Jeimer Candelario gets the ultimate revenge with his first Reds' hit

We've been so distracted by the number of former Cincinnati Reds who now play for the Washington Nationals that's it's easy to forget Jeimer Candelario used to call DC home. After being jettisoned by the Detroit Tigers following the 2022 season, Candelario signed a one-year deal with the Nats in 2023. Candelario was then traded to the Chicago Cubs midway through last season.

Candelario signed a three-year, $45 million deal with the Reds this winter. At the time, his signing was a bit peculiar. After all, the Reds had so many young and talented infielders on the roster, how was manager David Bell going to find enough time to get everyone into the lineup. An 80-game suspension for Noelvi Marte and shoulder surgery for Matt McLain made Candelario's signing all the more important heading into the 2024 season.

Candelario was hitless on Opening Day. The Reds' third baseman was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. Candelario struck out during his first at-bat on Saturday, but got the ultimate revenge against his former team with a solo blast in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Jeimer Candelario gets the ultimate revenge with his first Reds' hit

Nationals' starter Patrick Corbin was unkind to his former teammate during Candelario's first at-bat. Candelario chased a sinker outside the strike zone in the bottom of the second inning. But Candelario wasn't going to allow Corbin to fool him twice.

With two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning, Candelario didn't miss the sinker on the inside corner. The switch-hitter, who was batting from the right side with the left-hander Corbin on the mound, turned on the pitch and launched it into the left field seats.

Without Marte, McLain, and TJ Friedl in the lineup for the foreseeable future, the Reds will need Candelario's bat to be big factor going forward. Candelario's first hit as a Red was a souvenir, and there's likely plenty more where that came from.

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