5 trade destinations for Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor

4. Cincinnati Reds

Last offseason, the Reds surfaced as a team with interest in Lindor. Not much has really changed since then, and Freddy Galvis will leave an opening a shortstop as he hits free agency.

The Reds made the playoffs in 2020, but it was short-lived as they were swept in two games by the Atlanta Braves in a Wild Card Series. They were also shutout in both games, which extended their offensive issues from the 60-game season (.212 team batting average; .715 team OPS).

The Indians had interest in Nick Senzel when the Reds inquired about Lindor. But the former first-round pick (No. 2 overall in 2016) had another injury-shortened season this past year, and he struggled when he was in the lineup (.186, 2 HR, 8 RBI, .604 OPS over 78 plate appearances). So it’s at best unclear if Cleveland is so high on Senzel now.

The Reds would surely like to bring back Trevor Bauer, but losing him would also free up payroll beyond 2021 (assuming Bauer takes a multi-year deal). In any case, Cincinnati can shape an appealing offer for Lindor.