Why Reds fans should begrudgingly be more patient with Jeimer Candelario

The opening to the Cincinnati Reds 2025 season has undoubtedly been a rollercoaster. While the pitching staff has kept the team afloat in several outings, the lineup has delivered far too many clunkers. And when the offense stalls, fans naturally look up and down the roster for answers.

One name that’s drawn plenty of early-season scrutiny is Jeimer Candelario. Through his first 12 games, Candelario has struggled mightily at the plate, posting a slash line of .140/.208/.163. In 43 at-bats, he’s tallied just six hits, five RBI, and has struck out 15 times. Those numbers are tough to overlook — especially for a team looking to contend in a competitive NL Central.

But before we begin to bring out the pitchforks, let’s take a step back.

Reds fans should begrudgingly be more patient with Jeimer Candelario

A closer look at Candelario’s career reveals a very distinct pattern. He's almost always slow out of the gate. In fact, March and April are statistically his worst months across the board. Over 163 career games played in the season’s first month — he’s hit just 12 home runs, the lowest total of any month in his career. His batting average in that span is .224, the second-lowest by month, and he’s struck out a whopping 174 times, more than in any other time frame.

But come May? It’s almost like flipping a switch. Candelario’s career numbers take a noticeable turn upward once the calendar flips. He owns a .243 average in May, along with 20 home runs and a significantly reduced strikeout rate. It’s a trend that’s followed him throughout his seven-year career, and at age 31, it’s likely who he is at this point — a player who needs a few weeks to find his rhythm at the plate.

Is it ideal? Not really. But it’s consistent. Candelario is good for 20-plus homers a year and can provide valuable power in the middle of a lineup once he gets rolling. While the strikeouts may always be part of his game, they often come with a tradeoff: pop that few other Reds can offer.

So, if there’s growing pressure to shake up the Reds’ lineup in search of a spark, let’s be clear — it shouldn’t start with Candelario. Not yet. History shows he needs time, and more often than not, he rewards that patience. In a sport built on rhythms and trends, trusting the analytics might be the Reds' smartest move.

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