Tyler Stephenson isn’t quite ready to rejoin the Cincinnati Reds, as he continues his rehab assignment with Triple-A Louisville and will be reevaluated later this week. That leaves Jeimer Candelario with about six days to prove he’s worth the investment the Reds made in him—otherwise, he could find himself squeezed out when Stephenson comes off the injured list.
Still, let’s be honest—there’s virtually no chance the Reds will designate Candelario for assignment just to clear a spot. The team committed $45 million over three years to him this past offseason and still owes roughly $32 million. It’s hard to imagine owner Bob Castellini walking away from that kind of money.
As a result, the Reds will likely have to part with another valuable roster piece once Stephenson returns. Carrying three catchers isn’t ideal, but neither is exposing Austin Wynns to waivers, which would be required since he has no minor-league options remaining. That’s a risk the front office probably won’t take.
Reds don’t have the guts to DFA Jeimer Candelario when Tyler Stephenson returns
That likely means either Santiago Espinal or Blake Dunn will be sent back to Triple-A Louisville. While other players still have minor-league options, it’s highly unlikely the Reds will demote Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain, or Spencer Steer.
Jeimer Candelario has played just once in the last four games and struggled on Sunday against the Rockies, going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. His season has been rough, slashing a disappointing .113/.198/.213 with two doubles, two homers, 10 RBIs, and 29 strikeouts. When he did start on Sunday, he was dropped to the No. 8 spot in the batting order.
Right now, Noelvi Marte and Spencer Steer have locked down the corner infield positions, leaving designated hitter as Candelario’s most likely path to playing time. But DH opportunities will be limited—especially if the Reds opt to keep three catchers once Tyler Stephenson returns.
Some fans may want the team to cut Candelario to make room for Stephenson, but that’s probably wishful thinking. The most logical choice isn’t always financially viable.
Instead, those fans should hope Candelario can shake off his slump and return to the form he showed during that impressive six-week stretch in 2024 when he looked like one of the league’s top hitters. Unfortunately, that version of him feels like a distant memory.
Leave a Reply