Listen, there’s absolutely zero guarantee that Jeimer Candelario is all of a sudden going to turn it around and hit again, but at this point what would it hurt the Cubs to take a flier on him. The 31-year-old switch hitter was recently designated for assignment by the Cincinnati Reds, who then released Candelario after he cleared waivers. The Cubs’ bench has been stinky all season long and maybe a healthy Candelario can provide some upside.
The Reds signed Candelario to a shocking three-year, $45 million deal after the 2023 season. That came after Candelario’s best power year in the majors as he slugged a career-high 22 home runs between his time with the Washington Nationals and Cubs. He slashed .251/.336/.471, resulting in a 118 wRC+ in 576 plate appearances.
The Cubs traded for him at the deadline in 2023 and unfortunately Candelario fizzled out down the stretch, posting a .127/.220/.324 slash line in his last 22 games. The corner infielder also missed time in September because of a lower back strain.
Candelario was still able to cash in during free agency with the Reds, agreeing to a contract that included a fourth-year option. Prior to his release from the Reds, Candelario was limited to only 22 games in 2025 and there’s no other way to put it, he was awful. The ex-Cubs player recorded a 10 wRC+ in 91 plate appearances, hitting only .113 with a .410 OPS. At the end of April, the Reds placed Candelario on the injured list with a lumbar spine strain.
So, why should the Cubs sign him? Well, back injuries are no joke so it’s not like there aren’t any risks associated with bringing Candelario back, but he’s not that far removed from actually being a solid contributor on offense. In 2024, he had an .816 OPS with 118 wRC+ through his first 274 plate appearances with the Reds. Candelario had 14 home runs before reports surfaced that he was dealing with knee tendinitis at the end of June. He began to regress during the next two months and then on Aug. 20, 2024, Candelario went on the injured list with a toe fracture, forcing him to miss the rest of the season.
For a prorated version of the league minimum the Cubs should consider kicking the tires on Candelario. Obviously it depends if they believe he’s healthy enough to contribute, but just a year ago he was putting up good numbers before a few injuries derailed him.
This isn’t to say that the Cubs should go the cheap route in improving their position player depth either. They should be exploring all trade avenues for an upgrade and Eugenio Suárez remains the dream scenario. However, in the meantime, if the Cubs want to improve on the margins, then giving Candelario a shot could turn out to be a decent move down the line. If not, you let him go and target someone better on the trade block.
