The Reds announced that catcher Tyler Stephenson has been reinstated from the family medical emergency list, with fellow backstop Austin Wynns designated for assignment in a corresponding move.
Wynns was selected to the roster on Friday as Stephenson went on the paternity list. Stints on the paternity list come with a maximum of three days but Stephenson stayed away from the club a little longer, getting transferred to the family medical emergency list yesterday. Now that Stephenson has returned to the club, he’ll take over sharing catching duties with Luke Maile and nudge Wynns off the roster.
The 33-year-old Wynns has been bouncing on and off the Cincinnati roster all year. In December, he signed a major league split deal that pays him $900K while in the majors and $300K in the minors. The Reds designated him for assignment in January and passed him through waivers. Since Wynns has more than three years of service time but less than five, he can reject an outright assignment but would have to forfeit his remaining salary to do so.
Since he is out of options and has that unique contract status, a similar series of transactions has played out a few times during the season already. He was selected to the roster on June 21 while Stephenson was hurt but then was designated for assignment a few days later, accepting an outright. He got his roster spot back a few days after that and has now been bumped off again.
The circumstances effectively allow the Reds to treat Wynns like an optionable player but without him taking up a 40-man spot when he’s down in the minors. Any club could claim him off waivers but doing so would mean taking on that money and keeping him on the active roster, at least temporarily. Since he’s already been passed through waivers twice this year and accepted an outright assignment both times, it would appear likely to happen yet again in the coming days. Wynns has hit just .229/.276/.331 in his career but is generally considered a solid defender.