The Cincinnati Reds have sent outfielder Jake Fraley to Triple-A Louisville for a rehab assignment and are expecting him to rejoin the major league team soon — possibly later this week.
Once he returns, it’s likely Connor Joe will be sent back to the minors. But Fraley’s comeback is just one of several roster decisions the Reds will face in the coming days — and things could get tricky.
Fraley still has minor league options left, and although he’s had a rough season at the plate, the Reds are expected to bring him back once he’s healthy.
Still, he may have to take a backseat to Will Benson, who’s been performing well since his own return earlier this month.
Fraley isn’t the only player getting close to returning. Infielder Christian Encarnacion-Strand has also started a rehab stint, though there’s no exact return date yet. When he’s ready, the Reds will need to make another roster move, and that could be even harder to figure out.
Before his injury, Encarnacion-Strand was struggling with a low batting average and poor on-base numbers. Since he has minor league options left and Spencer Steer is doing well at first base, the Reds may decide to keep him in the minors for now.
The team could consider cutting Garrett Hampson, who was signed mainly for bench depth and defense. But because he has no minor league options and is on a big-league deal, he might get more time than his performance deserves.
One big issue for the Reds is their decision to keep three catchers on the roster. Austin Wynns hasn’t started a game behind the plate since early May, and his defensive skills aren’t strong. Still, because the Reds lack catching depth in the minors, letting Wynns go through waivers could be risky.
Another player to watch is third baseman Noelvi Marte, who’s healing faster than expected and will undergo an MRI this week. He’s probably still a few weeks away.
And even though fans might not be excited about it, Jeimer Candelario is also working his way back and may be ready by next month.
In short, Fraley’s return is easy to fit into the roster, but what follows will test the Reds’ front office. President of Baseball Operations Nick Krall has some tough choices ahead.
Once those are settled, manager Terry Francona will need to figure out how to divide playing time among a group full of young, eager players.
