Reds’ big roster moves send a message: ‘We want to win games’

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CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Reds flew home from St. Louis on Sunday with a 40-38 record, in fourth place in the National League Central, 6 1/2 games behind the division-leading Chicago Cubs and three games back for the final wild-card spot.

If there was any question about where the team’s front office stood, it was answered Sunday night when news broke that the team’s top prospect, Chase Burns, was being called up to start against the New York Yankees on Tuesday at Great American Ball Park.

The message was reiterated Monday afternoon when the team designated Jeimer Candelario for assignment, eating the roughly $22 million left on the three-year deal he signed before the 2024 season.

“I think this is a statement of intent,” Nick Krall, the team’s president of baseball operations, said Monday. “I think bringing up Chase Burns is a statement of intent. We want to win games. We felt that these are the moves that give us the best chance to win games.”

The Reds signed the switch hitting Candelario, 31, to be the starting third baseman a year ago, with the ability to play first base if needed. Injuries limited him to 112 games in his first year with the Reds, and even when he was on the field, he was inconsistent, hitting .225/.279/.429 with 20 home runs. This year, Candelario started at third base on Opening Day and batted fifth. He went 2-for-3 that day but had just two more hits in his next five games. Candelario started the first 12 games and was hitting just .140 with only one of his six hits going for extra bases, a double.

Near the end of April, Candelario was getting more days off before he was put on the injured list with a lumbar spine strain on April 30. He finished a rehab assignment Saturday, hitting just .211 in 15 games and 66 plate appearances at Triple-A Louisville. With his rehab assignment up, the Reds’ front office had to make a decision — squeeze him onto the roster or swallow the roughly $22 million remaining on his contract.

Krall chose the latter.

“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,” Krall said.

Taking it all in. pic.twitter.com/ljOlcJx0Xf

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) June 23, 2025

Christian Encarnacion-Strand, who started at third base Monday against the Yankees, has split time between first and third since returning from the injured list earlier this month. Noelvi Marte, whose hot start moved Candelario off third in April and limited his playing time, is expected to go to Double-A Chattanooga to continue his rehab assignment Tuesday. Outfielder Austin Hays is also headed to Chattanooga and could return as soon as the end of this weekend.

In the end, there was no place for Candelario to play.

“Before he got hurt, he’d lost a little playing time and he was having a tough time with that,” Reds manager Terry Francona said Monday. “So coming back now, there wasn’t an avenue to play him every day. I wasn’t sure we were ever going to get to where we needed to.”

As the Reds readied for batting practice Monday, outfielder Rece Hinds had already moved into Candelario’s locker; on the other side of the clubhouse, there sat Burns, drafted just 344 days ago.

“I think it sends a huge message — we’re trying to win,” Francona said. “There’s no guarantees, but when everybody’s on the same page, pulling in the same direction, it kind of buoys you up a little bit.”

Burns made 13 starts in the minors across three levels, striking out 89 batters and walking only 13 in 66 innings. His “worst” outing came in his first Triple-A start when he gave up two runs on four hits and four walks in 5 1/3 innings with seven strikeouts.

Veteran catcher Jose Trevino was asked about Burns before Monday’s game and needed just one word: “Electric.”

That word describes not only his 100 mph fastball and wipeout slider but also the energy that it gave the team.

“As soon as word got around, it sent a jolt that these guys from the front office down believe in us,” Trevino said. “We have a lot of good pieces in this clubhouse to move forward with that.”

The team’s Opening Day starter, Hunter Greene, has been on the IL with a right groin strain since June 4 but is rejoining the team next week in Boston, where he’ll throw a bullpen. He’s expected to return sometime around the All-Star break, giving the Reds what could be a formidable rotation.

The Reds’ only playoff appearance since 2013 was in the 60-game 2020 season with expanded playoffs. The franchise hasn’t won a playoff series since 1995 and hasn’t won a World Series since 1990. Is this the Reds’ best chance? Maybe not. But they’ve indicated that this is their next shot.

“The idea of what they’re doing is to try to help us and, yeah, it is appreciated — hell yeah,” Francona said. “Let’s go. It’s time to go. They’re saying there’s confidence there.”

(Photo of Rece Hinds and Will Benson: Katie Stratman / Imagn Images)

This news was originally published on this post .

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