The Cincinnati Reds have brought back utility player Connor Joe, marking the second time they’ve acquired him. The Reds initially selected Joe from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2018 Rule 5 draft, only to trade him to the San Francisco Giants at the end of spring training.
This time, they made a deal with the San Diego Padres, sending right-handed relief prospect Andrew Moore in exchange for Joe.
Joe, who signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the Padres in February, has played in parts of six MLB seasons since 2019, with a break in 2020.
He has been a decent contributor at the plate, posting a .241/.335/.389 line (96 OPS+), with his best season coming in 2021 when he hit .285/.379/.469 with the Colorado Rockies. This season, Joe has seen limited action with the Padres, appearing in just seven games and going 0-for-9 with a walk and six strikeouts.
In Triple-A El Paso, he played 16 games, hitting .267/.405/.250 with 13 walks and 10 strikeouts.
Joe has experience across multiple positions, including first base and both corner outfield spots, though center field is considered more of an emergency option.
It’s unclear whether he will report directly to the big league team or be assigned to Triple-A. To make room for Joe on the 40-man roster, the Reds transferred Tyler Callihan to the 60-day injured list. Callihan underwent surgery earlier this week to repair a fractured arm and will be sidelined for an extended period.
Andrew Moore, the pitcher sent to San Diego in the trade, was acquired by the Reds in 2022 from the Seattle Mariners as part of the trade that sent Luis Castillo to Seattle.
The 25-year-old right-hander reached Double-A last season, posting a 4.47 ERA in 46.1 innings, with 69 strikeouts and 37 walks. This year, Moore pitched 8.2 innings for Chattanooga, recording a 4.15 ERA with eight walks and 12 strikeouts.
