Astros should steer clear of Reds castoff despite need for left-handed bat

In the Houston Astros search for a left-handed bat this summer, they are going to have to be opportunistic. Houston doesn't really have the prospect depth to get into a bidding war for the big names and honestly, there are just not a lot of bats that fit their needs out there that the Astros should want. One such example is Jeimer Candelario who just got DFA'd by the Reds.

On the surface, Candelario seems to loosely fit the mold of what the Astros are looking for. He is a switch-hitter who has more power from the left side and has experience playing multiple positions in the infield. Slotting him in at second base seems to have merit in theory.

In practice however, Candelario is fool's gold that the Astros would be best served to avoid.

Astros should avoid adding Jeimer Candelario despite is surprise availability

While it is true that Candelario is a switch-hitter that has shown power in the past, that does not mean he is a good hitter right now. He did hit 20 or more homers the previous two seasons, but he has only managed a wRC+ of 100 (league average) or better just once in the last FOUR seasons as his hit tool leaves a lot to be desired. Candelario is also just now coming off a lengthy IL stint with a spine injury and his performance at the plate was abysmal before he got hurt.

Even if Houston thought that Candelario would hit a little bit, finding playing time for him isn't a sure thing. While the Astros would likely love a second baseman with some offensive upside, Candelario has never played the position before in the majors and the two positions he HAS played in third and first base are firmly occupied by Isaac Paredes and Christian Walker respectively. Given that there isn't even a guarantee Candelario would outhit the light-hitting Mauricio Dubon seems to indicate that Houston should sit this one out.

Again, this is the type of move that the Astros should be looking to make, but they shouldn't just make a move just to do it. Much like the bizarre reunion with Jon Singleton the Astros did do, this is a move is one that the Astros would be best served not to make.

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