Reds Cut Ties with Jeimer Candelario Despite $22.5 Million Commitment—What’s Next for the Struggling Star?
The Cincinnati Reds made a significant roster decision this Monday, designating infielder Jeimer Candelario for assignment—a move that carries the hefty financial weight of $22.5 million remaining on the veteran’s deal. It’s a stark reminder that in baseball, sometimes teams must swallow the bitter pill of sunk costs to pursue winning rosters. At 31, Candelario’s struggles at the plate have been evident this season, managing just a .113 average over 91 plate appearances, even as he returned from a stint on the injured list battling a lumbar spine strain. Instead of reintegrating him into the lineup, the Reds opted to part ways with the seasoned player, signaling a tough but necessary shakeup. This decision isn’t made in isolation—the Reds are leaning on younger, less costly talents like Spencer Steer and Christian Encarnacion-Strand to fill the void, despite their own modest numbers. Amidst it all, Candelario’s sizable contract, an extension inked after a solid 2023 campaign, now looms over Cincinnati’s payroll, surpassing even the well-documented $22 million owed to former player Mike Moustakas upon his release. With the clock ticking on trade possibilities and waiver claims, it’s likely Candelario will test the free-agent waters, seeking a fresh start elsewhere under far less lucrative terms. It’s an intricate dance of finance, performance, and future promise—one that every franchise has to master in the relentless pursuit of victories.
The Cincinnati Reds announced on Monday that infielder Jeimer Candelario has been designated for assignment by the team. In doing so, the Reds will still be on the hook to pay the 10-year major leaguer the remaining $22.5 million he’s owed on the final year and a half on his contract
Candelario, 31, is batting .113/.198/.213 with two doubles, two home runs and 10 RBI in 91 plate appearances this season. He had just finished a minor-league rehab assignment while finishing out an injured list stint for a lumbar spine strain. Rather than add him back to the active roster, the Reds decided to cut ties with the underperforming veteran.
“At the end of the day, you have to look at it as a sunk cost because you can’t bring a player that’s not going to help his team win,” Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall told The Athletic’s C. Trent Rosecrans.
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While Cincinnati isn’t getting impactful production from Spencer Steer (.230/.287/.352, 6 HR) at first base or Santiago Espinal (.244/.295/.290) and Christian Encarnacion-Strand (.202/.229/.384, 5 HR) at third base, all three players are less expensive and younger. Steer and Encarnacion-Strand started at their positions for Monday’s matchup with the New York Yankees.
Candelario signed a three-year, $45 million free agent deal with the Reds in December 2023 after hitting .251 with an .807 OPS and 22 home runs for the Washington Nationals and Chicago Cubs. The $22.5 million he’s owed by Cincinnati comes from the remainder of his $16 million salary for this season, next year’s $13 million and a $3 million buyout from an $18 million mutual option for 2027.
That total surpasses the $22 million that Cincinnati still owed Mike Moustakas when he was released in January 2023.
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The Reds have five days to explore a trade, but no MLB team will likely want to pick up that $22.5 million. Especially when Candelario wasn’t hitting well on his rehab assignment, batting just .211/.318/.333 in 15 games. The same applies if a team were to claim Candelario on waivers. So he will likely opt for free agency and look for a team that needs infield depth for the prorated major league minimum salary. Or the Reds could release him before that five-day period finishes.
In his 10 MLB seasons, Candelario has batted .237/.315/.411 with 190 doubles, 110 home runs and 384 RBI with the Cubs, Detroit Tigers, Nationals and Reds. That includes a .207/.265/.394 slash average with 22 homers and 66 RBI for Cincinnati.
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