The Cincinnati Reds announced Monday that the team had designated veteran infielder Jeimer Candelario for assignment after reinstating him from the injured list.
Candelario had been on the 10-day IL since late April while dealing with a lumbar spine strain. In his absence, the Reds have used a variation of different players at third base, including the likes of Gavin Lux, Santiago Espinal and Christian Encarnacion-Strand.
Prior to the back injury, Candelario had been struggling through his first 22 games of the season. He had a .113 batting average with two home runs, 10 RBIs and an abysmal 11 OPS+.
Candelairo signed with the Reds after a strong 2023 season in which he hit a career-high 23 home runs while spending time with the Washington Nationals and Chicago Cubs. He joined the team on a three-year, $45 million deal but hasn't lived up to expectations in Cincinnati. He posted a .707 OPS in his first year with the team, with 20 home runs and 56 RBIs in 112 games and had a -0.7 bWAR.
With Candelario out of the picture, third base will remain a platoon for the time being, but could potentially be open for Noelvi Marte to take over at the position when he returns from his oblique injury.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Reds Make Roster Decision on Jeimer Candelario After Return From IL.