Non-tendering Kyle Farmer is not an option for the Reds

The Cincinnati Reds will have some tough decisions to make in the coming days. The MLB offseason is loaded with deadlines, one of which is November 18th.

If the Reds wish to non-tender any players who are currently on the 40-man roster, they'll need to make the decision by next Friday or they'll be on the hook for said player's salary.

One player who's been capturing a lot of attention as the non-tender deadline approaches is third baseman Kyle Farmer. Under no circumstances should the Cincinnati Reds non-tender the veteran infielder.

Non-tendering Kyle Farmer is not an option for the Reds.

There's certainly merit to the idea of non-tendering Kyle Farmer. Throughout his career, Farmer has provided little more than replacement-level statistics. The 32-year-old had arguably his best season in 2021 and still only posted an OPS+ of 88 and a wRC+, according to FanGraphs, of 90.

There's also the matter of the projected salary that Farmer will command through arbitration in 2023. According to MLB Trade Rumors, Farmer should expect to take home somewhere in the range of $6M next season. That's a bit excessive for an average major league player who'd be a utility infielder on most contending teams.

But the Reds are not going to be contending for much in 2023 and many of the team's top talent is likely to begin the season in the minor leagues. Hopes are high for the trio of Elly De La Cruz, Noelvi Marte, and Matt McLain, but all three need more seasoning in the minor leagues to begin next season.

There's also the matter of Jose Barrero. While the Reds are hopeful that their young shortstop can turn things around next season, his performance in 2022 does not offer a lot of hope.

Fans should expect to see Kyle Farmer occupy third base on Opening Day, but the veteran has proven to be a capable shortstop, and at the very least could keep the spot warm for one of the up-and-coming prospects in the event that Barrero continues to struggle.

Kyle Farmer should not even be mentioned as a potential non-tender candidate. However, if teams show an interest in trading for the veteran, then perhaps the Cincinnati Reds could entertain the idea of parting company with Farmer.