The Cincinnati Reds clearly won the Minnesota Twins-Tyler Mahle trade, which gave the Reds then-prospects Spencer Steer, Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Steve Hajjar in exchange for Mahle on Aug 2, 2022. However, Steer's regression and the recent news that the Reds designated Encarnacion-Strand for assignment make the deal seem less bad for the Twins than it once did.
Tyler Mahle trade doesn’t seem as bad after Reds DFA Encarnacion-Strand
Due to various injuries, Mahle made just nine starts with Minnesota from 2022 through 2023 before becoming a free agent and signing with the Texas Rangers.
While Hajjar never made the majors and has retired from baseball, Steer and Encarnacion-Strand have played several seasons in the big leagues with the Reds.
Early in his career, Steer, a corner infielder and outfielder, looked like a star. He posted 2.9 bWAR and an .820 OPS over 156 games in 2023. However, he has since regressed, posting 1.5 bWAR and a .721 OPS over 158 games in 2024 and 0.7 bWAR and a .723 OPS last season. This year, Steer, 28, has been worth -0.4 bWAR with an awful .511 OPS in 10 games.
Encarnacion-Strand, a corner infielder, also showed promise early in his career, slashing .270/.328/.477 (112 OPS+) with 12 home runs and 37 RBI over 50 games during his rookie season (2023).
A right ulnar styloid fracture and back issues led to Encarnacion-Strand missing significant time during the last two seasons, and he struggled immensely when he was healthy. He hit .190/.220/.293 (39 OPS+) over 29 games in 2024 and .208/.234/.377 (62 OPS+) over 36 games last season.
Encarnacion-Strand, whom MLB Pipeline ranked as Minnesota's 29th-best prospect in 2022, began the season with Triple-A Louisville, hitting .222/.275/.472 across 10 games before being designated for assignment to make room for catcher P.J. Higgins on the Reds' 40-man roster.
Encarnacion-Strand will go through waivers. It's doubtful the Twins will be interested in a reunion, as Encarnacion-Strand isn't known to be a strong defender, and Josh Bell, Victor Caratini and Kody Clemens are probably better options to play first.
The Twins certainly aren't happy with Encarnacion-Strand being designated for assignment, but the news probably makes the organization feel a bit better about the Mahle deal. And while Steer could return to form, it appears the league has figured him out. The Reds may have "won" the Mahle trade based on past production, but both teams likely wish the deal could've led to better results.