Cincinnati Reds DFA 6-Year Veteran Slugger

The Cincinnati Reds have designated slugger Edwin Ríos for assignment, making room on the roster for outfielder Stuart Fairchild, who has been activated from the 10-day injured list. 

This move also drops the club’s 40-man roster count to 39. 

Ríos, 30, had recently joined the Reds after being non-tendered by the Los Angeles Dodgers, but struggled to make an impact, recording just one hit and one walk in 10 plate appearances over five games.

The Reds activated Stuart Fairchild and DFAd Edwin Ríos.

Two weeks ago, a Reds team looking for some more power called Rios up, and he was initially a regular platoon player.

Rece Hinds got called up a few days after Rios. His incredible start has led to some more…

— Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__) July 19, 2024

Ríos's limited opportunities with the Reds were further squeezed by the return of Fairchild and Jake Fraley from the family medical emergency list, as well as the acquisition of Austin Slater and the impressive debut of Rece Hinds. 

Additionally, Spencer Steer's likely shift to more time at first base and Jeimer Candelario splitting duties between first base and designated hitter left Ríos without a clear path to playing time. 

Despite showing power potential in Triple-A, where he hit 11 home runs with a .243/.340/.486 line, Ríos found it difficult to secure a consistent role on the major league roster.

The #Reds today activated from the 10-day injured list OF Stuart Fairchild and designated for assignment IF Edwin Ríos. pic.twitter.com/SAlStfR2m4

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) July 19, 2024

This decision follows a period of declining performance for Ríos, who was a significant contributor to the Dodgers' 2020 World Series-winning campaign, hitting crucial home runs in the National League Championship Series. 

However, his batting average plummeted over the past two years while playing for the Chicago Cubs and the Reds, managing just a .081 average. Now, Ríos will be available for trade or waivers, offering other teams a chance to claim the experienced slugger and potentially revive his career.

For his minor-league career, the 30-year-old holds a .285/.348/.525 triple-slash line, along with 121 home runs, 412 RBIs, seven stolen bases, and 353 runs scored across 590 games played.

Photo Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports