The Cincinnati Reds are in quite a strange spot after the first two months of this season. They have a talented core centered around superstar shortstop Elly De La Cruz that should be good enough to win a lot of baseball games and compete for a postseason spot. But they're routinely stuck using players like Conner Joe, Santiago Espinal and Garrett Hampson in the everyday lineup. The result? A frustratingly middling 28-29 record entering play on Thursday.
This has caused some concern in Cincinnati. It's also put them in a tough spot at the trade deadline: Sometimes this team can look as competitive as anyone in the NL Central, worthy of a playoff push; other times they're as flat as it gets. With the deadline rapidly approaching, the Reds will need to make some huge decisions before any big trades are made.
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Are the Reds buyers or sellers this trade deadline?
This is a tough question to answer, and the real answer lies somewhere in the middle. What I mean by that is the Reds could buy on the margins but with an eye toward the future beyond this season, trading away some of their expiring contracts and targetign controllable replacements in return.
There have been a few teams to take this strategy over the last few years and it's seemingly worked out pretty well. This allows the organization to build up the farm system while also bolstering the big-league roster. It keeps them competitive for right now while also setting up future success.
The Reds will likely lean a bit closer to being a traditional seller, though, given their .500 play thus far and the level of competition they're facing not just in the Central but in the National League overall. It's hard to argue that this team is playing well enough consistently enough to both overtake the Chicago Cubs and hang with the likes of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets.
And if that does indeed wind up the way this front office wants to go, there are a few key players on the roster who could be moved at the deadline — and even a superstar outfielder who could be added this season.
Who could be the top trade options in Cincinnati?
Trade chip 1: RHP Nick Martinez
The first player on the list is the very obvious one if the Reds opt to sell. Starting pitcher Nick Martinez, who could double as a very effective reliever, is on an expiring contract and likely won't finish the season in Cincinnati.
Martinez has been rock-solid for Terry Francona's ball club this season, but his expiring contract is likely going to see him shipped away. Pair this with the fact that he's the only current starting pitcher not under team control for next season and the fact that the Reds have plenty of prospect depth in the Minor Leagues and you have the perfect reason to move Martinez at the deadline.
Trade chip 2: RHP Scott Barlow
There aren't a lot of players on the Reds' roster who could be moved at the deadline while keeping the Reds competitive. One of the expendable players is reliever Scott Barlow.
The righty has been decent for the Reds this year, but he's not the same high-leverage reliever he was a few seasons ago. The one issue with a potential Barlow trade is that not many teams will show interest in him. If the Reds can land one or two top-30 prospects for Barlow, it would be a huge win.
Cincinnati can replace him with a prospect like Zach Maxwell, Connor Phillips, or the recently optioned Luis Mey.
Trade chip 3: OF Austin Hays
Hays has rebounded nicely from a disappointing stretch run in 2024 with the Phillies, slashing .303/.346/.555 with six homers and two steals over his first 31 games in Cincinnati. That said, he's on a one-year deal, and he's exactly the sort of bat that could fetch a decent return at the trade deadline — especially considering his ability to hit left-handed pitching.
Hays is a sturdy veteran, but he's hardly good enough to figure into the Reds' long-term plans. If Cincinnati really is hitting the sell button by July, he'd be one of the first players to go with plenty of other young outfield options further down the depth chart.
Trade target 1: OF Luis Robert Jr.
The biggest trade target for the Reds is the same player who's been connected to them for months: Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr. The Reds were rumored to be in discussions with the White Sox for Robert a few months ago but nothing came to fruition.
Now there's a big red flag, but one that comes with a silver lining for the Reds: Robert hasn't played well this season.
That's bad for the Reds for obvious reasons. It's tough to sell a fan base on acquiring a player who's slashing .190/.276/.307 on the season. But it's the potential to be a 30/30 guy with above-average defense and years of team control left that Cincinnati would be banking on.
The good thing for the Reds is Robert's poor play has likely lowered the White Sox's asking price by quite a bit. Rather than having to part ways with multiple top prospects, the Reds could likely land him for much less. This would make the deal worth it for the Reds.