In need of catcher, Reds DFA Christian-Encarnacion Strand

The Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday designated for assignment Christian Encarnacion-Strand — once the first baseman of the future — after putting catcher Jose Trevino on the 10-day injured list with a thoracic spine strain. Without a catcher on the 40-man roster, the Reds needed space to call up catcher/infielder P.J. Higgins from Triple-A Louisville. Encarnacion-Strand, 26, hit 13 home runs in just 63 games for the Reds in his first stint in the big leagues in 2023. Since then, a mixture of injuries and poor performance when healthy has limited him to 65 games at the major-league level. He’s hit just .199/.227/.337 with eight home runs in 2024 and 2025. Encarnacion-Strand started Opening Day at first base in both 2024 and 2025, but didn’t make the team out of spring training in 2026. Encarnacion-Strand was passed over at first base by Spencer Steer and then Sal Stewart. The Reds also added former Gold Glove winner and Silver Slugger Nathaniel Lowe at first base, further sinking Encarnacion-Strand on the organization’s depth chart. In his first 10 games in Triple A this season, Encarnacion-Strand was 8-for-36 (.222) with four extra-base hits, including two home runs. He also struck out 14 times with just two walks. Encarnacion-Strand was part of the Reds’ 2022 trade of pitcher Tyler Mahle to the Minnesota Twins along with Steer and lefty Steve Hajjar. Hajjar was flipped to the Cleveland Guardians for outfielder Will Benson. Hajjar has since retired from playing since the trade. Trevino started three of the Reds’ first 11 games of the season behind starter Tyler Stephenson. As a member of the Chicago Cubs in 2021 and 2022, Higgins, 32, has started 29 games behind the plate, 25 at first base and two at third base. All five of Higgins’ starts in Louisville this year have been as a catcher, and is 1 for 12 on the season, but has six walks to three strikeouts over that span. Last year at Louisville, he hit .240/.300/.355 with seven home runs and 42 RBIs in 111 games.