2:55pm: The Reds are “shopping Frazier heavily,” C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer tweets.
2:49pm: A deal between the sides appears unlikely, MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon tweets.
2:22pm: The Indians are discussing third baseman Todd Frazier with the Reds, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports on Twitter. The rebuilding Reds have traded away a number of veteran assets over the past calendar year, including Mat Latos, Alfredo Simon, Mike Leake and Johnny Cueto, in exchange for prospects. Frazier, conceivably, could be the next established name to be moved, though it’s not certain at this point how serious the talks between the two sides are.
Also uncertain is precisely what the Reds would seek in return. Previous reports have indicated that Cincinnati seeks big-league-ready help in trades for its established stars, and the Indians have that in spades when it comes to young rotation pieces. Cleveland is looking for big league assets in trade talks on its starters, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports notes on Twitter, so a framework involving Frazier for a young arm like Carlos Carrasco, Danny Salazar or Trevor Bauer could make some sense, though the Indians would be trading from a strength to address a weakness, thus lessening the aggregate increase in 2016 value. The Indians do have a number of highly touted outfield prospects — namely Bradley Zimmer and Clint Frazier — but the team’s big league outfield depth is thin at the moment, and dealing from that supply of talent could prove problematic down the road.
Frazier, 30 in February, broke out with an All-Star season and exploded into near-superstar status with an incredible first half in the 2015 season. However, after hitting .284/.337/.585 with 25 homers prior to the All-Star break, Frazier limped to a .220/.274/.390 finish, homering 10 times while striking out at a significantly higher clip in the second half (17.4 percent in the first half versus 23.6 percent in the second half).
His late swoon notwithstanding, Frazier would be a sizable upgrade over any internal candidates the Indians presently have at third base. He’s an above-average defender at the hot corner with legitimate power that has graded out, on average, to be about four wins above replacement in each of the past three seasons. Frazier is also reasonably affordable, as he’ll earn $7.5MM in 2016 (as part of a two-year, $12MM deal) before going through the arbitration process one more time next offseason. He can become a free agent following the 2017 campaign.
That second half doe
Braves need to make Frazier happen! Good club guy and would be a great vet for the young guys to be around
Then trade him during the trading deadline!
Word is that Cincy is looking for young, cheap, controllable pitchers. Who isn’t? Wel if you use the Shelby Miller Template, The Braves can send pitchers Julio Teheran (Better than Shelby Miller with a 5yr-$40Mil) and Christian Bethancourt C, pre-arb rrookie, far more than Gabe Speir) to the Chicago Cubs for a package of Tucker Barnhart (not quite Inciarte by any measure) and prospects Jesse Winkler MLB #27 (not quite Swanson, MLB #10) and Tyler Stephenson, MLB #93 (far less than Aaron Blair MLB #61).
I think they’re just looking for cost-controlled young talent, period. Reports in chicago just said they asked the White Sox for Tim Anderson …
Those guys are all on the Reds, though, not the Cubs.
There’s almost zero chance that the Reds would part with their prospects. They have publicly stated they are rebuilding for 2017 but more realistically 2018 so if anything they are looking to add prospects.
Justinept is right about their ask to the White Sox for their #1 prospect SS Tim Anderson. If they are talking to the Indians seriously I would think they would want a package for Frazier to include Bradley Zimmer and Clint Frazier both highly ranked OF prospects in the Cleveland farm system.
If those are the reports, they’re WRONG. Reds are not looking for pitching, they already have a wealth of young, controllable pitching. What they’re looking for is position prospects. Seven of their top ten prospects are pitchers, with most of the top thirty being pitchers as well.
Top three in the rotation are set for the foreseeable future. DeSclafini is looking like a mid-rotation pitcher, Bailey is signed long term. Iglesias has TOR stuff (hasn’t put it all together yet).
Then you add in Stephenson (TOR stuff), Garrett (coming fast), Mella, Reed, and Finnegan, the Reds have so many rotation arms that are near or already ready for the bigs.
Somehow I forgot to mention Lamb and Lorenzen who have shown flashes of mid to back-end rotation potential already in the majors.
If they like Tim Anderson, my guess is that they’d LOVE Gleybar Torres…. not that the Cubs could use Frazier – but if it were a 3-way trade involving the Cubs wherein they brought back Carrasco or Salazar, the Reds received Torres and the Indians received Frazier — it might work. Of course, we’re now living in a post-Miller trading landscape so I need to take about 6 months to re-calibrate my trade radar… I’d like to thank Tony LaRussa and his drinking habits for this one (on the plus side, at least he wasn’t driving…)
Well said. The Reds are in a weird position where their struggles to find pitchers ready in late 2015 is wrongly confused with lacking pitchers for 2016 and 2017.
If the Reds could swing a deal involving Carrasco or Salazar it should be a three team deal, moving that guy to another team.
Angels how about a trade for him or we going to resign Freese??
Seems so obvious, santiago & shoemaker for Frazier, or one of them plus bedrosian, or wilson plus some cash going back
How is that obvious?
The Reds are targeting position players, not pitchers. The Reds farm system is already loaded with MLB ready or almost ready arms, so what interest would the Reds have in trading an All-Star caliber 3B for two more?
Bauer + Naquin / Ramsey + Another pitching prospect? Maybe another piece?
Is Cleveland really looking at him for a 3B though. That’s the question. They could have him man 1B. He would be an upgrade over Santana. This would move Santana to a full time DH. Thus, leaving Urshela at third. Assuming Urshela bounces back from his injuries this would be an offensive upgrade for the Indians.
This would leave Josh Tomlin or another pitcher to slot into the rotation in Bauers spot.
Idk, i have an interest in both of these teams. I’d like to see Frazier on the Indians next year, but not if we’re giving up our Frazier or Zimmer in return.
As slasher said above I doubt they would want Bauer or any other pitching prospect in return since their system is stocked with young top of the rotation arms. The return to the Reds would have to be Frazier or Zimmerman in a package.. Gotta give something to get something.
The only way I would give up one of them is if the Indians could resign him after 2017. Otherwise I’d gamble on Urshela pitching up.
Makes sense from the Indians perspective if they want to stand pat and see what Urshela can do but I think if they are serious about contending while holding on to their strength (young starting pitching) instead of dealing from it,, they are going to have to give up prospects they might not want to in order to land an impact bat. The Indians have been in need of a bat for years and with Brantley out they need to make a splash (unlikely to be a free agent after the Swisher Bourn busts).
Agreed, because they’re not going to be able to compete without that addition.
It would be a waste of Frazier to play him at 1B. He’s a very good 3B and he’s pretty mediocre at first. I don’t see the Reds having any interest in Bauer, the Reds have a ton of arms in the upper minors.
Hm, that is true. I mean the question is would his medicore first be better than Santana?
I haven’t compared their metrics at the position. His bat certainly would be an upgrade for the Tribe, but 1B/3B/DH are all places he could get ABs. Would they demote / give up on Urshela that quickly?
Remember that the Reds have no incentive to deal Frazier for anything less than a huge return. He’s under team control for a few years, he’s a fan favorite, and he has no real in-house replacement. The Reds will only deal him if they’re blown away, so a package of scrubs won’t cut it.
If it isn’t a steal for the Reds they won’t accept a deal.
He’s under control for 2 more years and will turn 30 before the season. The impetus is absolutely on them to trade him. ASAP.
I disagree, to an extent. Frazier is not expensive, is an all-star power bat, above-average fielder and at 30 isn’t old for 3B. If the Reds don’t receive an offer they like — and it should be a haul — they can revisit a trade at the deadline. Not saying you are doing this by any means, but so many expect clubs such as the Reds to give away stars for spare parts and low-level prospects.
Braves: Frazier and Phillips (and his entire contract)
Reds: Tyrell Jenkins, Michael Bourn (his remaining contract)
Calm down!
I don’t see that happening although it would mean a steal for the braves. Perhaps some package (or something similar) of Jace Peterson, Williams Perez, Lucas Simms, Max Fried and Adonis Garcia for both Frazier and Phillips MIGHT get it done. That would give the Reds cheap players who might be successful at 2nd and 3rd, plus a few young pitchers with upside. It would also give some salary flexibility to the Reds.
With that said I don’t really see it getting done because I don’t think the braves are ready to spend more money yet or cash in some of their young pitchers. The Reds probably would hold out for more too.
Reds trade: All-Star 3B who is only owed $7.5 mil this year and under team control through 2017 and a perennial gold glove candidate who hit .294
Braves trade: a pitching prospect outside the top 100 who’s pitched 413 innings over 6 seasons due to injury and a CF who hit .238 and is owed $14 mil
That makes sense.
I wish the Yankees had better pitching prospects so they could bring the Jersey boy back home. Cleveland makes a lot of sense.
Reds don’t need pitching
Reds don’t need pitching. They’d have interest in Judge, however.
Pirates maybe since they traded walker and the reds are a bad team so won’t affect the division rival trade thing?
home run derby jinx strikes again
Indeed. Home Run Derby has messed up the swings of so many players, including Frazier and Joc Pederson.
I don’t see Cleveland trading for him since they will not move one of their main four pitchers nor there top two prospects for him. So those are who the Reds want back in a deal and they aren’t parting with any of those 6 for a Frazier. Also I feel Urshela will be an everyday 3B since he is a plus defender. Frazier is gonna be playing like RF in the future not 3B unless Urshela falls off the face of the earth
Castellanos and Moya.
Trading Frazier will not be a popular move with cincys fanbase.
Not sure why Chris Sabo isn’t starting anyway.
Love it
Frazier, Kaminsky, and Urshela for Frazier and Cingrani. Seems like it makes too much sense for both sides…