Cincinnati Reds rumors: Brandon Phillips could be traded this off-season?
By Hayden Kane
The Cincinnati Reds could look to revisit trade talks for veteran second baseman Brandon Phillips this off-season as a way to create payroll flexibility.
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The reader will kindly note the use of the word “revisit” in the previous sentence. That word appears because of the nugget from Buster Olney of ESPN that the Reds actually looked to trade Phillips last season and could pursue that course of action again this winter (subscription required).
Olney suggests that potential trade as a salary dump as much as anything else. Per Spotrac, Phillips is due $12 million in 2015, $13 million in 2016, and $14 million in 2017.
That is certainly a lot of money for a guy who is batting .258/.297/.367 with seven home runs and 44 RBI this season. Whether it is the Reds or somebody else, some team is going to be paying Phillips for the player he used to be as opposed to the player he is now or will be in the coming years.
The motivation to try and trade Phillips comes in part because the Reds have most of their starting rotation up for free agency at the end of 2015: Johnny Cueto, Mat Latos, and Mike Leake.
The front office already faces the possibility of trading those pitchers as well because they will not be able to re-sign them, but trading Phillips might at least allow them to retain the services of one of them in the season beyond 2015. One thing is clear: Walt Jocketty and the Reds’ front office have lots of issues to work out before the start of next season.
Be sure to stay tuned to FanSided for all of the latest MLB news, rumors, transactions, and analysis as the 2014 season heads towards the playoffs and then the hot stove this winter.