shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (7) and second baseman Tyler Tolbert (2) after the win over the Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

India hasn't had the year he would have hoped for after arriving in Kansas City via trade. Even after the blast on Sunday, his season OPS sits at .679. Thanks to his subpar defense, he's been worth just 0.1 bWAR this season, and he's even been dropped from the leadoff spot against right-handed pitching.

But none of the individual side seems to matter much to India at this point. His team believes it has a shot at the playoffs, a place India has never been fortunate enough to go in his five-year career.

“We’re fighting for a playoff spot and chasing teams,” India said, per Anne Rogers of MLB.com. “All we can do is keep winning ballgames. Worry about ourselves, and that’s it.”

India isn't the only one thinking about October. Sure, the White Sox are a terrible team, but the wins all count the same in the standings, and the Royals can build some momentum if they keep up the wins against the Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers this week.

“You start to feel a little momentum,” manager Matt Quatraro said, per Rogers. “Guys are feeling it a little bit. Now, we're back in it.”

The Rangers and Royals are two teams on the outside looking in at the moment, so this week's four-game set at Kauffman Stadium should go a long way toward determining whether either has a shot. And Kansas City already swept the Rangers in Arlington in June.

If India can deliver a few more big swings, the Royals will be in a good spot.

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