Price tag (and lack of production) will force Reds to release trade deadline addition

The Cincinnati Reds are going to have some tough decisions to make in the coming weeks; one of which pertains to Ty France. The slugger was designated for assignment by the Seattle Mariners shortly before the July 30th trade deadline, and the Cincinnati swooped in and snagged France in exchange for a minor league catcher.

France was struggling mightily in Seattle, but the change of scenery did him well. France was hitting just .223/.312/.350 for the Mariners at the time of his departure. But once he arrived in Cincinnati, France seemed to regain that swing that made him an All-Star in 2022. Through his first month with the Reds, France was hitting .261/.316/.432 with six doubles, three home runs, and nine RBI.

Unfortunately, France hit a wall in September. The 30-year-old saw his numbers dip quite a bit over the final month of the season, and in his final 10 games, France hit just .091/.139/.182. But France's late-season struggles are not the reason that his future with the Reds seems rather bleak.

The Reds are likely to non-tender Ty France this offseason

Most estimates assume that France's 2025 salary will jump to somewhere in the neighborhood of $8 million. France is in the final year of his arbitration window and is due a bump in pay from his $6.78 million salary from a year ago.

That's quite the chunk of change for a player who represents a major redundancy on the 40-man roster. France is limited defensively and was among the worst defenders in the league last season. France's -12 outs above average (OAA) ranked dead last among all first baseman. With the Reds emphasizing defense heading into 2025 season, it's difficult to see an expensive, bat-first infielder whose defensive skills are well below par making the roster.

The Reds already have depth at the position with Jeimer Candelario, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, and Spencer Steer on the roster. Furthermore, seeing as how those three players have either been injury-prone or below average defensively, it's conceivable that Cincinnati may even look to upgrade the position this offseason through a trade or free agency.

France just doesn't fit what the Reds are trying to do moving forward. While he showed flashes during his short stint with Cincinnati last season, his price tag will ultimately be his undoing. Look for the Reds to non-tender France in the coming weeks.

More Cincinnati Reds News and Rumors