A Reds-Marlins trade to provide Cincinnati the electric outfielder they need

The Cincinnati Reds pitching rotation and bullpen can pitch with the best teams in the league. They rank 11th in the league in team ERA, ranked behind 10 playoff-caliber teams. But what they can't do is consistently hit.

Part of this has to do with injuries and whatnot, but the rest of the league doesn't care how hurt Cincinnati has been. It's their job to acquire players to compete down the stretch.

Nowhere in the Cincinnati lineup has been less competitive than the outfield. ESPN Senior Writer David Schoenfield pointed out the same thing and recommended that Cincinnati trade for Marlins' outfielder Jazz Chisholm Jr.

"The Reds' offense, meanwhile, has disappointed, and their outfielders rank near the bottom in the majors in OPS, home runs and batting average. TJ Friedl can't stay healthy, Will Benson is hitting under .200 and Jake Fraley's OPS is down more than 100 points as he has hit just one home run."

A Reds-Marlins trade to move the needle for Cincinnati's offense

Is Cincinnati going to make the playoffs and be competitive in October this year? That remains in question, but that's the beauty of this deal. This deal, given Chisholm's youth and additional two years of team control, would be more than just a rental for the Reds. It would bring Chisholm to Cincinnati for at least two years, giving the front office and team a two-year window to win before they lose their investment.

A trade for Chisholm would be quite an expensive deal for Cincinnati, especially considering the Reds' reluctance to buy expensive players like this at the deadline. But, the good news for Cincinnati is that they can get this deal done without losing Rhett Lowder, Sal Stewart or Cam Collier, three of their most coveted pieces.

The idea of having a player to be named later opens the door for the Marlins to receive a bit more compensation in the deal because even this massive deal might not be enough.

Petty, Cincinnati's fifth-ranked prospect, is a 21-year-old former first-round pick that has shown a tremendous amount of promise in his young career. His fastball consistently sits in the mid-nineties while he pairs it with an excellent slider and an above-average changeup. Command has never been an issue either.

Jorge, Cincinnati's seventh-ranked prospect, has shown a tremendous ability to hit in his professional career. Through four professional seasons, he's slashing .269/.359/.465 despite having a lackluster start to the 2024 season.

Dunn, Cincinnati's 10th-ranked prospect, has been up to the big leagues a few times this year, though he has struggled in those stints. He's an overall good athlete that possesses toughness that can't be coached. His potential is an everyday outfielder with pop.

For the Reds though, this deal is worth losing three of their top ten prospects. They would be acquiring quite the electric player to pair alongside Elly De La Cruz for the next few seasons. This would move the needle for their offense and provide them with an everyday outfielder that can put fans in seats almost as well as the aforementioned De La Cruz.