The Reds have announced that infield Mike Moustakas has been released. He was recently designated for assignment when the club signed catcher Curt Casali.
The fact that Moustakas has been released was the expected outcome when he was sent into DFA limbo last month. He still has one year and $22MM remaining on his contract, which comes in the form of an $18MM salary and a $4MM buyout on a club option for 2024. Since Moustakas has been injured and/or underperforming for the past couple of seasons, no team was going to take that off Cincinnati’s hands.
Moustakas, now 34, parlayed a strong run of success with the Royals and Brewers into a four-year, $64MM deal with the Reds going into 2020. The first season of the deal went fine enough, as Moustakas hit .230/.331/.468 for a wRC+ of 105. However, the past two seasons have been disappointing, with Moustakas battling various injuries, including a heel contusion and a calf strain, and struggling to produce when on the field. He played just 62 games in 2021 and 78 in 2022, hitting a combined .211/.289/.356 for a wRC+ of 73.
With the Reds starting another rebuild recently, they will be focused on giving opportunities to younger players who can be part of the next competitive window. Jonathan India will get the bulk of playing time at second base while Spencer Steer should get an extended audition at third base. That nudged Moustakas out of his two primary positions. He’s also played a bit of first base, but the Reds will have Joey Votto there and Tyler Stephenson could also be in the mix to keep his bat in the lineup while Curt Casali and Luke Maile handle the catching duties. Given all that, they decided to let Moustakas move on and try to find an opportunity elsewhere.
Moustakas will now be free to sign with any team, with the Reds on the hook for his remaining salary. Any other club that signs him would only be responsible for the prorated league minimum for any time spent on the roster, with that amount being subtracted from what the Reds pay. A similar situation recently played out with Moose’s former teammate in Kansas City, as Eric Hosmer was released by the Red Sox and seems to be joining the Cubs. The Padres will still be on the hook for Hosmer’s salary, making it a fairly low-risk gamble for the Cubs. Moustakas will look for a similar opportunity, joining a free agent market that also includes infielders such as Josh Harrison, César Hernández and Brian Anderson.
No takers. Says a lot. They could have gotten him for a broken pitching machine. Dude is done.
Cubs?
Orioles?
Do they need a 2B or 3B? I know a lot of positions are in flux for the O’s but I thought they were already considering trading Mateo. I could be wrong though…
They are looking for IN Lefty bats. He can play 3rd/2nd/1st, so that’s kinda in the wheelhouse.
Your right, they have a lot of players already set for the IF. I suspect a trade is coming to move some of the IF/MLB depth. Idk, Hosmer was connected to BAL, so this feels similar.
Depends on if Gunnar is going to play SS or 3rd. Mateo isn’t the answer at SS and I’d rather see Moose than Urias or Mateo at 3rd.
Mateo is gonna be the main SS, he went for okay, to very, very good at SS as the year went on. His speed plus arm are tremendous.
That’s not to say Gunner isn’t very gifted at SS, he sure is, and Urias just won a GG at 3rd, but how they position those 2 (3rd/2nd) seems almost moot…it’s a win either way.
Seems like a trade is coming to help settle the team positions, though
O’scanyousee,
Mateo is a good player! ExYankee, part of the package to get us Sonny Grey, the best example of a player that ABSOLUTELY couldn’t play in New York.
The Moose is officially loose…
Northern Exposure?
Unfortunately he’s got company in washed players.
I’m sure most if not all players in baseball are washed at some point.
Nashville Nobody’s?
Portland Posers?
Tulsa Tankers?
Hello? Is this thing on?
Fresno Fatheads?
Tigers? If a ball is hit to third base there will be no one to field it!!
At this point Moustakas should probably limited to 1B/DH. 3B as a stopgap and 2B only in an emergency.
There’s this top prospect with the Tigers named Ryan Kreidler, who will be better than either Moose, or Brian Anderson.
A reunion with Kansas City maybe?
Possible but they are pretty set with Lopez, Mondesi, Massey and Witt in the IF.
After his Weight Watchers appointment.
I really expected more when we signed him. I hope he catches on some where else and does well
more weight? more injuries?
I just think he’s a minor league deal guy at this point. He’ll certainly get an opportunity somewhere
He’ll be a good minor league depth signing for a lot of teams. Get some ABs in, stay healthy, maybe get or force an opportunity midway through the season. No risk, decent reward.
Orioles should gamble on the Moose!!!!
Since the Dodgers picked up Jason Heyward, they’ll be in on Moose. They collect lefty reclamation project bats.
And, the Dodgers have a pretty good success rate!
Horrible contract. Feel bad for the Reds.
Why? They’re the ones who offered the contract?
The Reds aren’t the ones who put on 40 pounds and quit trying to play baseball. Err… we’ll at least they didn’t put on 40 pounds.
because his fat@$$ laid a big egg!
Now that he is officially available for league minimum, I expect multiple teams will offer him a major league deal. Both of the Sox teams make sense (Red & White) if they think he can play a passable 2nd base. Plus, he’s not a bad veteran to have on the bench to play a utility role for a lot of teams. He should get signed rather quickly now that he’s available at league minimum.
Well he absolutely cannot play a passable second base, so you’ll have to scratch that idea…
Probably wouldn’t be a bad idea for the White Sox to sign him. Maybe he can find something in the tank and he’d provide a lefty bat too.
In related news, the White Sox just found their 2B
Lol no. Moustakas could barely play 2B three years ago WITH the shift. There’s zero chance he can play there now. Absolutely not.
Moustakas has .961 career ops in PNC park
Lets go bucs!
Brewers?
Pro sports is a harsh business at times…not that we need to feel sorry for a guy that has been paid that well over time. But when you look at a fading former starter such as Moose, him catching on and getting playing time is not as easy as it might appear to be on the surface.
When I look at my Phils and their bench and their weaknesses, one might posit that Moose could be a fit as a role player with some upside. However, even at the league minimum, do we want him? For me, not over Sosa…and maybe not over Maton or even Guthrie. There is value to seeing what the youngsters might be able to do if they get some exposure, and each of them has shown some upside. If you bring in the veteran, chances are that you are determining that those youngsters are not worth a spot at any point.
The reality is that it is tough to rely on young bench guys when you are in the middle of a competitive window. But more often than not when they bring in that aging vet it doesn’t work any better…and oftentimes worse…than sticking with the young player that can also grow into a bigger role over time.
I saw him once last season and he made a lazy baserunning error. Opening day
I was at the game when he hit his # 200 homerun last season. He then celebrated with his 200 consecutive meal at Golden Corral buffet.
he then proceeded to twist his ankle, running to the desert bar.
I’m curious how player/club options work with a DFA. If a player executes a player option after being picked up by a new team, does the original team still pay for it or the new team? Inversely, if Moustakis has a great year and the acquiring team decides to pick up the club option, does the acquiring team pay for that option or the original team? What about the buy out if the option is declined? Thanks MLBTR community!
Post-DFA, the contracting team (the Reds in this case) is on the hook for the entire contract and obligations. Any acquiring team would be limited to offering the League Minimum only and this total (roughly $720k) would be deducted from the Reds’ obligations. If released, the acquiring team goes back to owing nothing and the entirety of the contract reverts back to the contracting team.
I understand that part. But I suppose my question directly relates to the options. If I’m an acquiring team, can I exercise the option and stick the other team with the bill? That doesn’t seem right.
The Reds chose to stick themselves with the bill. They’re on the hook for all contractual obligations, sans minimum wage if he’s on a 40 Man. Does Moose have a future Player Option? I honestly don’t know the particulars of his contract. Aloha!
@Andy Moose does gave a club option for ’24 at $20M with a $4M buyout (paid by the Reds). But no the acquiring team can’t stick the Reds for his ’24 salary if they decide to exercise it. New team would be entirely responsible for that.
Thanks! And I assume if they decline it the Reds would have to pay the buyout.
Yes, you guys are correct. Thanks for the pinch-hit YBC.
A new team doesn’t acquire his old contract, they sign a new one for league minimum. The option terms are only with CIN. I guess, theoretically, they could activate the option in ’24 and put him back on the MLB roster.
“The first season of the deal went fine enough, as Moustakas hit .230/.331/.468 for a wRC+ of 105.” It’s kind of interesting commentary about the cost of free agent contracts where that line would get a “fine enough” on a 4 year $64M deal.
That contract was a crud show the moment it was signed. What on earth was Cinci thinking? Still I think Moose can bounce back and have a good season if he can stay healthy.
Imagine your career has fallen so far that you’re actually released in favor of Curt Casali.
don’t sell Curt short there – he works really well with pitchers
Let’s hope he retires with dignity rather than linger pathetically.
I can see the Cubs signing him… He can platoon/DH with the Mervis/Hosmer (both left handed) at first, get in some games at 3B (Patrick Wisdom isn’t exactly an All Star) and DH as well.. At least worth a spring training invite..
that WS 2015 KC team almost has no one left still playing – goes to show that the KC team peaked at the right moment after losing the year before.
No kidding. That bullpen was unhittable and 2 or 3 years later all 3 (Holland, Davis and Herrera were toast). Gordon thudded, LoCain kinda did, Moose and Hosmer are the last 2 standing.
Except for Salvy of course.
Now that Longo is long gone, Los Gigantes could use The Moose on the Loose as a 3B/DH boost.
Brewers may as well sign him, since they’re bringing back dudes from the 2018 team ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Seems like he could be a good flyer for any team needing a lefty bat. Send him to the hitting clinic that fixed Matt Carpenter and see how he performs.
Moose to the Dodgers for minimum wage!
and Moose tracks ice cream!
I can see the Cubs bringing him in to platoon with Wisdom at third base.
Tigers are in need of a 3B’man. Wouldn’t mind it, if they took a flier on Moustakas. As long as it’s a bargain.
Maybe the Yankees should sign him and maybe he’ll be the next Matt Carpenter.
I think the Jays should take a low risk high reward look at him. I know he’s a bandaid like Kiermaier but he also wouldn’t be getting 9M and a starting job either. Plus if all he’s doing is DH/backup 1B in a bench role, he may stay healthy. More than worth it if he’s cheap. Just keep him away from 3B and he should be fine?
The Tigers should be looking at him. He won’t be expensive & you can platoon him with Cabby and/or Kreidler. 3B/DH & even 1B with Tork.
How about the Yankees? Release the gift that cashman gave the twins named Donaldson and sign this guy
identical has beens…just the lefty porch at Yankee stadium favors CUT LOOSE MOOSE
He’s done as a MLB player, father time took on him and there’s no way back: wrong side of the 30’s, overweight, injury prone, poor hitter and bad glove.
and a reputation for suckin!
Smell like the Twins next failed reclamation project.
At least is Reds fans no longer have to suffer watching an woefully out of shape Moose chew gum like cud, as he does his slow walk back to the dugout after a K….
At least us Reds fans don’t have to suffer watching a woefully out of shape Moose chew gum like cud, as he does his slow walk back to the dugout after a K….
In a world where there’s a lot of bad being a Reds fan, he was the worst.
Devers’ contract will have the same outcome.