Reds center fielder Nick Senzel fractured a toe in his left foot during tonight’s loss to the Red Sox, he informed reporters (including Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer). The injury, suffered when he collided with the outfield wall, brings a premature end to his 2022 season.
The Reds have long since been out of the playoff picture, but it’s obviously not ideal to lose Senzel to another injured list stint. It’s unfortunately been a common occurrence for the former #2 overall pick. Senzel spent time on the COVID-19 list earlier this year, and he lost good chunks of the 2020 and ’21 seasons to physical maladies. He appeared in only 59 combined games over the prior two seasons, although he nevertheless started as Cincinnati’s Opening Day center fielder for the third straight year.
Senzel did manage a career-high 420 plate appearances over 110 games this year. The results, however, have been disappointing. He hit .231/.297/.306, connecting on just five home runs. While he only struck out in 18.1% of his plate appearances, he’s not drawn many walks and has gotten subpar results on batted balls. Senzel has just over 1000 plate appearances as a major leaguer and carried a .240/.304/.360 line into play tonight.
It’s theoretically possible tonight’s injury marks an end to Senzel’s time in Cincinnati. He’s arbitration-eligible through 2025, but he could be a non-tender candidate after another below-average campaign. He’ll only be due a modest raise on this year’s $1.25MM salary, and the Reds are likely to be in for another non-competitive season in 2023. The front office could use that as justification to give the former top prospect another opportunity to try to cement himself as a regular, but it’s fair to wonder whether they may look outside the organization for center field help this winter. Cincinnati has gotten just a .230/.293/.332 line out of the position on the season. That’s 25th among the league’s 30 teams by measure of wRC+, topping only the Astros, Phillies, Rockies, A’s and Guardians.
As a Reds fan, I’m ready to move on. I’d like to see Fraley, Friedl, and Fairchild play every day the rest of this season in the outfield. Mix Aquino in if you want, but I’m ready to move on from him too.
I agree. Time to move on. He will probably turn his career around after he leaves but so be it. I wonder if the writer of the article has talked to people that have totally written off next season. I am holding out hope that ownership will try to save face and bring in 4-5 players that can help the Reds be competitive next year in Votto’s final season. The NL Central does not scare me. The bullpen needs retooling. Barrero may need to go also. There is plenty of shortstops in the Reds system. A veteran bat to play shortstop or third base with Farmer, India, and Votto is needed. Fraley has a place season. Aquino’s time should be up also. He has had more than enough time to develope. Two outfield spots are up for grabs. Five of the worst eight lowest winning percentage seasons since World War 2 have come during the Castellini regime.
Reds have no chance to compete next year. They won’t spend until votto is off books.
I’d love to see castellini sell ! Be greatest sports news for a reds fan since ww2 lol.
Agree on the sell idea.
Barrero will be the starting SS next season. The young guys, starting with McLain and EDLC, might warrant call ups by mid season but Jose will get one last chance to be a regular. I would move India off 2B into a corner OF spot and put Steer there
Agree on time to move on with Senzel. I would put India at 3B and give Lopez a shot at 2B. The OF seems to be a lost cause with the current cast of characters. The Reds may need to shift some of their abundance of IF prospects to the OF going forward.
The Reds are too far away to really be competitive as a result of a handful of moves. At this point they need a 2-3 year plan at least. Trying to go for it for Votto’s final season would be repeating the same mistake that got them into this mess. They need patience.
The absolute truth. Even then, if they don’t spend at least moderately,, they have no chance.
5 FA’s, as he suggested isn’t a handful of moves. He is also correct that the NL Central is weak. The thing is you are right if you mean it won’t make them competitive to win the World Series. That’s obviously the goal every organization should have, but an immediate goal of a .500 team is very doable with his plan. 50M or 55M spent on the right pieces could do it.
Just before that he was the hottest hitter on the team
Absolutely if they can make moves to possibly play .500 or so they should. Just do it in a way where you still keep to a 2-3 year plan. Sign short contracts. But don’t go for it all at the expense of the near future. But I agree every team should always try to get better.
This article doesn’t do Senzel justice. Nick Senzel had missed significant time and doesn’t produce at the plate bc he has vertigo. Vertigo is a condition that can leave physically normal person wheel chair bound for life yet Senzel is still talented enough to play Major League Baseball with that condition.
Once as sure fire as any prospect could possibly be – Senzel proves there’s no such thing as a sure fire prospect. Prior to his vertigo diagnosis in 2017 Senzel hit – 321 w 57 extra base hits in just a 119 games reaching AA that year. Compared to a major league career 240 average w 67 extra base hits. Vertigo ruined his career and cost him 9 figures in salary. Shame !
You are probably right but still, it is time to move on. It is unfortunate for Senzel.
There was a lot of hype when this guy came up but he’s looking more like a bust. Maybe he needs a change of environment on a different team .
Wait until the Spring before making these decisions. Senseless and Aquino both have come around at the plate lately by implementing a toe tap in Aquinos case, and Senzel has looked more relaxed in the box than I’ve ever seen him with some adjustments to his stance. Barrero has flat out proven that he cannot hit the slider, period. Of the three, he would be the one with the shortest leash iMO. EDLC is the Reds Minor League Player of the Year. He’s accepted and owned every challenge the team has thrown at him. We’ll see him in the AFL and in ST. If he continues to rake he should be in Cincinnati on Opening Day as the starting SS. As for the other three…show me what you’ve got..
No need to rush EDLC. The others have had ample time to show what they have., I might give Aquino one last chance due to performance of late.
Aquino is 0 for his last 15 with 7 strikeouts.
That is around 3-4 games of ABs. I was referring to a larger sample size. I emphasize might. Aquino is about out of chances as well.
Nick Senzel absolutely will be hitting .340 on the Dodgers in 2024. He’s their perfect “fixer upper” type ala Muncy, Taylor, Trayce Thompson, et al. Has the skill, it’s just about adjustments at this point, and the Dodgers coaching/training staff just loves to show off with high ceiling/low results so far-guys like him.
Don’t forget about Justin Turner
Interesting that of those 5 teams getting worse CF production, 3 of them are in post season contention. And one of those teams traded a CF who contributed to that poor offensive output to another contender. I’m sure the Dodgers are close to Reds territory offensively too but are getting the defense there.
You obviously prefer good offense from all your positions. But that last sentence reads like it’s a bad thing to be in that group of teams, but they are actually in some decent company as far as team results go.
The difference of course is that the contending teams are getting offensive production from most of the remaining positions, and the Reds from very few.
Yeah. But it does highlight that contenders can carry below league average bats if those guys are providing excellent defense up the middle. Astros are the best team in the AL and are not getting great offense at C, SS, and CF but have gotten defense from those spots. I don’t think Senzel is particularly well regarded defensively in CF though.
Non-tender or trade.
The LAD can fix him. Trade him there. He can replace one of their aging players
dude …suxs…simple…cut him!
IMO keep Senzel one more year because of his low cost salary. We are not exactly flush with quality outfielders as it is.
Senzel doesn’t make the team more flush. Also he’s already publicly been switched to a utility role.
Until he’s blocking someone better, there’s very little contract cost or opportunity cost in keeping Senzel one more season.
I agree…
Because of injury and giving other outfielders playing time he was publicly switched. And, I think we all know Farmer is going to be the utility guy few the next few years. I’ve always rooted for this kid and it’s really hard to toss a “bust” on him for injuries, things happen. I wouldn’t non tender him though. See what the Spring brings…
i d rather watch a highlight reel with Billy Hamilton patrolling CF..at least its entertaining and cost friendly league minimum. Also fun to watch on the bases…when he reaches ! 1.5 2 out of 10xs! Senzel=total flop!
They need to trade his sorry ass , he sucks
They keep mentioning Senzel’s talent but he never hit more than .250ish in the big leagues. He has been in the big leagues a while. He isn’t a legitimate major league CF, he looks like an infielder trying to play out there, which he is. He can’t stay on the field yet they count on him as a starter and don’t have the depth most seasons behind him so they are in a pickle.
I wouldn’t count on him for more than a utility role because of the above. Get a legitimate major league CF for next season.