Santiago

Espinal

This doesn’t happen often, at least for a non-injured player, but Espinal is taking a cut from the $2.73 million he made in 2024 in order to avoid being non-tendered. The 30-year-old Espinal, who was acquired from the Blue Jays in March, hit .246/.295/.356 in 391 plate appearances in his first year with the Reds, with most of his production coming in July and August. Ideally, he won’t be needed quite as much next season.

Espinal came alive in July, and the Reds have been treating him as a regular since mid-August, with this being his 34th start in the team’s last 37 games. Alas, he’s back hitting like his usual self now. He’ll probably stick around this winter, but he needs to be looked at more like a once-per-week guy next year.

India left Sunday’s game with elbow discomfort and although the Reds have not yet given a timeline for his return, it’s clearly bothering him enough to sit out on Monday. Santiago Espinal will slide to second base in his absence with Noelvi Marte getting a chance to move back into the starting lineup at third base. With the Reds out of playoff contention, you have to wonder how much they’ll push India to play if the discomfort continues. Espinal has been good for the Reds since moving into the starting lineup and remains a solid deep-league add.

Espinal was the hero in this one with his two-run double in the eighth inning off Phil Maton. That gave the Reds their first and only lead of the day as they salvaged the final game of this series. Cincinnati’s lineup has been ravaged by injuries and Espinal could be a sneaky source of volume in deep leagues for the next few weeks.

Espinal’s stolen base was his ninth of the season. He’s hitting .270 with a .718 OPS and 42 RBI in a part-time role for the Reds this year.

No surprise here at all after Espinal left Friday’s doubleheader with a painful-looking left shin bruise. Reds manager Derek Bell told reporters afterwards that the veteran infielder didn’t fracture anything, so fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day for now.

The 29-year-old infielder appeared to be in some pain while running down the first base line, which prompted a conversation with manager David Bell and Espinal’s ultimate removal from the ballgame. He’ll head for further evaluation to determine exactly what’s going on there.

The home run was his seventh of the season, and he’s now up to 29 RBI in a part-time role. Espinal has started the last three games for the Reds, but he’s hitting just .237 on the season and doesn’t figure to settle into a full-time starting job.

It’s a rare off day for Candelario, who went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI during Monday’s series opener at Truist Park. It’s the first time he’s been out of the lineup since June 29, despite the fact he’s been playing through some lingering right knee tendinitis this season. It’ll be Santiago Espinal taking a turn at designated hitter in his absence.

Espinal also singled. The 29-year-old filled in for Elly De La Cruz and swatted his fifth homer of the year with a solo shot off Austin Gomber. Espinal doesn’t play enough or play effectively enough when he’s in the lineup (.203/.249/.302) to consider him in any type of fantasy format.