MLB rumors: 5 players the Cincinnati Reds should trade away

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JUNE 09: Yasiel Puig #66 of the Cincinnati Reds in action against the Philadelphia Phillies during a baseball game at Citizens Bank Park on June 9, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Reds defeated the Phillies 4-3. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /

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3. SP Tanner Roark

After posting ERAs below 3.00 in 2014 (2.85 ERA over 198.2 innings) and 2016 (2.83 ERA over 210 innings), Tanner Roark’s ERA was over 4.00 in both 2017 and 2018. Not surprisingly, his ground ball-heavy tendencies diminished (40.7 percent in 2018) and he allowed more fly balls and home runs.

Roark has been solid so far this season, with a 3.74 ERA over 13 starts (67.1 innings) with a career-best K/9 rate (9.2) to offset a continued (and sharp) decline in ground ball rate (33.5 percent). Hitter-friendly Great American Ballpark has not hurt him as dramatically as it might be assumed (3.86 ERA over seven starts, 3.60 ERA over six road starts).

Roark is on a one-year, $10 million deal, so he’s an ideal trade asset for the Reds and a low-end rental for any pitching-hungry contender. After a very good May (2.28 ERA, 32 strikeouts and nine walks over five starts-27.1 innings), he has a 6.55 ERA over two June starts with his next scheduled start coming Saturday night at home against the Texas Rangers.

So the time for Cincinnati to peddle Roark to a team not involved in the top end of the starting pitching market might be now, on the off-chance things start to go off the rails over a broader sample.

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