CES la vie: Encarnacion-Strand lives in the moment

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Reds first baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand had plenty of time to kill while missing most of last season with a right hand fracture. The disastrous first month when he did play was not something he ruminated about.

“Nope. It’s gone," Encarnacion-Strand said on Monday morning. "It’s not there anymore. You can’t get it back. So are you going to be mad about it? It’s over with. It’s a new year. I can’t go back and change it.”

Tasked last year with being the full-time first baseman after Joey Votto was not brought back, Encarnacion-Strand batted .190 with a .513 OPS, two home runs and 16 RBIs in 29 games. In 123 plate appearances, he had 35 strikeouts compared with four walks.

During a game against the Rangers on April 27, Encarnacion-Strand was hit on his hand by a Michael Lorenzen fastball. After missing four games, Encarnacion-Strand was back in the lineup, but he played his final game of 2024 on May 7. The next day, he went on the injured list after a fresh round of X-rays found the fracture, which was not located the first time.

Season-ending surgery was required to repair the injury.

“It’s annoying to sit out and not play and not be on the field with the boys," Encarnacion-Strand said. "The good thing is my hand is healthy, my body feels good and now I am back out there.”

On Aug. 2, 2022, Encarnacion-Strand and Spencer Steer were the key acquisitions in the trade that sent starting pitcher Tyler Mahle to the Twins.

Encarnacion-Strand debuted in 2023 and wowed the club with his raw power as he belted 13 homers with an .805 OPS in 63 games. That gave him the edge in camp last year under former manager David Bell. This year, with new manager Terry Francona, Encarnacion-Strand must earn his roster and lineup spots.

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That process began during the summer at the team complex in Goodyear as Encarnacion-Strand rehabbed and eventually began doing baseball activity.

“I had to focus on the hand first," Encarnacion-Strand said. "I rehabbed with the surgeon and rehabbed here. Once I got cleared to work out, I just went to town on hitting and taking grounders until Spring Training.”

A stint in the Arizona Fall League also helped Encarnacion-Strand find his swing.

“To his credit, he came in in good shape," Francona said. "He went to the Fall League, which I thought was very smart. He knocked off some of the rust then as opposed to now.”

Encarnacion-Strand, 25, is doing his part in camp. Through Monday, he has batted .261 with three homers in nine Cactus League games. He also has looked solid defensively.

“I feel like you have to show them every year," he said. "It’s bigger for me because I missed [time]. It’s important to show you can do both [offense and defense]."

Encarnacion-Strand has looked trim and has moved around well enough that he's also gotten some time at third base, his original position. As he did during the offseason, he does a 50-50 split of taking grounders at both spots during workouts. That could enhance his roster chances, as Spencer Steer has missed time this spring after getting a cortisone shot in his problematic right shoulder.

Jeimer Candelario can play both corner spots but has been limited the past week after having his wisdom teeth removed. Another third-base option, Gavin Lux, has limited experience playing the position, and Noelvi Marte was part of the latest wave of cuts on Monday morning.

“I don’t want to make our team [final]," Francona said. "But I think CES has had a good camp and everything."

As with how his season went last year, Encarnacion-Strand isn't spending his time worrying about his roster status with less than two weeks before camp breaks.

“I feel like I’m just playing my game,” he said, “and whatever is going to happen will happen."