The Reds announced that infielder Amed Rosario, recently claimed off waivers from the Dodgers, has reported to the team and been added to the active roster. In a corresponding move, fellow infielder Jeimer Candelario has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a left great toe fracture.
It hasn’t been officially relayed by the club when Candelario suffered this injury or how long they expect him to be out. In Sunday’s game against the Royals, he was hit by a pitch on his foot in the second inning, just before the umpires decided it was time for a rain delay. He did finish that game and also served as the designated hitter against the Blue Jays last night, but perhaps he didn’t realize he was playing through a fracture, or maybe did realize it but was just waiting for Rosario to join the club before heading to the IL.
Either way, it’s the latest in a remarkable series of events that have subtracted from the Cincinnati infield this year. The Reds signed Candelario to a three-year, $45MM deal in the offseason, which seemed unnecessary at the time. The Reds already had an infield mix consisting of Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain, Jonathan India, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Noelvi Marté and Spencer Steer. That was arguably already a surplus and Candelario made the picture even more crowded.
But that surplus quickly evaporated before the season even started. In March, Marté was hit with an 80-game PED suspension and McLain required shoulder surgery. Marté has since returned after serving his suspension but McLain has yet to make his season debut. Encarnacion-Strand struggled out of the gate and hit the injured list in May, eventually requiring surgery for an ulnar styloid fracture in his right wrist. With all of those injuries in their infield, and some in the outfield as well, the club only has four players who currently qualify for the batting title: De La Cruz, India, Steer and Candelario.
But now Candelario is set to miss some time as well, putting his first season in Cincinnati on pause. It’s been a bit of a disappointing year for him, despite his 20 home runs. He’s hit .225/.279/.429 overall for a wRC+ of 88, a noticeable drop from last year’s line of .251/.336/.471 and 118 wRC+. It’s possible some bad luck could explain the drop-off, as his .257 batting average on balls in play this year is well below the .290 league average and his own .292 mark from last year, but his Statcast metrics are all a bit less potent than last year’s.
It’s also possible that injuries have played a role there. On June 21, members of the club’s beat indicated Candelario has been battling knee tendinitis, with Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer among those to pass it along. Candelario had a .255/.310/.506 batting line and 118 wRC+ on that date but has hit just .182/.233/.318 for a 45 wRC+ since. If there’s a silver lining of this toe fracture, perhaps it will give Candelario a breather to get his knee back in good shape so that he can come back in good form.
Due to the club’s various issues around the dirt this year, they have picked up Santiago Espinal, Ty France and now Rosario as the season has gone along. Those three will help fill out the infield alongside De La Cruz, India, Steer and Marté as the Reds try to keep their season alive. They are currently 5.5 games out of a playoff spot but would have to leapfrog five different clubs to get into postseason position.
Wow, 57 years as a Reds fan and I can honestly say I have never seen anything like this. Not blaming anyone but bad luck.
How about 1981? Reds had the best record but didn’t make the playoffs because due to the strike the league opted for 1st half winners and 2nd half winners making the playoffs instead of the teams with the best overall record.
Seaver got robbed as well, could have had another Cy
…..and it was the end of the Big Red Machine.
So Rosario becomes the everyday 3B. Works out perfectly.
Except he’s not in the lineup
Espinal should be that guy. He’s earned it. Came a long way from the Mendoza line earlier in the season.
They probably should have optioned Marte a while ago. But as long as they haven’t, he’ll probably still get a lot of the starts at 3B. They’re not going to let him just sit on the bench.
Espinal has a .500 BABIP over one and a half dozen games and that should warrant him starting?
Had Candy not gotten hurt that would have been the likely transaction, well overdue.
There really doesn’t have to be an everyday third baseman. All of the candidates can play multiple positions including the OF corners. Put them in the lineup and see who produces with the bat (if any).
I wish I could stub my toe and not have to work. If only…
Well, millions can do your job. Not his
Right? And I could wish in one hand and @#$# in the other but we all know where that lands me..
The Reds are the Reds…the group of players they have now (injured or not) isn’t a playoff contending team.
With Candelario out, Espinal, France, Rosario,& Fraley should play evedryday alongside of regulars Friedl, Cruz, Ty Steve, and EDLC.
seems like Amed sure took his sweet time getting to the Reds
The Reds made the claim on Sunday morning.
He’s been playing with knee tendinitis for a while now. Hurt enough to suffer while hitting but not hurt enough to go on the DL. I know nowadays the upper management has more control over who a manager plays. As bad as that sounds and Joe Maddon talked about this in his book. This means that they had to justify paying Candy Man all that money. I defend Krall for some things. The Martinez and Suter signings were good. Montas was not. Pagan has not been.
However this is ego tripping now forcing Bell to continue to play Marte and a hurt and under 600 OPS producing Candy for over a month. You’re not really trying to win at this point. You’re just saying you do while basically not making more trades to help yourself but not selling high either in regards to India. Before the deadline he was hitting like his rookie year except for the power.
Marte is just an eyesore hitting and fielding. He’s being rewarded after the PED issue when he didn’t warn being up here.
The reds may have claimed him, just so the cardinals couldn’t. The benefits of getting swept by the royals.
Since the injury was the result of a pitched ball that hit the batter, the pitcher should immediately be suspended and remain so for the full amount of time that Jeimer is unable to perform for the Reds. MLB needs to advance their rules into the way in which the game is played in this century. With DOLLARS, CAREERS, and TEAM PERFORMANCE all being affected in major ways, it is long since past the time where the view of HBP injuries are treated as just being, “Part of the Game” HOW MANY injuries this year have been the result of a defenseless batter being struck by a pitched ball? MLB = time to correct this injustice.
I wonder how many times Hunter Greene would have had to sit out this year.