Cincinnati Reds Promote Zack Cozart, Option Paul Janish

This news was originally tweeted by someone under the name of Johnny Smith yesterday afternoon:

This just in Renteria DFA, Cozart is getting the call.

This was Smith's first tweet, which is a very shady way to get news. However, the Cozart news turned out to be true. Renteria, however, was not designated for assignment.

Regarding the Renteria DFA, Smith states:

The Renteria part is causing tension within.

Renteria's offensive line is .229/.304/.271, which is sub-par by any standard. He has been walking a bit more this year, but his strikeout rate has skyrocketed to over 21%, well above his career average of 14.4%. Paul Janish's line was .227/.259/.271.

By most accounts, Zack Cozart should be a better option for the Reds than Edgar Renteria and Paul Janish. Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus has this to say about Cozart:

[H]e doesn't hit for much of an average and probably never will. On the positive side of the ledger, he's a plus defender with at least average power and good speed, and more than enough secondary skills to make up for it.

On Twitter, Keith Law says:

Upgrade, yes. Janish [with] more bat.

It looks like the Reds are beginning to make a push at the NL Central title. They have plenty of top-level prospects in Devin Mesoraco, Billy Hamilton and Yasmani Grandal to put together a very attractive trade proposal. We'll keep you updated if the Reds make any more moves.