The Cincinnati Reds made a flurry of roster moves ahead of their final home series of the season, and the headliner is a new face coming in from the Yankees.
Spencer Steer was placed on the 60-day injured list, which officially shuts down his season and clears a spot on the 40-man roster. Right-handed reliever Julian Garcia also landed on the 15-day injured list with loose bodies in his right elbow.
To fill the openings, the Reds recalled Julian Aguiar from Triple-A Louisville and claimed utility man Oswaldo Cabrera off waivers from New York.
Cabrera arrives with a reputation that stretches beyond his brief major league work this year. The 27-year-old was once a top-10 prospect in the Yankees system and became a favorite with their fans.
He appeared in only three games for New York this season, but he was hitting .288/.345/.444 with 19 home runs, 14 doubles and 69 RBI. At the minor league level, he has consistently shown he can produce at the plate, even if big league opportunities have been limited.
He has topped 100 games in a season just twice.
“The good thing is Oswaldo’s come back from a very difficult injury and had a really good year down in Triple-A,” Boone told Patrick Donnelly of MLB.com. “He’s playing really well.
So hopefully this is just one of those things, and I'm confident that Oswaldo will go on to have a very good career. Hopefully it's still with us.”
What makes Cabrera especially useful is the defensive range. He can handle every infield position except catcher, and he’s also logged multiple games at both corner outfield spots. For the Reds, that kind of versatility makes this a low-risk move with a chance to get a switch-hitter with some pop into the lineup over the final stretch.
The injury update on Garcia is more troubling. Hunter Greene went through the same procedure in March and was out for more than three months before coming back in July.
That return didn’t last long, though, as Greene ultimately needed Tommy John surgery just five appearances later. Garcia’s timing at least gives him the chance to use the entire offseason for rehab before Spring Training next year, depending on when the season begins because of a possible lockout.
Aguiar’s path back has been its own story. He tore his UCL and had Tommy John surgery in 2024, and his injury timeline lined up closely with Brandon Williamson’s.
Williamson broke camp with the big league club, while Aguiar pitched in Triple-A. Now he’s back with Cincinnati and will piggyback Chase Burns out of the bullpen on Friday against the Cubs.
In 16 minor league starts this season, Aguiar has posted a 6.05 ERA with 31 walks and 56 strikeouts. He last pitched in the majors on September 19, 2024, and he has allowed three runs or fewer in five of his seven big league starts.
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