The Cincinnati Reds made a final move just before the MLB trade deadline by acquiring Miguel Andujar from the Oakland Athletics.
According to team reporter Charlie Goldsmith, the Reds picked up the veteran third baseman and left fielder on Thursday.
“The Reds have traded for Miguel Andujar. In 45 plate appearances, he’s posted a 1.036 OPS against left-handed pitchers. Last season, he had a .995 OPS against them,” Goldsmith noted.
While Andujar provides value as a right-handed bat and a platoon option against lefties, his defensive metrics at third base and in left field are less impressive.
Andujar, who debuted in 2017 with the New York Yankees, has played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Athletics before this latest move to Cincinnati.
What This Means for the Reds
Bringing in Andujar adds an experienced and productive hitter to the Reds’ roster.
He holds a career batting average of .277 with 437 hits, 206 RBIs, and 49 home runs. This season alone, he’s hitting .298 with 65 hits, 27 RBIs, and six homers.
The Reds have struggled to make deep playoff runs, with only one postseason appearance since 2010 — in 2020.
Their last significant run was in 2012 when they reached the NLDS but were eliminated by the Giants in five games.
Still, the Reds have kept pushing to stay competitive. With a 57-52 record, they sit third in the NL Central, trailing the Cubs by 6.5 games and the Brewers by 7.5.
As they prepare for the second game in their series against the Braves on August 1 at 12:40 p.m. ET, Cincinnati hopes Andujar’s bat can help fuel a Wild Card push.
