Trade speculation grows after Reds sign Jeimer Candelario to three-year deal

The Cincinnati Reds reportedly signed infielder Jeimer Candelario to a three-year/$45-million deal.

Candelario, who played first and third base in 2023 for both the Washington Nationals and Chicago Cubs, seems like a rather odd fit for a team that has enough infielders as it is.

With Candelario now in the fold, trade speculation will only continue to grow. Is Cincinnati going to trade one of their infielders in order to upgrade the pitching staff? Who will it be?

Trade speculation grows after Reds sign Jeimer Candelario to three-year deal

This deal should not come as a shock, as it had been reported for several weeks now that the Cincinnati Reds had expressed interest in signing Jeimer Candelario.

And none of this is to suggest that Cincinnati overpaid or that Candelario is a bad player. In fact, Candelario's numbers from last season are quite good. Candelario hit .251/.336/.471 with 22 home runs.

No, it's not the player, it's the fit. The Cincinnati Reds already have Jonathan India, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Noelvi Marte, Matt McLain, Elly De La Cruz, and Spencer Steer on the roster heading into next season.

This signing all but assures Steer will be spending most of his time in left field, but it seemed as though things were trending that way to begin with.

Inking Candelario will undoubtedly restart the Jonathan India trade rumors as well. Since last year's trade deadline, India's had been the topic of discussion when it came to which infielder is most likely to be dealt. Look for those trade rumors to gain more steam in the coming weeks.

So while Reds fans shouldn't react negatively to the Jeimer Candelario signing, it's certainly worth questioning the direction of the club heading into 2024. Might that money have been better spent on pitching? Which infielder is going to have a new home next season? These questions need to be answered.