Former Cincinnati Reds first baseman Mike Moustakas Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Reds release prominent veteran three-time All-Star

Originally posted on The Cold Wire | By Andres Chavez | Last updated 1/5/23

Last decade, infielder Mike Moustakas was a productive hitter who went to two World Series as a regular.

His power from the left side of the plate helped the Kansas City Royals win the 2015 World Series, and he had a few impressive seasons after that.

His last excellent season came in 2019, as a member of the Cincinnati Reds. He hit 35 round-trippers with a .845 OPS and 87 RBI that year.

After a decent 2020, he was a huge liability in 2021 and 2022. As a result, the Reds are no longer his employers.

“The Cincinnati Reds have released Mike Moustakas, the team announced,” FOX Sports MLB tweeted.

The Cincinnati Reds have released Mike Moustakas, the team announced. pic.twitter.com/m8yegYapYq

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) January 5, 2023

The 34-year-old thumper is not much of a defender at this stage of his career, so it’s hard to say how his market will evolve after being released by one of the worst teams in the National League.

Besides his power, there is not a lot that Moustakas can offer an MLB team.

However, if an organization is willing to work with him to optimize his swing and approach, he could be worth a cheap one-year deal to see if there is something left on his bat.

He still certainly has a future in an MLB organization, but it remains to be seen in what role and at which level.

The Reds are now freeing a spot for a young player to develop and help accelerate their rebuild. With a 62-100 record, they finished last in the NL Central division one year after fighting for a Wild Card spot.

This article first appeared on The Cold Wire and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: