Mike Moustakas' tenure with the Cincinnati Reds is officially over. Moustakas, who has one year left on his contract and is owed $22 million, was designated for assignment on Thursday, according to Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Reds general manager Nick Krall said the following in an explanation of the move, “”We had to look at it more for what our team is next year,” Reds General Manager Nick Krall said Thursday. “We’re already paying him. Who is the best fit for our team moving forward. It was a tough decision. They are all tough decisions. They are decisions made about good people and they are career-altering decisions for them. I just think for us, we had to make sure we’re making the best decision for our organization.”
Krall described it as a tough decision. Moustakas had signed the largest contract in Reds history back in December of 2019, a deal worth $64 million over four years.
But the three-time All-Star, who mashed 35 homers in an All-Star campaign for the Milwaukee Brewers back in 2019, managed just a .683 OPS in three seasons with the Reds.
Cincinnati was rumored to be attempting to include Moustakas in trades for starting pitchers Luis Castillo and Tyler Mahle, though no deals materialized ahead of the deadline.
Now, the Reds, clearly in a rebuild, had no room on the roster for the aging Moustakas- and thus had to make this tough decision.
Cincinnati now has a week to trade him or release him.
It will be interesting to see if there is any sort of market for Moustakas.
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