The Cincinnati Reds added another veteran option to their organizational depth chart on Tuesday, signing infielder Orlando Arcia and sending him to Triple-A Louisville.
Arcia arrives with 11 seasons of Major League experience and has spent this year in the Minnesota Twins organization. At Triple-A, the 32-year-old has put together a productive season, hitting .282/.336/.498 with 27 extra-base hits.
Minnesota also gave him a look in the big leagues. Arcia appeared in 19 games for the Twins and hit .271/.300/.354, but he managed only two extra-base hits before the club designated him for assignment.
Over the course of his MLB career, Arcia has played in more than 1,000 games and owns a .240/.292/.369 line with 91 home runs. His strongest offensive season came in 2023 with the Atlanta Braves, when he hit .264/.321/.420, racked up 42 extra-base hits and earned an NL All-Star nod.
For Cincinnati, the move fits a straightforward need: the organization does not have much infield depth at Louisville, and Arcia gives them a seasoned name to call on if needed. It would not be a surprise to see him get a chance with the Reds before the season is over.
Meanwhile, Cincinnati’s pitching staff has started to clean up one of its biggest issues. After handing out more than 100 walks in each of the first three months of the season, the Reds have issued just one walk to their last 92 batters faced. Even so, the season-long numbers remain ugly: 559 walks, third-most in the majors, and a pace for 656, which would leave them just three shy of the franchise record set in 2000.
The offense has had its own problems. Monday night’s 5-0 loss was the Reds’ 15th shutout of the season, tying them for the most in the majors.
Cincinnati has been blanked four times in its last 13 games and five times in August alone. The struggles have gone beyond zeroes on the scoreboard, too, with the Reds held to one run or fewer in 10 of their last 22 games and 29 times overall this season.
They have also scored fewer than three runs in 49 games.
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Eugenio Surezs Absence Forced A Reds Infield Change
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For Brito, it is a short-notice opportunity to join the big-league roster, while Francona has to manage the practical side of losing an infielder for two games without letting it disrupt the rest of the lineup. The move is temporary, but it still matters for a Reds team that needs depth and flexibility while one of its regulars handles an off-field milestone. [Read more 🡒]