Hays, Candelario on verge of return

[*ochocincos*]

Sounds like Reds will get their best or 2nd-best hitter back soon, according to Cincy Enquirer - https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/mlb/reds/2025/06/21/cincinnati-reds-austin-hays-jeimer-candelario-injured-list-return-st-louis-cardinals-yankees/84301188007/

I, for one, am very excited to hear Hays is close to returning.
Hays batting before or after EDLC should help make this offense more consistent.
And if McLain can keep his bat going like he has the past 1-2 weeks, this could make a quality 1-4 in the lineup.

Candelario though, I am interested to see if his injury played much of a part in his terrible performance in April or not.
I never really cared for him after seeing his performance last year, but if the injury really did impact him and he can come back to at least be near .250 and add some defense, I'm happy for his return too.

Right now, the 3 highest-paid guys on payroll right now (Martinez - $21 mill, Candelario - $15 mill, Greene - $8.8 mill) are all either (vastly) underperforming or injured. Martinez is expected to fall off the payroll after this year, and hopefully Reds can find a way to move Candelario too if he doesn't come around the 2nd half of the season. Either way though, Candelario's last year will be 2026 at worst because I highly doubt Reds pick up his 2027 club option.
That nearly $40 mill in payroll between Martinez and Candelario can go a long way to help retain some of this younger core who will start becoming more expensive in a couple years.

[cinci4life]

Candelario activated and then DFA'D. His days as a Red are over.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/06/reds-designate-jeimer-candelario-for-assignment.html

[Goalpost]

Was a head scratcher when we signed him.

[TecmoBengals]

(06-23-2025, 06:25 PM)cinci4life Wrote: Candelario activated and then DFA'D. His days as a Red are over.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/06/reds-designate-jeimer-candelario-for-assignment.html

Looks like ownership eats 22.5 million.