On Thursday, the Cincinnati Reds announced they were cutting ties with Mike Moustakas and designating him for assignment. The Reds will now have a week to work out a trade or pass Moustakas through waivers.
The chances of them finding a trade partner for Moustakas are slim. He has just one year remaining on his contract and is coming off a season where he played just 78 games. The 34-year-old has struggled to stay healthy as of late. In 2021 he was limited to 62 games.
When he was on the field, he wasn't very productive. During his last two seasons in Cincinnati, he slashed .211/.289/.356 for a wRC+ of 73. Adding to the difficulty of trading him is the $22 million he is owed in the form of an $18 million salary and a $4 million buyout on a club option for 2024.
The Reds leverage is low. Their interest in letting him play next season is even lower. Over the past few years, they've seen Jonathan India take over the second base job and prospect Spencer Steer waiting in the wings for an audition at third. The only other spot for Moose is at first base, but he has no shot at unseating Reds legend Joey Votto. Because of this, Moustakas is likely to hit the open market as a free agent.
Once the news came that Moustakas was designated for assignment, many fans on Twitter listed the White Sox as a potential destination. The White Sox are still looking for a second baseman. Unfortunately for them, the choices in free agency are slim, and the trade market only offers a few options. Most of those options involve dealing All-Star closer Liam Hendriks.
Moustakas sounds like the type of player the White Sox would love to pick up. A cheap option, who is familiar with the AL Central and was once great. When the 34-year-old signed a four-year, $64MM deal with the Reds going into the 2020 season, it looked like a great addition.
During his previous five years with the Royals and Brewers where he hit 130 home runs and produced a batting line of .264/.325/.491. That amounted to a 111 wRC+, which was 11% higher than the league average.
The three-time All-Star played a key role on the Kansas City Royals 2015 World Series team, hitting .284 with 22 home runs, 82 RBIs, and a .817 OPS. His efforts landed him on his first All-Star team. Moustakas returned to the All-Star Game two years later in 2017. The left-handed power hitter hit a career-high 38 home runs and posted a .521 slugging percentage.
The California native signed with the Brewers in 2018. After a rough first season where he was sidelined for 108 games, he returned to form in 2019. Moustakas hit 35 home runs, drove in 87, and was named to his third All-Star team. While in Milwaukee, he also logged his first innings at second base after spending the majority of his career as a third baseman. He played 47 games at second base with the Brewers in 2019 and 32 in 2020.
In theory, it makes sense for the White Sox to add him. He is a former All-Star, knows what it takes to win a championship, and is a left-handed bat with power. The reality is Moustakas would be a horrible addition.
For a team that has struggled to stay healthy, adding an injury-prone veteran to the lineup is not a recipe for success. He has suffered a heel contusion and a calf strain within the last two seasons.
The lower body injuries factor into the next point, which is that his range is terrible. His OAA at second base was listed as a -1 in both seasons he has played second base. With the banning of the shift, those numbers will not improve.
If the White Sox were to sign him, they would be better off moving Yoan Moncada move back to second base and having Moustakas play third base. However, even in his natural position at third base, he is prone to errors. In 2013 he was fifth in the MLB with 16 errors, and in 2014 he ranked third with 19.
So the choices are to move a Gold Glove-caliber third baseman to second base for a slightly below-average defender. Or have a terrible defender take over second base. Not exactly an ideal situation for a team that constantly shot themselves in the foot with defensive woes in 2022.
Given Moustakas' recent dip in production and inability to stay on the field, he is not worth the risk for the White Sox.
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