This story was excerpted from Mark Sheldon’s Reds Beat publication. To learn the complete publication, click on right here. And subscribe to get it repeatedly in your inbox.
CINCINNATI — Among the many plethora of transactions made by the Reds on Friday, one appeared doubtlessly telling when first baseman Ty France was outrighted to Triple-A Louisville to take him off of the 40-man roster. France declined the task and have become a free agent.
France was arbitration eligible and certain would have gotten a elevate after he earned $6.775 million in 2024. However the date to tender or decline contracts to club-controlled gamers is not till Nov. 22.
“We may have held it out,” Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall defined. “However actually, permitting him to stroll now cleans up a few of our roster. We knew we in all probability weren’t going to tender him a contract and it simply made it a bit of cleaner to do it now.”
Acquired from the Mariners for Minor League catcher Andruw Salcedo on July 29 after being designated for task, France introduced some stability to the place as he batted .251 with a .683 OPS and 5 dwelling runs over 52 video games for the Reds.
As of Friday, Krall and possession had not finalized Cincinnati’s 2025 payroll finances. Whether or not it stays near the roughly $90 million it was in ’24, or goes down, it is clear that there might be no room for extras like a 30-year-old veteran first baseman this offseason.
Not when the membership has the interior selections it at the moment has in gamers like Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Jeimer Candelario, Spencer Steer and, maybe, Jonathan India.
“I feel that’s why it was exhausting to see [France] getting tendered a contract from us, due to the choices we’ve got at first,” Krall mentioned.
Krall denied that the strikes made on Friday — which included declining the $3.5 million choice for backup catcher Luke Maile — had been a sign that payroll was being slashed.
“We’re nonetheless working via our payroll,” he mentioned.
Relating to these inside choices at first base, every of them have query marks going into subsequent season.
Candelario, the nook infielder who signed a three-year, $45 million contract final December, had a poor first yr for Cincinnati. He batted .225 with a .707 OPS and -0.7 bWAR whereas hitting 20 dwelling runs with 56 RBIs in 112 video games earlier than his season led to August due to a damaged large left toe. Though largely in left subject in 2024, Steer performed 63 video games at first base but additionally batted .225 with 20 homers whereas posting a .721 OPS with 92 RBIs. India, a profession second baseman within the large leagues, has by no means performed first base apart from throughout this previous Spring Coaching.
The largest query mark of all is Encarnacion-Strand, who was alleged to be the on a regular basis man and an enormous provider of energy.
From the get-go, the 24-year-old struggled, as he batted .190 with a .513 OPS and two homers in 29 video games. Over his 123 plate appearances, Encarnacion-Strand struck out 35 occasions with solely 4 walks.
“He was urgent out of the chute, after which he obtained harm,” Krall mentioned final month.
A fractured proper hand required surgical procedure and Encarnacion-Strand did not play after Could 7.
That is why the Reds despatched Encarnacion-Strand to the Arizona Fall League after the season. The early returns have been promising. He was batting .500 (7-for-14) in 4 video games with 4 walks and 5 strikeouts in his first 19 plate appearances. However he is not out of the woods with the hand harm.
“He had a setback with some scar tissue,” Krall mentioned. “Nothing critical, however he needs to be taking part in [this] week. Hopefully he’s persevering with to maneuver ahead in his rehab development.”
When requested in regards to the corner-infield scenario — particularly Encarnacion-Strand and third baseman Noelvi Marte — Krall made it clear there might be no free rides subsequent spring below new supervisor Terry Francona.
“Some guys are going to have to come back to Spring Coaching and really earn spots,” Krall mentioned on Oct. 8. “They’re not going to be given spots.”
