The Reds have a few notable moves on tap ahead of Opening Day, as reported by Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. Despite previous reports that infielder/outfielder Spencer Steer will start the season on the injured list due to a right shoulder injury, he actually will make the Opening Day roster but will be the designated hitter only. However, outfielder Austin Hays will go on the 10-day injured list due to a calf injury. Additionally, outfielder Stuart Fairchild will be designated for assignment tomorrow.
At this point, the details on Hays aren’t clear. He was in the lineup for the club on Sunday, stepping to the plate three times. It hasn’t been publicly reported how he sustained his injury or how severe it is. Opening Day IL stints can be backdated by three days, so it’s possible he could rejoin the club as soon as one week into the season if it’s minor.
As for Steer, his right shoulder has been bothering him going back to last year. Here in camp, he’s been able to swing a bat without pain but the shoulder bugs him when he throws. Manager Terry Francona told members of the media a few days ago that Steer would start the season on the IL but it seems the club has changed that plan recently.
It’s understandable that they don’t want to lose his bat. He hit .271/.356/.464 for a 117 wRC+ in 2023. His line dropped to .225/.319/.402 last year but that seems to have been at least partially bad luck, with his batting average on balls in play dropping from .318 to .260 in those respective seasons. Having him in the DH spot will give the club a bit less flexibility but ideally some extra thump.
As for Fairchild, he has largely been serving as a glove-first depth outfielder for the Reds lately. He exhausted his final option year in 2023 but then managed to stick on the roster last year as the club suffered through a number of injuries.
His glovework has been strong but he has a career batting line of .224/.308/.389, which translates to an 88 wRC+. In camp this year, his numbers were far worse, as he slashed .132/.233/.184 in 45 plate appearances. That performance seems to have sealed his fate. The Reds could have kept Fairchild and optioned guys like Jacob Hurtubise and Blake Dunn to the minors, but will open the season with those two and bump Fairchild off the roster.
Once he’s officially DFA’d, he’ll have at most a week to find out his fate, whether that’s a trade or some destiny on the waiver wire. Despite the poor offense, he does have ten Defensive Runs Saved and nine Outs Above Average in his 1,389 1/3 innings. He’s also stolen 23 bases over the past two years. Perhaps some other club will be interested in grabbing him as a fourth outfielder. If that comes to pass, he can be controlled for four seasons since his service time is between two and three years at the moment.
Without Steer, Hays or Fairchild, the outfield might be in flux to start the season. TJ Friedl and Jake Fraley should be regulars in two spots. Gavin Lux might play a decent amount of left field with Matt McLain at second and Jeimer Candelario at third. Candelario can also play first but it seems as though Christian Encarnacion-Strand will be the regular there. Dunn and Hurtubise could also factor into the mix alongside Lux.
Photo courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas, Imagn Images
Didn’t see that happening.
That means Hurtubise and Dunn made the roster.
They must have confidence in Lux playing LF, cause DFAing Fairchild and Hays going on the IL only leaves Friedl, Fraley, and Hurtibise out there.
That said, moving on from Fairchild makes sense if Steer can hit. We need his bat.
C Trevino
1B Encarnacion
2B McLain
3B Candelario
SS De La Cruz
LF Lux
CF Friedl
RF Fraley
DH Steer
We’ve fielded worse lineups.
Why wouldn’t they put Lux at 3B and Steer in LF?
Steer can’t throw right now.
Francona get em to 65
For real thou, reds need solid years from friedl, McLain and candelario. Then career years from steer and encarnacian to be a payoff team. Tall order !
Sixes and nines are confusing.
That’s a 90 win team. Solid lineup and one of the best starting pitching rotations in all of baseball.
LOL, no
Hays on the IL? Imagine that, lmao!
Will Myers 2.0
He has cramping in a hair follicle on his left calf, so he’ll be out at least 10 days. Happens to Kris Bryant all the time. Debilitating injury.
Weren’t they just saying that steer being dh only was gonna complicate the ability to use candy and ces etc…
That was before Hays went on IL–
opened up a spot for those guys to all stay in lineup and opened up DH for Steer
Brewers get Fairchild and dfa Brewer!!!
The failures to upgrade the outfield sufficiently in the offseason now have a big spotlight on them now.
A sufficient upgrade could’ve been injured as well but I do agree that they should’ve pushed for Robert’s jr or maybe profar
Roberts, the guy who’s only played more than 100 games in a season ONCE in five years? He’s the solution?
Not a long contract so it wouldn’t be as bad as trying to sign Santander or someone not that the reds would do that
Fairchild has had strong career splits against LHPs. Surprised they’d DFA him before Hays is healthy. Particularly when they could have optioned one of Hurtubise or Dunn. Both of them did well this spring, but they each looked lost against major league pitching last season. Hopefully at least one has turned a corner.
I for one am glad to see Fairchild go. Every time he came up with runners in scoring position he would wiff. You could count on it, meanwhile Hurtubise and Dunn are wasting away in the minors. Stewie must have had naked pictures of Bell or something to play as much as he did. Go with your strongest players and not just because they’re veterans. With Benson in the minors and Fairchild gone we have the makings of a decent outfield.
I agreed with giving benson a leash last year after he looked to be heating up in 2023 but man I’m glad he’s back in aaa
This is the most injured team in baseball.
Every year. They can’t even come into the season healthy. What a debacle of a spring !
They are very banged up
Mets, lad & O’s too
As a Cubs fan who has learned to fear the Reds lineup, I never really feared Fairchild. But Steer is a monster when healthy, and I think whether or not he stays healthy will determine whether or not the Reds can stay with the Brewers all season.
It is possible that both the Brewers and Reds will make the postseason–but it sure is best to finish first.
The Luis Robert-to-the-Reds rumors are interesting. Getz, who comes across locally as a rather little man with a very big job, will ask for the moon, but the price might be worth it if Robert is healthy and has his swing back.
Where do you see the cubs finishing
4th or 5th. They are being wildly overestimated.
Dont see Robert happening, especially given the asking price for Robert. An oft injured player with 1 good season shouldn’t fetch multiple top 10 prospects not alone 3 of the Reds top 5 which was the ask earlier in the off season.
Yeah I’m not a big fan of prospect hoarding but they were asking for too much. Arroyo and some other stuff should be fine.
You should trust Tito.
I do, but I have trouble liking this business of calling him “Tito.” I realize it’s just me, but that feels cutesy and precious to me. I am old enough that I remember seeing his father play, Tito Francona, when he was an AL slugger in the 1960s. When Terry played, he was called Terry. Calling Terry Tito is actually a relatively new thing, and one that I find rather cloying.
Now, get off my lawn! 🙂
You’re right, it is you. He’s been called Tito for years and he likes it because he said it honors his father. I also was a Cleveland fan when Tito Fancona played for the Indians along with Woody Held and Dick Howser.
Amazing how half these folks feel the need to comment on a story they can’t even bother reading.
Mommy dress you, yoo?
Teams overvalue defensive reliability in depth players when they should be maximizing offensive “at-bats per WAR” across the roster.
bring in Haniger
It would be worth a shot