Here’s the first wave of roster moves. Expect more soon:
The Reds announced this afternoon that outfielder Tyler Holt, infielder/outfielder Patrick Kivlehan, catcher Rafael Lopez and right-handed pitchers Matt Magill and Jon Moscot have cleared waivers and been sent outright to Triple-A Louisville, thus removing each from the team’s 40-man roster.
By all reports, Holt, Lopez, and Magill will elect to become minor league free agents after the end of the World Series and will probably be plying their trade elsewhere next year. Moscot will stick with the Reds to continue rehabbing after Tommy John surgery. Kivlehan will try to win a spot on the 2017 Reds bench.
Doug Gray had some additional analysis:
These moves get the Cincinnati Reds 40-man roster down to 41 players, including those on the 60-day disabled list. There are only two players scheduled to become free agents, Alfredo Simon and Ross Ohlendorf, and when the World Series ends the team will then be down to 39 players. The team will have to find more roster spots as things get closer to late November when they have to decide who to add to the 40-man roster to protect from the Rule 5 draft. For a list of players eligible for protection/selection, I’ve got you covered right here. There will be some interesting decisions to be made and if I had to guess, some surprising names that could be left off.
You should read the whole thing, if you aren’t too distressed over the news that Alfredo Simon and Ross Ohlendorf won’t be Reds next year.