CINCINNATI -- The Reds made a roster move Monday that says plenty about where Noelvi Marte stands right now. After a tough run on both sides of the ball, Marte was optioned to Triple-A, and Cincinnati brought back catcher Will Banfield.
Manager Terry Francona said he pulled Marte into his office Monday night and got a blunt answer when he asked how things were going.
"And he said, ‘Not very well,’" Francona said.
Marte, 24, was hitting .189 with a .550 OPS and six home runs across 63 games this season. August was even rougher.
In 12 games this month, he slipped to a .133 average with a .289 OPS and no home runs. Francona also pointed to Marte’s defensive work in right field, which had been shaky as well.
"I said, ‘This is kind of a pivotal time for you,’" Francona said. "’Don’t just go down.’
He’s probably going to find ways to get hits in Triple-A. I said, ‘You’ve got to play with some urgency and get after it.
Be the first one out there. Don’t be the last one out there.
Take charge in the outfield, things like that.’”
Marte began the season as Cincinnati’s right fielder after being converted from third base to the outfield midway through the 2025 season. His first stint with the club this year ended quickly, though, when he was sent down on April 13 before returning June 3.
“He has all the tools to be an everyday player," Francona said. "Saying that, when you’re playing every day, you’ve got to find a way to help the team win.
And it’s not just getting hits. It’s playing the position.
It’s just being accountable for many different things. He was just having a tough time by his own admission.”
Banfield’s return gives the Reds a third catcher behind Tyler Stephenson and Jose Trevino, but it could also open up more flexibility in the lineup. Francona said Stephenson could spend more time at designated hitter on days he is not catching.
“That can be a possibility," Francona said. "With [Michael] Toglia here and [Héctor] Rodríguez, they can play right field and left and Toglia can move around.
We’ve got a kid here that can catch and throw really well. We talked about a lot of different scenarios, and it just seemed like this might be the best way to help our roster.”
Banfield appeared in 10 big league games for the Reds late last season in his first callup. He has also taken a step forward offensively at Louisville this year, batting .262 with a .731 OPS and 11 homers in 79 games. Last season at Louisville, he hit .214 with a .562 OPS and two home runs over 79 games.
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