The Cincinnati Reds have announced the recall of outfielder Blake Dunn from Triple-A Louisville, with first baseman Dominic Smith being designated for assignment as a corresponding move. This adjustment brings the Reds’ 40-man roster count down to 39.
Smith, aged 29, had a brief stint with the Reds, joining the team on August 22. During his time with the club, he appeared in nine games and had 29 plate appearances, struggling to make an impact with a batting line of .192/.276/.269. Although these numbers reflect underwhelming performance, the sample size is relatively small and may not provide a full picture of his capabilities.
The decision to designate Smith for assignment could be more indicative of the Reds’ shifting priorities rather than Smith’s performance alone. When Smith was signed, the Reds were 5.5 games out of a playoff spot. However, their chances have since dwindled, with the team now 9.5 games behind the postseason picture. With the team’s playoff hopes effectively over, Smith, who is set to become a free agent, offers little value in the current context, especially given his lack of defensive versatility. The Reds are likely choosing to utilize the remainder of the season to evaluate other players who may be part of their plans for the next year, such as Dunn.
Given that Smith has accumulated enough service time to reject an outright assignment, he is expected to become a free agent shortly. He may either be released or opt to explore opportunities on the open market. Before his brief period with the Reds, Smith had a more productive spell with the Boston Red Sox. Over 84 games with Boston, he posted a .237/.317/.390 line, translating to a wRC+ of 96, which is slightly below league average.
Smith might seek a new opportunity with another team for the remainder of the season, although he won’t be eligible for the postseason with any new team, due to the September 1 deadline having passed. Teams not in contention, like the Reds, often prefer to allocate playing time to players who can be part of their future plans. Despite a promising 2019-2020 period where he batted .299/.366/.571, Smith’s performance has since been inconsistent. In over 1,500 plate appearances from 2021 onwards, he has posted a .241/.311/.360 line with a wRC+ of 86.