Reds option slumping Noelvi Marte, recall streaking Triple-A slugger
The Cincinnati Re ds thought they found an answer in right field entering the 2026 MLB season. Former infielder Noelvi Marte thrived there toward the end of the 2025 campaign.
Marte, 24, slashed .261/.288/.424 in 52 games as a right fielder in 2025. He even saved Cincinnati’s season by robbing Pittsburgh’s Bryan Reynolds of a home run during a 2-1 victory on Sept. 25 that kept the Reds in the NL wild-card chase.
As such, Marte was penciled into the starting lineup for the 2026 Reds.
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Unfortunately for both sides, it didn’t work out. On Monday, April 13, the Reds optioned Marte to the Triple-A Louisville Bats after he hit .138 with no home runs or RBIs in 11 games. The Cincinnati Enquirer shared the news.
“He’s just having a tough time,” Reds manager Terry Francona said of Marte, per MLB.com . “He looks like he’s trying to hit everything. When you see him going up there and swinging at a 2-0 breaking ball, sometimes it’s hard to let the game come to you.”
According to MLB.com sources, the Reds will call up outfielder Rece Hinds to take Marte’s place before the Tuesday, April 14, game against the San Francisco Giants .
That’s because the 25-year-old Hinds slashed .354/.471/.775 with five home runs and 16 RBIs in 13 games at Louisville. Furthermore, he enjoyed an outstanding spring training, batting .410 with a 1.414 OPS and five homers in 21 games.
In July 2024, Hinds went down in MLB history soon after making his debut. He slugged five home runs in his first six games and set a modern-day MLB record with 13 extra-base hits in his first 15 hits. Ultimately, though, Hinds struggled and was sent back to the minors. He played in just 15 games in 2025, slashing .116/.136/.279 with two home runs and three RBIs.
The Reds (9-7) are looking for an offensive spark. Through 16 games, Cincinnati ranks 29th out of 30 teams in OPS at .623 and 26th in runs scored with 54.
Finally, the Reds and Giants open a three-game series at 6:40 p.m. ET Tuesday.
