The Cincinnati Reds are in quite a weird spot this season. They have the pitching staff and bullpen to compete for a spot in the postseason. A chunk of the team's lineup looks ready to contend, too, even though Elly De La Cruz and Matt McLain haven't played their best baseball yet. But the Reds remain on the outside looking in at the postseason in the loaded National League. Some have suggested the Reds could look to buy big or sell big at the trade deadline, but the reality likely lies somewhere in the middle with someone like starting pitcher Nick Martinez.
The Reds could look to trade some of their expiring contracts, like Martinez, while trying to add controllable players to help them for the future.
While the idea of trading Martinez, who's been a key piece of the starting rotation, might not sit right with Reds fans, it could end up being the right move to make.
For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, subscribe to The Moonshot, our weekly MLB newsletter, and join the discord to get the inside scoop between now and the MLB offseason.
A Nick Martinez trade could actually make sense for the Reds
The Reds have a bit of pitching depth, but it's not as deep as many seem to think it is. Carson Spiers was recently transferred to the 60-day injured list while Rhett Lowder suffered a strained oblique while rehabbing an elbow injury. Chase Petty hasn't shown the ability to consistently compete at the big league level. Chase Burns has been utterly dominant in the minor leagues, but he's still at least a few weeks away from the big leagues.
But it would be smart for the Reds to get the most value out of Martinez as they can. His contract runs out at the end of the season and Cincinnati isn't typically the kind of team that spends a lot of money in free agency.
To make the idea sound even better, the Reds have the pitching to replace Martinez next season. At that point, Spiers, Brandon Williamson, Julian Aguiar, and Lowder will certainly be back on the mound for the Reds. Petty, Burns, and potentially Jose Acuna will all be ready to make an impact at the big-league level.
The Reds front office is the only group of people who know whether they'll be aggressive at re-signing Martinez in the offseason. If they're not going to try to re-sign him, trading him at the deadline for prospects or a controllable first baseman would make a lot of sense for the Reds, whether fans want to admit it or not.