Reds trade Christian Encarnacion Strand to AL upstart in a move that says everything

The Cincinnati Reds designated Christian Encarnacion-Strand for assignment last week, and it was only a matter of time before another team came calling. That team just so happened to be the Baltimore Orioles, who sent cash considerations to the Reds in exchange for the former top prospect.

That's it, cash! Sorry, Reds fans, but it would appear that's the going rate nowadays for an injury-prone slugger whose best performance in the big leagues is now three years old. Encarnacion-Strand burst onto the scene in 2023 with a .270/.328/.477 slash line and 13 home runs. But injuries and poor performance halted his rise rather quickly.

Reds trade Christian Encarnacion-Strand to Orioles for cash considerations

Encarnacion-Strand has done very little since his rookie season, and that fact was driven home based on the fact that Cincinnati couldn't even squeeze a lower-level prospect out of the Orioles — or any other Major League club for that matter. After a player is DFA'd, teams have a seven-day window to work out a trade, and it would seem that the O's were one of the few teams willing to offer anything.

Encarnacion-Strand's fall from grace was sudden. Much like Noelvi Marte — who was optioned to Triple-A just hours before the Reds announced the trade with the Orioles — Encarnacion-Strand was viewed as a potential cornerstone piece of the franchise going forward. He, along with Marte, Elly De La Cruz, and Matt McLain were supposed to be the infield of future. Sadly, that never materialized.

From 2024-2025, Encarnacion-Strand hit just .199/.227/.337 with a 48 wRC+ and appeared in just 65 games. A wrist injury robbed the former Reds slugger of most of his sophomore season, and he battled a back injury near the outset of the 2025 campaign. Terrible plate discipline (2.7% walk-rate) contributed to his downfall as well.

On the plus-side, it would seem that Cincinnati already has their replacement for Encarnacion-Strand in the form of rookie sensation Sal Stewart. The Reds' top performer so far this season, Stewart has taken to first base like a duck to water and is already drawing rave reviews in the city of Cincinnati.