He was a selection for the Southern League All-Star Game and batted .206 with 4 home runs for the season. Despite a poor season offensively, he had another good season defensively, again throwing out 38% of baserunners attempting to steal. Looking to improve the offense side of his game the Reds sent Sardinha to the Arizona Fall League, where he went on an offensive tear with the Scottsdale Scorpions. In 2003, Sardinha missed the first month and a half of the season due to a torn lateral collateral ligament in his left knee. He played the entire minor league season at Double-A again, batting .256 with 3 home runs in 72 games. Taken off the roster on July 30, Sardinha hit .315 for the remainder of the season and was called up to the Reds on September 1, when Major League rosters expanded. On September 6, 2003, he made his Major League debut in a game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Coming into the game as a pinch hitter for an injured Jason LaRue, he batted 0–2 with a strikeout and caught the final four innings of the game. It was his only game of the 2003 season. On October 10, 2003, he was taken off the roster and accepted an assignment to Double-A. Sardinha spent his first full season at the Triple-A level in 2004, playing for the Louisville Bats. As the Bats lone representative at the All-Star game, he played in 89 games, batting .262 with 9 home runs. On November 19, 2004, his contract was purchased by the Reds again. Sardinha had a strong spring training in 2005, batting .353 with one home run in 10 games but did not make the opening day roster. Sardinha spent the majority of the season at Triple-A and played in 86 games, batting .224 with 10 home runs. From June 12 to June 14, Sardinha was called up to the Reds when Jason LaRue was on the bereavement list. On June 14, he made his first career start against the Boston Red Sox, going 0–3 with one strikeout. On August 8, Sardinha suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee, ending his 2005 season. On April 1, 2006, Sardinha was designated for assignment and was later outrighted to Triple-A on April 5. Sardinha spent another season for the Bats, batting .175 with two home runs in 71 games.