The Cincinnati Reds, after their failed pursuit of the playoffs in 2021, decided to cut costs before the 2022 campaign.
Basically, they threw in the towel before the fight started, and they are doing a similar thing prior to 2023.
They stayed far away from the top-end free agents and even the middle tier, and instead focused on making minor additions to stay “afloat”.
They also tried to stay afloat last season and opened the year with a 3-22 record.
We don’t know if they will be as bad this year, but if Cincinnati doesn’t want to fight for the playoffs, then they probably won’t make them.
They did make a minor move on Tuesday, though.
“Free-agent utilityman Chad Pinder and the Cincinnati Reds are in agreement on a contract, according to a source familiar with the deal,” MLB insider Robert Murray tweeted.
Free-agent utilityman Chad Pinder and the Cincinnati Reds are in agreement on a contract, according to a source familiar with the deal.
— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) January 31, 2023
In a later tweet, Murray clarified that the deal is of the minor league variety.
Pinder was a utilityman for the Oakland Athletics from 2016 to 2022.
He had some good moments, but according to his 96 wRC+, he has been a below-average hitter over the course of his career.
Still, he has enough versatility to cover several positions in the infield and outfield and some decent power.
Between 2017 and 2019, he hit 41 round-trippers with Oakland and actually went to three postseasons with them.
In that sense, Pinder is an experienced player who could be an asset to any clubhouse as long as he is not required to be a regular.
It’s a sneaky good signing for the Reds, but one that probably won’t get them out of the fourth or fifth place in the NL Central.
NEXT: Reds Share Moment Of Scott Rolen Getting HOF News
The people of cincinnati would love to know what the heck the reds are doing.