Reds quietest trade move suddenly has fans realizing how crucial he’s become

The Cincinnati Reds' trade deadline performance initially looked disappointing, but it's actually begun to age quite nicely. Ke'Bryan Hayes has more or less locked down the hot corner with his usual brand of stellar defense, and he's shockingly hitting as well as he ever has at the Major League level (115 wRC+).

Meanwhile, Zack Littell hasn't been quite as good as he was with the Tampa Bay Rays in the first half, but he's become a consistent rotation presence for an injured pitching staff by firing off a 4.50 ERA and 19.3% strikeout rate in 38 innings.

However, it's been Miguel Andujar who registers as the biggest surprise among the Reds' deadline acquisitions. A top prospect in the New York Yankees' farm system in a bygone era, Andujar is suddenly living up to that ancient promise in Cincinnati, hitting .371/.429/.586 in 77 plate appearances.

Less than two games out of a Wild Card spot in the National League, the Reds have Andujar to thank for propelling their offense during this crucial stretch.

Miguel Andujar carrying Reds offense in second half despite nursing quad injury

Among Reds players with at least 40 plate appearances since Aug. 1, Andujar ranks first in OPS (1.014), second in ISO (.214), first in wRC+ (179), first in wOBA (.435), third in hard-hit rate (36.2%), second-best in strikeout rate (15.6%), and first in Win Probability Added (0.77).

His lead in wRC+, in particular, is 66 points over second-place Hayes. That's the difference between the best hitter in baseball, Aaron Judge (195 wRC+), and the 22nd-ranked hitter, Matt Chapman (129 wRC+).

Suffice it to say: Andujar has carried the Reds' offense over the last six weeks, and if they complete their shocking run to the postseason, the last-second deadline acquisition will deserve serious consideration for team MVP honors (at least for the second-half of the season).

Unfortunately, Andujar has been nursing a quad injury recently, and it's been severe enough to keep him out of the starting lineup for the past week. Gavin Lux and Austin Hays have filled his stead in that time, but it's clear that a Lux-Andujar platoon at designated hitter is the best alignment Terry Francona has when everyone is healthy.

The Reds can't really afford to be patient with Andujar's recovery, as they need his bat in the lineup in their attempt to fend off the San Francisco Giants and New York Mets for the final playoff spot in the Senior Circuit. If he's able to make a full-time return to the lineup, even as a DH, Cincinnati will be a tough out for the remainder of the season.

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