The gross spend of the Cincinnati Reds in free agency at the big league level this winter has constituted, in total, the addition of pitcher Edgar Garcia on a league-minimum deal and the split-contract doled out to Kyle Farmer merely hours after he was technically non-tendered.
That’s it. That’s the joke dot meme.
Just one year removed from breaking from their years-long tradition of avoiding big spending on free agents like the plague, the Reds have taken almost a 100% step back in that arena. On top of that, the additions they have made beyond the free agent market have similarly been low-budget, with peripheral trades and leverage of 40-man roster spots facilitating the additions of a number of talented, yet very flawed young arms and bats to complement what’s still around.