As they seek to bolster their questionable rotation, the Reds are “all over” free agent southpaw Dallas Keuchel, according to a report from Jon Heyman of Fancred. Cincinnati has also reached out to fellow open-market lefty J.A. Happ, per the report.
It’ll certainly be interesting to see if the Reds land one of these targets, but it’s notable enough just to hear of the interest. Keuchel, of course, is one of the top free agents on the market. MLBTR rated him fourth on its top fifty list, predicting a four-year, $82MM pact.
Though he’s plenty accomplished, Keuchel is also nearing his 31st birthday and was not at peak form in 2018. He still got solid results, and generated plenty of weak contact, but also saw big year-over-year drops in his swinging strike rate (10.9% to 8.3%) and groundball rate (66.8% to 53.7%).
At his best, Keuchel gets a few more strikeouts and quite a few more worm-burners. He also has at times been quite tough to take out of the yard; as Heyman notes, that’s an important consideration for a team playing in a bandbox.
The Reds no doubt like the fact that Keuchel and Happ have generally been durable and given a good number of innings over the past several seasons. Keuchel did have some shoulder and neck issues, but worked through them and topped 200 frames for the third time in 2018. Happ is already 36 years of age, but has averaged 155 frames annually dating back to 2011. Both come with risks, of course, but neither seems to have particular health concerns.
Whether either of these or other top free agent hurlers will requite the Reds’ interest remains to be seen. Certainly, the team’s willingness to match or beat the rest of the market will be a deciding factor. It seems, though, that we can generally expect the Reds at least to explore many of the best-available pitchers over the remainder of the winter.
You mean the Reds are actually trying to compete again?
Small market and small park
I’m really surprised sluggers aren’t lining up to play then even if it was a pay cut to pad their stats
I’ve thought for a while hitters looking for pillow contracts ought to look at places like Cincinnati and Colorado. I’d also imagine the Reds must know that they’re going to have to pay market or maybe above to lure pitching; tough park AND it’s been a while since they were relevant.
Valid point but if these team had half the level of pitching the rest of the NL Central did, this would be a different story. Cincy has a nice lineup, just not starting pitchers.
Well the Reds are a terrible, poorly run orginazation with a basement dwelling mindset so it’s not surprising at all that top tier sluggers don’t want to go there, actually.
How do you really feel
And you are terrible, poorly educated commentator with a negative mindset so its not surprising to see this hack comment.
it does not play as small as you think. Washington and NY are about the same. small outfield takes away what a short porch gives up.
I’ll believe that when they actually sign someone decent
Don’t know why Keuchel would even want to pitch here maybe he’s had enough finishing in first place and decided he wants to finish in last
If you want the reds to compete again you better be hoping they draft and develop better not sign free agents.
Where have you been? They’ve been unable to develop pitching since the Big Red Machine days so they’re forced to acquire outside pitching
Keuchel and Happ still wouldn’t make them a playoff team.
I disagree, They do need two starters with proven records. The Reds offense, defense, and relief are very good and starting pitching is their downfall.
I hope they get him.
I’m torn on wanting him back in Houston. If it’s anywhere near $20/m per year, no thanks. At $12-14m per year sure. Also wouldn’t give him more than 3 years. He’s a soft tosser who gets shelled if he doesn’t have his “feel” on the mound. If he can’t change speeds and paint corners, he just throws batting practice.
I had predicted Cincinnati for him. It seemed with the Reds stated goal of improving their pitching, combined with Keuchel generating weak contact and lots of groundball outs that he’d be the type of pitcher the Reds would look to sign. Hopefully they get it done.
…thats 10 seconds I’ll never get back. Thanks.
You are a slow reader.
By now there would be 200 comments if this article was about the Yankees acquiring him.
Tough to explain the logic as the column is about a pitcher, but at least 2/3’rs of the comments would be about Andujar’s defense.
It’s the enormous budget… causes entitlement and a shrinking of the brain.
I like the Reds a lot for 2019. The NL Central teams get great pub as so many carry highly-paid veterans. But all those teams have major holes.
While I’m not saying the Reds will win the division, I do believe they will compete and be one of the surprise teams in 2019.
That same thing could be said about other teams acquiring him as well. Why are you so salty about the Yankees?
“Salty”?
Have been called a lot of things in my life, but “Salty”. ?
My girlfriends going to get a kick out of this!
Samuel:
Tell us more about your relationship with your girlfriend, and why no one has ever called you Salty. This is so interesting to the rest of us baseball fans. Please, go on, Salty.
Well then, Sammy my boy, you need to find a girlfriend that doesn’t spit buddy…
Nah scrapthenickname…….
Why not share with us the last book you read.
And the date.
If you’re not sure of the year, just write the decade.
I’m not sure why you’re implying I don’t read books. Simply comes out of left field, makes no sense. You invited a personal criticism by offering too much personal information. Please don’t continue to whine about it.
I’d rather have sex than read a book.
ey multitasks
Every single baseball fan has the right to be salty at the yankees always. Its what being the empire is all about.
Yankees in your head rent free
Enough salt there for a round of margaritas.
“By now there would be 200 comments if this article was about the Yankees acquiring him.”
“Tough to explain the logic as column is about a pitcher, but 2/3’s comments would be about Andujar’s defense.”
This is worst case of small market inferiority complex have read on this website and in my life.
In order for the Reds to get Keuchel and Happ, they’re going to have to give them at least a year or two more than anybody else, and they’re going to need those extra years because Cincy is at least 3 or 4 years away from contending.
At least 9 or 10 years away from contending. FTFY
???? They are? Hmm they shouldn’t even try them since @redrooster said they are 3 – 4 years away.
They’re three or four starting pitchers away maybe. They have a pretty good offense. They should trade Hamilton unless they see something they think will improve his offense considerably. They missed a chance to cash in on a couple outfielder’s a season ago. If I’m them I’d take a chance on signing another couple starters and a middle infielder. If they flounder as a team they just trade anyone making money who has been good. Votto has stayed productive and probably only has a couple seasons of top performance left.
Where have you been? The Reds haven’t been trying for awhile now. When ownership is handed over $130,000,000 the last couple years why should they try? They are making millions!!!!
Astros need Keuchel more than Reds, losin 4/5 SP next 2 yrs
Keuchel had a down year by his standards, 153K in 204.2 IP doesnt transpire much confidence.
But 3.74 ERA and a 3.69 FIP in 34 starts seems promising.
Entering his age-31 season, crazy if the Astros get outbid, by the Reds, of all people
Seems to me the stros have depth for trades and better options on the market.
Keep cole and verlander around and see what james does in a full season.fill the other spots with pitchers you don’t have to sign through age 35.
It seems that the Astros do not want to overpay for Keuchel. They have plenty of pitching prospects.
True, but as an Astros fan I prefer the comp pick and given the youngsters a shot. Whitley is max a year away, James and Valdez (a lefty) need some coaching from JV and Strom.
Give**
Can’t get outbid if you don’t bid.
If the Reds get 2 Solid pitchers with their current offense i can see a suprise WC. Nick Senzel can get them an Ace idk if they would think about dealing him.
The Reds offense was number 18 in MLB this year (that is the bottom half). What about them do you think is playoff worthy?
Not just regular interest, but SERIOUS interest.
Honestly, Heyman and his ilk are just running stories out there just for traffic/clicks. You could literally substitute any players name and any team name in these “articles” and they would float around. They dont need to be true. They dont need to be timely.
There are what…about 100 or so FAs on the market right now and only 30 possible teams they could end up with. Of course Team A is talking to Player B. Somewhere along the line Heyman/Rosenthal/Olney accumulated enough cell numbers of scouts, executives and agents so that makes them experts of THE OBVIOUS.
MLB front offices are full of smart, motivated and thorough people. If you work in a position that determines your teams roster, you are talking to every team about any scenario. Thanks to MLBTR for consolidating all this news into one convenient blog, but because Heyman says there is SERIOUS INTEREST going on doesn’t mean anything is imminent. It’s like watching someone feed birds in the park…throw some seed that way and watch them all flock to it.
Most of the stories the past few weeks are planted nonsense.
It’s like reading that Martians have landed in Vermont, New Jersey, Idaho, and southern Illinois, with the objective of overtaking the US media by opening a nationwide string of fast food Yogurt stores.
Heyman, Rosenthal, and others should be dressed in a short skirt, wig and lipstick, shouting out – “Hi Sailor!” – at any camera with a red light on.
Have fun with it.
That third paragraph is extremely disturbing bruh.
KOOCH!!!!
Good luck. Cincy is a bandbox.
Harvey did okay there.
and Cueto and Arroyo and Latos and Bailey before injuries and Leake and Chapman and Iglesias. It’s almost like the talented pitchers pitch well and the crappy ones do not. Weird, huh?
As is Yankee Stadium and Citizen’s Bank and Nationals Park and Globe Life and several others. Money matters, might have to go above because of the team, not the stadium
So is minute maid park.
Why?
Does anyone know for sure whether Castillo would count against Boston “for salary cap” if he’s traded? I thought he would but recently saw someone saying he’d have to be on the 40 man roster. The players union should file a grievance. He’d be on the 40 man roster for sure and probably would be on the 25 roster and playing if not for the luxury tax cap. They should be forced to release him or play him. I’m normally all for teams doing what they can. He’s well compensated and could have opted out I believe but it’s ridiculous that MLB Ayers union would allow this, not to mention MLB allowing him to be sent to AAA while the Marlins and all these teams lose a 100 or close to it.
How is this relevant to Dallas Kuechel or the Reds?
I had a feeling that the Reds would be active in free agency for a pitcher. So I picked Evoldi to the Reds in the contest.
Don’t sign him to a 4+ year deal. It will handcuff the Reds. Trade for a controllable starter, (Thor, Kluber) and sign a less expensive FA like Gio Gonzalez.
I bet Kuechel has no interest in the reds though lol
Reds also had serious interest in trading for Harvey so they could flip him at the deadline… and then they didnt flip him at the deadline.
They didn’t flip him at the deadline cause they are a bunch of morons!!! Another example of them not knowing what they are doing. It’s not like he wouldn’t consider them this offseason, the Reds are one of a very few who are interested in him.
They did not flip him because he had two bad starts at the end of July and lost value.
Harvey will resign with reds as third starter.
God, I hope not.
Hell he’s likely the 3rd starter if he were the only guy the acquire. Castillo better period and Disco was better when healthy than Harvey has been last 2 years.
If the front office is really willing to spend more, it is reasonable that the reds can get some decent pitchers. The relief staff is decent, they have a fantastic infield and have an okay outfield. With what they have now they need two good starters. Castillo, desclafani and Harvey as 3,4 and 5.
I really get tired of hearing how good the Reds offense is. Out of 30 MLB teams the Reds ranked number 18. That is in the bottom half. The opposition hit more homeruns in GABP than the Reds did. The Reds were below average for the league in homers while playing in the second best homerun park in baseball
As much as I’d like for the Reds to be good, they aren’t. They have the worse ownership in MLB, so nothing changes till they leave and like Mike Brown down the street they aren’t going anywhere. Cincinnati is stuck!!!!
this would be a good deal if the Reds could some how give him little money the first year and back load his contract once “Homer” is gone off the books
Why? Dallas should want to go to a contending team. And the Reds shouldn’t ask a pitcher to waste the final years of his prime in Cincinnati.