Reds should part with these 4 players by the trade deadline after falling below .500

The Cincinnati Reds are in a weird spot. A month ago, their season was full of optimism while their ace was on the injured list. Now with Hunter Greene, their star pitcher, inching closer to his 2026 debut, the Reds are spiraling. This is the result of inconsistent pitching, untimely injuries and simply a rough patch. Cincinnati is a couple of games below .500 so it’s not necessarily time to pull the rug from under this team. 

It doesn’t hurt to start thinking about ways to fix this team though as the trade deadline is roughly a month away. 

Cincinnati probably won’t gut this team completely; they also won’t be buyers if they don’t get back above .500. The Reds have struggled against NL Central division teams which will ultimately determine their playoff fate. With every team above .500, it could be the difference in getting a wild card spot and getting left out of the MLB playoffs. That’s why these four players may not survive the trade deadline as Cincinnati searches for answers. 

Ke’Bryan Hayes, third baseman

This move is about trimming the fat. Simply put, Ke’Bryan Hayes has been extremely underwhelming this year. While Cincinnati might be inclined to let Eugenio Suarez go at the deadline because they could get a better return, moving Hayes essentially moves Suarez back into the field and gives them a better shot at contending. At this point, the Reds are probably going to do a soft sale at the deadline. They won’t get rid of every key contributor in this lineup, but they will find ways to stay competitive. 

Hayes is currently on the injured list and hasn’t played since May 19. He hasn’t recorded a hit since May 14 and his batting average has plummeted to an astonishing .142 with a .420 OPS. Yes, it makes it hard to think there’s any sort of market for him, but he’s not helping this team so if he gets healthy before the trade deadline, he could be one of the odd players out. 

Brock Burke, LHP

This was one player on ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan’s list that could be traded. I agree that Cincinnati could look to move Burke as he’s been one of the better performing players in the bullpen. He could yield a good enough return to make it worth it. While some other struggling arms could be on the block, Burke makes sense for a couple of reasons. He’s been one of the bright spots in the bullpen, which could yield a good return at the deadline. 

On top of that, Greene is on track to be back sooner than later so adding him into the rotation gives Chase Burns some help at the top of the rotation and effectively moves one of their other arms into the bullpen. The Reds wouldn’t really need Burke if Greene comes back and helps this lineup. Of course, it can’t hurt having a lot of bullpen depth, but the Reds will have to part ways with at least one solid player if they want to get anything worth giving up a player for at the deadline.

Nathaniel Lowe, 1B/designated hitter

If the Cincinnati Reds go full on sell mode, then Nathaniel Lowe, Suarez and possibly even another offensive player could be on the move. I think Lowe only becomes available if the Reds can’t trade Hayes and they opt to keep Suarez. Lowe is having a decent season, slashing .250/.307/.537 with an .834 OPS. He also has nine home runs with 25 RBIs. He’s been good for Cincinnati and could help them either add to their bullpen or land someone like Taylor Ward, who Passan thinks the Reds might be interested in going after. 

The Reds have used Lowe as both a DH and first baseman. He actually has hit really well when he’s played in the field for Cincinnati, slashing .308/.386/.667 with a 1.053 OPS as a first baseman. Though Sal Stewart has played the majority of his at bats at first, it could be something to watch if Cincinnati decides to keep him. I doubt they keep both Suarez and Lowe if the intent is to use both as DH’s.

Caleb Ferguson, LHP

With a 0.00 ERA and 0.55 WHIP, Caleb Ferguson might give the Reds leverage in terms of a trade. Ferguson has been a solid arm in the bullpen striking out eight in seven innings of action in 2026. Most of his career, he’s been reliable out of the bullpen. This is a player that if he wasn’t a pending free agent, could be perfect for Cincinnati if they were to turn into playoff contenders with a late season push. 

Unfortunately, he’s a free agent after the season and the Reds have a lot of ground to make up. If they don’t make it up by the trade deadline, Ferguson might be atop their trade block as he could get a solid return for a team that’s actually contending and not pretending. 

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