TODAY: The Reds have released Kevin Newman, the team announced. He is now a free agent.
SEPTEMBER 25: The Reds have reinstated Kevin Newman from the injured list and designated the utility infielder for assignment, the team announced. The 30-year-old had been nursing an oblique strain since mid-August.
Across 74 games in his first season with Cincinnati, Newman played all four infield positions, providing valuable depth to a Reds team that has dealt with its fair share of injuries. While his offensive numbers were underwhelming (.253/.311/.364), they were almost identical to his career stat line, so it’s not as if he underperformed expectations. However, with a glut of infielders on the active roster, the Reds no longer had a role for Newman to play. Joey Votto, Jonathan India, and Nick Senzel are healthy, and rookies Spencer Steer, Elly De La Cruz, Noelvi Marte, and Christian Encarnacion-Strand have all earned spots on the big league roster. Matt McLain is nearing his return from the injured list as well.
Cincinnati now has an open spot on the 40-man roster, so the team could be planning an additional move before tomorrow’s game against the Guardians.
The Reds acquired Newman this past offseason in a trade with the Pirates, sending relief pitcher Dauri Moreta to Pittsburgh. The right-hander has performed well this season in a middle-relief role, posting a 4.02 ERA and 3.45 SIERA in 51 appearances.
Cincinnati will have to place Newman on waivers in the coming days, but with less than a week to go in the regular season, it’s highly unlikely he will get claimed. If indeed he passes through waivers, he has enough service time to reject an outright assignment to the minor leagues in favor of free agency.
Perfect!
Seinfeld got his revenge
Kramer is inconsolable tho
Agent: “Good news and bad news, Kevin. The good news is you’re reinstated from the IL. The bad news is your assignment is to clear out your locker and hightail it outta there.”
Worse news is the White Sox will probably come calling.
Hello Newman.
More like Goodbye, Newman.
(Farm girl waves frantically) Goodbye, Norman!!
They DFAd Norman too? 🙁
Freddie Norman is in his 80s and been gone for years!
Probably still a better pitcher than some of the dumpster dive guys they tried this year.
No big surprise.
“Newman” getting murked by the “dilophosaurus” in Jurassic Park was hilarious
Giants could use him, but it’s too late. .253 is not bad for a fill-in.
Newman mashes LHP…
Rightfully was the Reds leadoff hitter much of the year against LHP. Better than India with the glove too…
Newman has one more arbitration year. So if a team claims him they’d control him through next season.
He loves broccoli!
Family-feast
He could always go work for Kenny Rogers roasters as a manager.
Reds gave up 50 innings of quality relief for this guy !? Bet they wish they had that back !
A deal that proved so unnecessary, too.
Especially for a team that doesn’t seem to develop quality relief pitching.
He imbibed her glistening spell
Just before the other shoe.. fell
The article says Kevin has enough service time to reject and outright assignment. I think he does, but I don’t think he has enough to reject the assignment and get paid his remaining salary. There’s not much time left and it’s probably worth giving up the remaining salary to control what team you’re with to make sure they have room for you in 2024. Cincinnatti doesn’t (although they may release him anyway).
Another one of the ridiculous first round picks by the prior Pirate regime. What did they see in this fellow to think he was first round material?
He had zero power in college. Only hitting attribute was a low number of strikeouts but that was negated by a failure to get walks..
He’s spent six years in the majors. I’d bet a number of players drafted around him haven’t and won’t do that.
Would you have picked him first if you were a GM?
Maybe a third rounder or later.
I have no idea. He went 19th overall. I wonder what the average career is for the 19th overall pick.
It’s not like drafting is a perfect science. People change.
The previous regime also drafted Cole Tucker with their number one pick and he’s been more of a failure than Newman
Welcome to the White Sox, the most unlikable team in sports, you’ll be starting in no time
He’ll sign a minor league deal with someone and be a bench option for them next year. His fielding gives him that much, even if he doesn’t hit much.
Kevin Newman played well for the 2023 Reds. The Reds would not have enjoyed competing for a playoff spot and perhaps having a winning season without his contribution. Being a big part of the Reds transition early, he has become a casualty of that transistion in the 2nd half of this season. The promotion and progress of prospects Steer, Mclain, de la Cruz,& Marte leave no opportunity for Newman going forward. Krall made a sound deal trading Moreta for Newman, Just another example of how this rebuild is ahead of schedule.
Newman performed as expected. He’s a good player not an all star. He should settle in on some team. Very good utility player just not quite an everyday one
I watched Liover Peguero play shortstop at The Bank ballpark yesterday.
He is the reason a 580 OPS guy beat him out playing there this year.
He and Bae could not turn an easy double play yesterday that cost the Pirates a 2-1 win.He did not dive for the game winning single up the middle to keep the ball in the infield.
Much too lackadaisical.
I remember Kevin Newman well.
The Pirates could do worse than having him to backup Cruz next year..
They’re not bringing back Newman.
They have all those other youngsters in the farm system.
Pillow- They do,but aside from Williams,with an ops of 580,do they have anybody who can actually field the position well?Most of those guys are really second basemen.
I was surprised they sent Williams down since he is their late inning replacement if you have the lead. I sometimes think they are still trying to lose games that are winnable.
Panj-Some of us have less doubt in our mind than you do on your last statement but we do not know the answer to the eternal question.
Why?