Among the offseason moves the Reds made while spending almost $108 million on free agents last winter, the greatest may have been a surprise Spring Training deal for utility man Santiago Espinal to satisfy a pressing need.
Cincinnati thought it had a deep infield entering camp, but rookie third baseman Noelvi Marte was suspended for 80 games after testing positive for performance-enhancing substances. That was followed by the season-ending injury to second baseman Matt McLain’s left shoulder.
On March 20, President of Baseball Operations Nick Krall traded Espinal to the Blue Jays for Minor League pitcher Chris McElvain.
“To be honest, I was actually happy as soon as it happened,” Espinal told me. “I didn’t care how many days we had left of Spring Training. I was already prepared. The boys here made it more pleasant for me. It made me feel like I’d been here for a while. It’s been wonderful.”
Espinal came into Sunday hitting, having progressed from a bench player to a starting position.Since July 8, 354 players have played in 44 games. This included 11 and 10-game hitting streaks, as well as game-winning hits in back-to-back games against the Brewers and Astros on September 1-2, then again against the Mets on September 8.
“I feel like the more opportunity that I get, the better I can be,” Espinal told the newspaper. “I understand what I need to do before entering the game. Mentally, it is being prepared. It does not matter who is on the mound. It doesn’t matter if Randy Johnson is pitching. I am going to go get it. I’m going to compete and have a hungry mentality every day, so every time I step up to the plate, pitchers will have a difficult time getting me out.”
Espinal, a 2022 All-Star for Toronto, began Sunday batting.259/.307/.380 with nine home runs and 45 RBIs in 108 games.
“I can’t believe we were able to sign him, an All-Star player. “I’m not sure what the return was — and I’m not trying to be disrespectful to who the Blue Jays got — but it seemed like nothing at the time,” Reds reliever Emilio Pagán said. “What he’s accomplished in this league is difficult to replicate. It’s difficult to be an All-Star, and he’s having perhaps a better stretch now than he did during his All-Star season. The performances on the field are fantastic, but he’s also one of the better leaders in terms of business practices, which is critical for a young squad.”
Espinal, who turns 30 in November, has produced several impressive plays in the infield this season, another result of his meticulous planning. Pregame preparations include short hops from coach Jeff Pickler off a ball machine that looks like an industrial-sized hair drier. Following that, instructor Freddie Benavides uses a fungo bat to hit grounders at various positions.
Espinal practices with a 9 1/2-inch glove, which is significantly smaller than his game glove.
“It makes me actually get down and realize where I’m at with my body and all of that stuff,” Espinal told me. “That is why I like to utilize it. It ensures that the ball enters into the webbing and that I keep down on the ball and catch it correctly.”
In addition to playing second, third, and shortstop, Espinal made his debut in the outfield. He’s virtually become an everyday player for manager David Bell, primarily at third base, as Marte struggles offensively and defensively.
Espinal, who earns $2.73 million this season, is arbitration eligible this winter. Cincinnati should be able to make an offer to him without hesitation.
“You could argue he’s one of the more important players on our roster, if not the most right now, because of what he can do defensively playing all over the field,” Pagán told the media. “We’re definitely very thankful that we have him.”
