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Mike Moustakas cut, free agent Curt Casali returns to Cincinnati Reds

Mike Moustakas, who signed the largest free agent deal in Cincinnati Reds history, was designated for assignment Thursday with one year and $22 million remaining in his contract Thursday.

The Reds needed to create a roster spot on the 40-man roster after signing catcher Curt Casali to a one-year contract with a mutual option for the 2024 season. The Reds tried to trade Moustakas for more than a year to shed his guaranteed salary, but didn't find any takers before designating him for assignment. Following Thursday's move, the Reds have a week to trade him, which is unlikely when he's owed $22 million, or release him.

Moustakas was the first signing prior to the 2020 season when the Reds made an all-in push toward the playoffs. Lefthanded pitcher Wade Miley, outfielder Shogo Akiyama and right fielder Nick Castellanos followed in an offseason when the Reds spent $164 million for the contracts of those four free agents. Now, none remain in the organization.

Cincinnati Reds first baseman Mike Moustakas (9) fields a groundball during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Thursday, July 7, 2022, at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.

The Reds ended up eating the contracts for two of those four free agents before their final seasons, and Castellanos opted out of the final two years of his deal. Akiyama was released at the end of spring training last year when he was owed $8 million.

The four-year, $64 million contract given to Moustakas turned into a bust as he failed to stay healthy and didn't perform well when he was on the field. Moustakas played 184 of a possible 384 regular season games (48%) over the past three years. He totaled only 21 homers and 74 RBI in this three seasons in a Reds uniform compared to the 35 homers and 87 RBI he had with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2019.


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