The Cincinnati Reds have assigned Jake Fraley to Triple-A Louisville for a rehab stint and anticipate his return to the major league roster soon—potentially by the end of the week. His activation will likely result in Connor Joe being optioned to the minors. However, Fraley’s return is just one of several roster decisions the Reds will have to make in the near future, and those choices are only going to get tougher.
Fraley still has minor league options left and, despite his offensive struggles this season, is expected to rejoin the big league team once he’s fully recovered. That said, he might find himself lower on the depth chart, especially with Will Benson’s strong performance since his recent call-up.
Fraley isn’t the only player nearing a return either. Infielder Christian Encarnacion-Strand has also begun a rehab assignment. While his return date is still uncertain, the Reds will need to make another move when he’s ready, further complicating the roster picture.
The returns of Jake Fraley and Christian Enacarnacion-Strand could throw the Reds roster into chaos
First, it’s important to point out that Encarnacion-Strand wasn’t exactly tearing it up before his injury. Although he has some power, he was hitting just .158 with a .481 OPS when he went down. With minor-league options left and Spencer Steer holding down first base, Cincinnati might opt to keep the 25-year-old in the minors until he shows he’s ready for a promotion.
The Reds could also consider releasing Garrett Hampson, who was mainly brought in as a bench bat and defensive backup. However, since he’s on a major-league contract and has no minor-league options, he’s likely to stick around longer than expected.
A major roster complication is Cincinnati’s insistence on carrying three catchers. Austin Wynns hasn’t started behind the plate since May 6 against the Braves, and his defensive limitations are clear. Still, the Reds’ lack of catching depth in the minors makes putting Wynns on waivers a risky move.
Noelvi Marte is another player to watch. The third baseman is reportedly healing faster than anticipated and is scheduled for an MRI this week, which will guide the next steps for the former top prospect. However, he still likely won’t be back for a few weeks. Additionally, while some fans may want to forget, Jeimer Candelario is also rehabbing and progressing toward a return next month.
In summary, Fraley’s upcoming return is an easy decision to welcome. But the string of future roster moves will complicate things for Nick Krall, the Reds’ President of Baseball Operations. It will be fascinating to see how he manages the roster challenges in the coming weeks.
Once those choices are settled, focus will shift to manager Terry Francona and how he distributes playing time among a young and ambitious roster—but that’s a topic for later.
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