On Monday, the Cincinnati Reds made the decision to designate third baseman Jeimer Candelario for assignment. It's unclear exactly when he'll be brought back to the Majors, as executive Nick Krall opened up about the team's decision.
Krall admitted that since signing Candelario to a three-year, $45 million contract after the 2023 season that it just hasn't quite worked out, according to Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19. The Reds' executive mentioned the struggles the 31-year-old third baseman has had since signing with the organization and the time he's spent on the injured list. From the sounds of it, Cincinnati would rather play with the current roster without Candelario in the lineup.
“At the end of the day, it just didn’t work out,” said Reds' president of baseball operations. “[Jeimer Calendario] struggled in spring training. He struggled out of the gate. We put him on the IL and thought that would help. We felt this gave us our best chance to win games with the guys we have here versus activating him. It's a sunk cost if he's not going to help you. We're in a better spot with the players we have here.”
Article Continues BelowIt's rare for an executive to speak this negatively about a player. So, Krall and the Reds may be incredibly disappointed in Candelario. With the club in fourth place in the NL Central, Cincinnati could just be giving someone else a chance to play third base to see if things improve.
Candelario hasn't been too available for the Reds this season. He's only had 80 at-bats before going down with a lumbar spine strain. However, rather than recalling him to the lineup, Cincinnati feels it's better off without him in the lineup. So far this season, Jeimer Candelario owns a .113 batting average and .198 OBP while recording nine hits, two home runs, and 10 RBIs.