The Cincinnati Reds are coming off a loss to the Colorado Rockies on Friday night to begin their 3-game series. Ahead of Game 2 on Saturday, the Reds made a roster move that will impact the lineup.

The Reds have activated outfielder Jake Fraley from the IL and then sent back down infielder Christian Encarnacion-Strand to Triple-A Louisville. This is an odd move, as it feels as if Encarnacion-Strand is ready to stay in the big leagues. However, the Reds have a deep roster with a ton of young hitting talent. There are only so many roster spots.

On the season, Fraley is hitting .224 with five home runs and 17 RBIs. He adds a .707 OPS and is a needed left-handed hitter in the lineup. Fraley can play all three outfield spots as well as first base. He is valuable to the Reds team, but is not having the season he had hoped for. His batting average is far south compared to his .277 average from 2024. Now that he is healthy, Fraley can get back on track and help a young lineup surge to the postseason.

Encarnacion-Strand is hitting .208 with six homers and 19 RBIs in 130 ABs. His OPS is an abysmal .610. CES has yet to find that groove that he had in his rookie season when he had a .805 OPS and 13 homers with 37 RBIs. The Reds thought they had their new first baseman of the future, and while that still could be the case, he will have to wait and continue to progress in Triple-A. He is just 25 years old, so there is plenty of time for him to get back on track.

The Reds are 48-47, which places them fourth in the NL Central Division. It can't be easy mentally knowing you are in fourth place despite having a winning record. Cincinnati is just four games out of a Wild Card spot, so they must keep their foot on the gas pedal. The Reds can be a playoff team this season, led by Elly De La Cruz and their improved starting pitching.

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