Matt

Reynolds

Reynolds heads overseas to Japan after getting into just a pair of contests this past season for Cincinnati. The 32-year-old infielder offers plenty of defensive versatility, but he’s posted a pedestrian .627 OPS in 528 plate appearances at the big league level since 2016. He’ll have an opportunity to earn more in Japan than he would’ve this offseason on a minor league contract.

Reynolds cleared waivers after being designated for assignment over the weekend. The 32-year-old will remain with the organization as depth.

Reynolds has been removed from Cincinnati’s 40-man roster to make room for Wil Myers to return from the COVID-19 injured list. The 32-year-old infielder got into a pair of games for the Reds in his latest stint in the majors.

Reynolds saw extensive time with the Reds last season, posting a .246/.320/.332 batting line over 272 plate appearances. The 32-year-old gives the Reds some coverage across the infield and even in the corner outfield spots if needed.

None of the moves come as a big surprise. Reynolds is dealing with a bilateral Grade 1 quad strain and won’t be ready for the season. Anderson failed to impress in a couple of chances and Williamson pitched himself out of the rotation mix on Thursday.

Reynolds suffered a bilateral Grade 1 quad strain in late February and there hasn’t been much in the way of updates since then. It’s not surprising that he’s running out of time.

Simply put, Reynolds is dealing with a minor strain in both of his calves. The positive news is that he’s avoided a more serious injury, but will likely miss a few days moving forward this spring.

Reynolds has been dealing with back and knee issues as well this spring, so perhaps a little extra time off will help his get past the lingering issues. Unfortunately, he’s competing for a spot on Cincinnati’s Opening Day roster, so any missed time doesn’t help his chances. There should be an update on his status sometime this week.

Reds manager David Bell added on Sunday that Reynolds will miss the first few Cactus League exhibition games, but it doesn’t sound like a serious concern moving forward. He figures to open the season either in a reserve role for Cincinnati or at Triple-A Louisville as extra infield depth.

Reynolds went unclaimed on waivers after being designated for assignment last week by the Reds to open up a 40-man roster spot for the club to sign right-hander Luke Weaver. The The versatile 32-year-old infielder batted .246/.320/.332 with three homers and five steals across 272 plate appearances last season between the Reds and Mets. He’s gotten into 223 big-league contests since 2016 and will continue to serve as valuable organizational depth for Cincinnati.