The Reds have acquired utility player Miguel Andujar from the Athletics in exchange for right-handed pitching prospect Kenya Huggins, according to Ari Alexander of KPRC2. Andujar is a free agent after the season, and was seen as a very likely candidate to be moved by the rebuilding A’s.
After a runner-up finish in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2018 and then a few uninspiring years with the Yankees, Andujar has rebuilt his value as a regular contributor since leaving New York. He has hit .285/.320/.412 over 640 plate appearances with the Pirates and Athletics since Opening Day 2023, good for a 105 wRC+.
As per the norm for a right-handed batter, Andujar has performed far better against left-handed pitching than he has against righties. Cincinnati will probably deploy Andujar as a platoon bat with lefty-swingers Gavin Lux or Jake Fraley in the corner outfield slots, and Andujar will likely get some time at third base as a better-hitting alternative to Ke’Bryan Hayes. Another of the Reds’ deadline pickups, Hayes is an elite defender who struggles mightily at the plate, so Andujar figures to get some late-game pinch-hitting opportunities as well.
Andujar is earning $3MM in his final year of arbitration eligibility, so the Reds will only owe him a little under $1MM for the remainder of the 2025 campaign. That’s a bargain price for an above-average bat who has upside as a lefty-masher, and it’s a particularly smooth fit since the Reds are working within a limited budget.
Cincinnati emerges from deadline day with an estimated payroll of just under $119.9MM (hat tip to RosterResource). This stands as the Reds’ highest payroll since the 2021 season, and the acquisitions of Hayes, Andujar, and Zack Littell indicate that the team is making a strong push towards its first postseason appearance since 2020. The Reds are 57-52 entering tonight’s action, and sit three games behind the Padres for the final NL wild card spot.
Huggins was a fourth-round pick for Cincinnati in the 2022 draft, and a Tommy John surgery shelved him for big chunks of the 2023-24 seasons. As a result, Huggins has only 107 pro innings to his name, with 63 1/3 of those frames coming this year with A-level Daytona. Huggins has a 3.69 ERA in his return to action this year, looking pretty sharp even with a diminished strikeout rate that could be a by-product of his long layoff. MLB Pipeline slots Huggins in as the 27th-best prospect in the Athletics’ farm system, noting that he has exhibited better command post-surgery.
Bam!!!
I didn’t know Andujar was still playing baseball.
Miguel yes, Juaquin no.
Booyah the right handed power bat the Reds offense needs to put them over the Padres.
hes hit 6 homeruns this yr so much power
Warning track power in Sac = Legitimate power in Cin.
Sactown is a hitters park too
Not many at bats
Are you suggesting my clearly sarcastic comment isn’t accurate?
A trade involving Bob Castellini/Nick Krall and John Fisher/David Forst is what we really needed today actually.
Castellini could sell the team and the new owner takes them to Portland or Nashville. Or, the fair weather fans could stay quiet and let Francona work his magic on the team. And before you puff out your chest and yell how great a fan you are and blah, blah, blah. How many games did you see at Crosley Field?
Loser comment. Haven’t been to Crosley but I wasn’t alive. Hope that is a good enough excuse for you. Not sure how good your countin skills are but these fair weather fans haven’t seen Reds beat a team in playoffs since 1995. That’s the longest drought in SPORTS. Its been time this organization figures out how to run an organization. They are lucky to have ANY fans at all.
Really, that’s all you have? Duh, that’s a loser comment. Who are you Beavis or But*head,? Castellini is trying to run the team on a budget and put a decent team on the field. Otherwise some guy with big dollars comes along, buys the team and moves it somewhere where the revenue might be better. Appreciate what he’s trying to do. Otherwise it might be like the situation where the Cincinnati Royals left town never to return.
I wasn’t alive, so I assume that makes you a better fan. All I know is the Reds haven’t done anything in 30 years. I did get to see the Beach Boys (twice) after Reds games at Riverfront – that trumps you and your boomer memories.
Again, with the juvenile comments. Beavis or is it But*head,” that trumps you and your boomer memories”. Wah,wah, Castellini won’t get Soto, Judge and Ohtani. Grow up. Reds have had ups and downs over the past 60+ years, but I sure am glad they’re still here.
Oh and I forgot. It was great to watch the Big Red Machine in person.
Is this you Phil?
No bro, it’s a REAL Reds fan who remembers Tommy Helms, Frank Robinson, Lee May, Bobby Tolan, Darrell Chaney, the Big Red Machine, Bo Diaz, Todd Benzinger, Dan Driessen, Kal Daniels, Barry Larkin etc etc all the way up to this year. I love every minute of the baseball season, and every time we said at the end of the season,”We’ll get’em next year.” Make fun all you want, but I’m glad they are still here because there were times when we weren’t sure if they were gonna be. Listening or watching games with my dad or my grandma were some of my best memories. So you laugh if you must, call me a boomer if it makes you happy, I’m disabled too, so there’s something else you can use for jokes. But the fact that Marge Scott and Dan Castellini kept the Reds from moving on should be applauded because they were almost out the door and on to greener pastures. You have a great day and an even better weekend.
George and Harry Wright, Asa Brainard, Marty Gould…(I’m REALLY quite old)…
They were never out the door. Neither one of those owners ever threatened or talked about moving. Quit making stuff up. Your confusing them with Mike Brown back in the mid 90s and his threats for a new stadium.
Alzheimer’s much? Can you read? Several groups wanted to buy the Reds. Marge Scott bought them to KEEP them in Cincinnati, NOT to move them. Same with Castellini. KEEP them in Cincinnati. If you are going to argue about something at least know what you are talking about.
And none of the groups that wanted to buy them was for the purpose of moving them out of Cincinnati.
I’m not arguing with someone obtuse about the situation. You glide over the facts about how hard it is the move a franchise. Even if there was any chance someone was trying to buy them and state it is to try and move them. Which no one stated they were. It was not going to happen even if they tried.
You want to buy into that go ahead and build your shrine to them.
Marge and Bob can paint themselves as saviors when no one was trying to buy them to move them.
You think that it would be that easy to move one of the oldest franchises just because they sell it?
It takes this long for the A’s to move. The Rays. If at all. But no magically the Reds get sold and they move like that. That would not happen. They would either sell to someone who will keep the team in that city or that is part of the sell.
There are teams that spend less money than the Reds who figure out ways to get into the playoffs.
The issue has become in Krall not knowing how to spend the money better or use his prospects for better trades.
Trading for the 2025 version of Aurelio Rodriguez on that contract is a bad look. To give up any prospect because you want to rid yourself of the Taylor contract. Bad.
In this day and age the answer is yes they could move just like that. The Rays were very close to moving to Orlando just weeks ago. Stadium was designed, land picked out, Barry Larkin as their spokesperson, offer made to purchase the Rays. Tropicana Field is a wreck,and Tampa city council rescinded their stadium financing offer, so they had one foot out the door. Luckily another buyer came forward and made an offer and the owner took that offer because they promised to keep the Rays in Tampa. But there’s still no stadium or land to build one. It’s a lot easier than you think. Again, know what you’re talking about, or don’t speak.
The rays are an expansion team in a horrible stadium with bad fan support and area. You’re telling me to know what I’m talking about and you don’t understand the lack of comparable situation with the Rays.
No one cares about the Rays history when it comes to having to move them within the same state if they had to.
You keep speaking like Yul Brenner and stating everything as fact that is written so let it be so. Get the F out of here with your arrogance.
CB- I believe you want to argue for the sake of arguing. Been on this earth 65 + years. Been a Reds fan all my life. You really need to do some research. I have better things to do than try to reason with an unreasonable person. You have a great life.
I understand. You don’t want to lose debates or quit trying when you know you’re wrong and blame the other person for being unreasonable.
Look the Modell Law that while revised in June 2025. Does not allow you to just leave your public funded stadium. Even if you could. It would still be within Ohio.
The law was passed in 1996 which means Bob C did not buy it because someone was trying to move them. No one was trying to do that. Linder just wanted out after paying for Griffey and refusing to help build a pitching staff around the offense. He was never threatening to leave either or sell it to someone to do it. Do you not understand scare tactics? Trying to leverage things. Just read about the law. Which has applied more to the Browns original move and now their attempts to move but within Ohio or close enough to Cleveland.
No, I’m not losing an argument or quitting because I’m wrong. I have much better things to do than discuss anything with someone who wants to argue. I am retired, I go fishing, go to the beach, ride 4 wheelers, barbeque etc etc. It’s history, you want to change it, and frankly I’m to old to care what your opinion is, what you think, or even think about you. I said, have a nice day. I will now be muting you, so go argue with yourself, like you probably do every night. Bonus information – You do understand leases can be bought out, leases are not a binding, signed in blood lockdown piece of paper. Leases are routinely altered if both parties agree to it. Happening right now in Tampa-St Pete. Bye bye and buy bonds.
Aren’t the Yankees still trying to trade him?
He’s having a better year than Connor Joe, but will he sustain it?
Still not a big bat.
I like Miguel but he was not a long term solution for the young A’s having a surplus of talent waiting on the wings….
Ok
Pirates let Andujar walk years ago and he’s probably be top 3 in offensive production
Big things poppin’!
Better than Connor Joe at least..
Are the Reds making odd moves..?
Just sitting around letting the phone ring, then agreeing to whatever call they randomly answer
When *aren’t* they?
A bargain! This guy can still hit.
Solid get for the Reds knowing he’s never gonna play 3B on that team. He’s a decent DH.
How about left field?
I mean it’s not ideal but he’s fine in LF a couple games a week.
Solid? He has zero power for a DH.
We can hear the presser now. They could just play the past two years over again to save time.
We tried.
They asked too much.
We didn’t want to give up our prospects, even one of our 18 shortstops.
etc.
They made 3 solid trades man.
He’s an upgrade over Connor Joe by a large margin and they did trade one of their top SS prospects. So one again that poster rages with basic facts left out.
I do think trading for Hayes due to his contract for any high prospect was pointless. Better off sending 2 B prospects. Quantity instead. The Pirates were more desperate to rid themselves.
You could have saved Stafura for a trade to get a better bullpen arm.
Really good contact hitter. I’m forever rooting for Andujar
Why? He’s just not that good.
He’s a good hitter. Whenever he’s consistently in the lineup he hits for right around .300. His power is gone after the shoulder injury. Thought he caught a bad break with the Yankees when urshella showed up. Always liked him. Good hitter.
Thank you. As a suffering Reds’ fan, just the fact he is not Connor Joe is a massive upgrade. We will take what we can get,
When Friedl returns from paternity leave I imagine Conner Joe comes off. Does Andujar replace Espinal?
Espinal isn’t going anywhere, he plays everywhere and has good at bats
Actually yeah I’m not sure, maybe benson
Option Benson to AAA.
Connor Joe will be the odd man out, IMO
I think he will be anyways when friedl comes back, then someone has to move for Andujar
The Reds were going to get a power bat and they ended up getting two guys with 8 HRs combined. lol. What a joke of an organization.
That’s my squad! Another floundered deadline. Smh
Looking forward to it.
They needed a backup Third Baseman for the Third Baseman they just acquired
They need a starting 3b and make Haynes platoon
Very underwhelming return. Miguel is hitting almost .300
Andujar is a 30 year old utility player who can hit but is not a good defensive player and is a free agent after this season. To get a decent pitching prospect like Huggins for him is as good as you could expect.
3 years at A is concerning
Huggins had TJ surgery in mid 2023 and missed almost all of 2024. So it is not surprising he is still in A ball. Still he is only 22 and is rated one of the Reds top 30 prospects. That is a decent return for a guy like Andujar.
We now have an idea of how our lineup will look the last 2 months of the season with platoons in right field & DH. Below is batting order, position and current year ops + in parentheses:
1. Friedl (110) CF
2. McLain (87) 2V
3. EDLC (128) SS
4. Hays (122) LF
5. Fraley (110)/Marte (120) RF
6. Steer (87) 1B
7. Stevenson (94) primary catcher
8. Lux (99)/andujar (110) DH
9. Hayes (59) 3B
Trevino secondary catcher
Santiago utility
Benson optioned to Louisville
Joe optioned to Louisville
Good chance you see Andujar start against lefties at 1B, Steer shouldn’t be there.
He has 5 games in his MLB career at 1B
Yep, that’s plenty.
Another dud window is Castellini ran out of pennies in the couch.
We’ll Reds made no slash, hardly a drip for a team with playoff hopes, I guess it’s all in for 2026, this team has a window of opportunity and it’s fading away
Our rotation is in place for next year and at least 7 deep. The issue is going to be offense. Even if McLain returns to his 2023 form and Austin Hays agrees to his mutual option we are sub par offensively at at least 2 corners. Say Marte plays right and Hays plays left we are above average there but what about 3rd and first. Even if a healthier steer hits decent at first we are still inadequate offensively at 3rd and DH. We will be paying $15 million for one corner/DH not to play in candelario and $8 million for the next four years for Hayes and his career .650 ops. We will not be able to afford a big free agent corner or DH run producing bat. Maybe CES gets more selective on what he swings at and further develops.
It’s a pipe dream but if Kyle Schwarber truly wants to come home and play in Cincinnati for his Middletown faithful then Hayes lack of offense at 3B won’t even matter. His defense alone will be worth running him out there everyday. Schwarber’s offense from the DH spot will more than make up for it. You can have weak hitting starters who are glove first as long as others parts of the lineup generate the offense you’re missing from that player.
I didn’t mean that Hayes would take position from Schwarber. What I meant was that Hayes $8.25 million a year over the next 4 years and the $15 million we will pay Candelario next year not to play will financially keep us from signing Schwarber. Schwarber is coming off a 2 year $20 million a year deal and although has probably out performed the contract he will be 2 years older and starting into his age 35 season and probably about what the market will dictate he gets again.
We will have Martinez $21 million coming off the books as well as pagan $8 million but Stephenson, lodolo, singer & Fraley if we want to keep then will get arbitration raises. Friedl and maybe EDLC are arbitration players next year as well. Austin Hays will get a $5 million raise if he and us agree to the mutual option and if not we will pay the $10 million he would get next year to replace his production. We will also need to sign a closer likely with the pagan money.
I didn’t rethink you meant Hayes would take a position away. I was just saying that you can have a position in the lineup that gives you no offense when they are a superior defender and get away with it if you have a DH like a Kyle Schwarber who puts up enough offense to make up for the nonexistent hitting you’re getting from Hayes.
I agree with that about defense and offense but typically the defensive specialist is a cheap player like someone on team control and the big thumper with a bat is a free agent you have to pay more for. We need offense to go from fairly good to very good. I am afraid we will be just good enough to barely miss the post season this year and if no money to sign someone like Schwarber because we are paying to much for Hayes defense and paying Candelario not to play we will be about the same team and barley miss the post season in 2026 and then time to rebuild so goodbye EDLC, Abbott and Friedl at next years deadline.
As for paying that much salary for defense…Hayes is 16 runs saved for 2025 2/3 of this season. Suarez is -3. Net 19 runs in favor of Hayes for defense. Suarez had driven in 86 runs and hays 36 for a plus 50 for Suarez on offense. Net offense and defense is plus 31 for Suarez 2/3 of a season. For the last 1/3 of the season that would be 15.5 runs. 5 runs = 1 extra win so suarez would have provided 3 more wins than Hayes by the end of the season assuming they play the exact same as they did the first 2/3 of the season. 3 wins were what we were off on the wild card at the end of the deadline.
You really think 2026 will be all that different?
That’s what they are counting on.
They won’t change until people vote with their presence and their wallets.
But people fall for their shtick every year.
Aren’t you being just a little hypocritical suggesting people boycott going to games to protest the FO? I don’t know if you actually go to games or if you only sit under your bridge glued to your keyboard. There are fans out here who don’t want to trade our future for two months of trying to get into the playoffs one year and done. Just a couple of years ago we were consistently losing 90 games a year. Krall and company have done a remarkable job with drafting and trades to start to turn this mess around. Since you are not falling for their “shtick” now is a good time to find a team more to your liking and follow them. And take your poison with you.
The next Mantle.
No, he didn’t blow out his knee early in his career like the Mick,
I love it. There is maybe a 1% chance the Reds are a legit contender this year. But that’s far better than the 0% I’m used to.
And the Reds went dumpster diving. And the front office gave the fans a big FU.
Tiger, it’s been the same since 2022, yet people defend it and still think it will change.