The Reds have won three straight games to improve to a 14-17 record, putting them one game out of second place (and an automatic playoff berth) in the NL Central and one game out of the NL wild card race. With the postseason still within reach, Cincinnati isn’t planning to sell any meaningful pieces by Monday’s trade deadline, and if anything will be deadline buyers, according to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman.
SKOR North’s Darren Wolfson (audio link) has the same information, with the intriguing tidbit that “a Twins official” was recently told by the Reds that Trevor Bauer wasn’t going to be dealt. This would seem to imply that Minnesota had some interest in Bauer, and could now turn their attention at another front-of-the-rotation type if Bauer isn’t on the market.
Bauer will be a free agent after the season, though moving him would subtract from a rotation that has thus far been the Reds’ biggest strength. As for the rest of the team, as Heyman puts it, the “Reds mainly need to get hitters and relievers to play to their abilities.” Eugenio Suarez, Mike Moustakas, Joey Votto, Shogo Akiyama, and Tucker Barnhart have all yet to heat up at the plate, while the struggles of the normally reliable late-game duo of Raisel Iglesias and Michael Lorenzen have been a big reason why the Reds bullpen ranks 23rd in ERA and 29th in HR/9.
Adding a new arm to the relief corps seems like a logical move, though upgrading the lineup may be slightly more difficult, as so many of their struggling stars are entrenched in their positions (though longtime franchise icon Votto has been benched for the last three games). With Nick Senzel on the injured list, left or center field could be an area of need, as Akiyama and rookie Mark Payton have been getting the bulk of playing time with Senzel out and the scorching-hot Jesse Winker alternating between left field and DH. From a more speculative point of view, Cincinnati could also look to replace Barnhart with a more productive catching option — Red Sox backstop Christian Vazquez would cost the most in prospects, though other potential trade candidates include the Angels’ Jason Castro or the Mariners’ Austin Nola.
The NL is so crazy this year, one good week and you could be in the division lead after being in 4th a week ago. Reds have the talent. Reds fans should be totally in agreement imo
as a reds fan and watching them every night this makes me want to puke. our offense has been god awful besider Winker. and our bullpen is filled with scrubs and has-beens.
Comes down to – do you believe their offense is really this bad? Do you think Votto is really just toast now or does he have more left in the tank. Suarez can’t really have gone from 135 wRC+ to 85 in one year (29 years old is not usually when such declines happe , that has to be small sample size right? Is Moustakas done at 31?
Votto seems about the only one I would bet on this being a true decline and not the result of small sample sizes/the weirdness of this season. If they get Senzel back, and Suarez/Moose get hot… they can make some noise. Their big problem is the bullpen. Because bullpens mean a lot more in a season with lots of double headers, and mean a lot more in the playoffs. They really should be trying to fish for a long term piece for the bullpen.
Smart decision. No reason to change direction in this incomplete season. Plus, they are not a bad team at all. They’ll get a draft pick if Bauer turns them down. Austin Nola would be an excellent acquisition.
They’re not a great team though.
They don’t need to be a great team to make the playoffs in 2020 or even win that weak division. You otherwise don’t change the entire direction of your franchise due to this fluke season.
We suck. reds need to move on and take the L
A future catching tandem of Tyler Stephenson and Austin Nola would be pretty awesome
I could see Stephenson being the type who catches for a couple years and then moves to 1B, he’s tall with a killer bat, keep those knees and hips healthy.
Are you sure they said they aren’t trading Bauer? In the other comments section I just read a particular Yankees fan that always makes sense say how they were getting ready to trade for him. This doesn’t make sense, the reds must be telling fibs. O, it’s just a ploy to get them to include andujar in the deal. Not gonna work reds, he is a future hall of gamer.
Can’t tell if you’re joking or not. Reds aren’t trading for andujar. There’s no reason to trade Bauer unless they are getting A HAUL and andujar isn’t that.
lol, I’m sorry. Yes I’m joking. One certain Yankees fan that thinks andujar can be the center of every trade purposely, just commented on the Clevinger thread the Yankees are gonna get Bauer. Never mind that Cole and Bauer hate each other, but the Yankees have the prospects everyone wants….including andujar.
Andujar has less left in the tank than Joey Votto.
A haul for maybe 4-5 starts?
Yes, have you seen the Yankees rotation lately? Paxton is still out could be done for,the season.
If I were Cashman I wouldn’t trade for anyone. The team has to be put on notice that they can’t keep trading for fillers if the core is always hurt or under-performing.
Unless they can get everyone back there’s really no need to trade for anyone. In fact, you could probably sell a few pieces.
You aren’t paying for the 4-5 starts. You are paying so those 4-5 starts don’t happen for your rivals.
Additionally, it’s not just 4-5 starts anyway. It’s also however many starts come in the postseason.
Yankees are not interested in Bauer, to much of a head case.
Why do you think he is “too” much of a headcase? Because he doesn’t spew generic quotes in the namby-pamby Derek Jeter tradition?
Yanks are 100% in on Bauer as would any other contender be. He’s the best pitcher potentially on market
I don’t see the Reds trading Bauer unless they get one of those “are you kidding me?” Kinda trade offers.
Bauer is QO eligible if the Reds hold on to him. No way they trade him without a haul to make up not only for his remaining 2020 starts but also for losing the compensatory draft pick.
Eugenio Suarez, Mike Moustakas, Joey Votto, Shogo Akiyama, and Tucker Barnhart have all yet to heat up at the plate,
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Not to nitpick, but Suarez has an 1.147 over his last 10 games, with 5 HRs in 37 ABs.
Too much emphasis on slow starts in this short season. If this was a normal year. Suarez and Moustakas would wind up with his usual all-star numbers. The Reds will be a playoff team regardless, and a dangerous one at that. They’re starting to play their best ball and have one of the best rotations in the game. Gonna be a tough out.
Reds have Tyler Stephenson in waiting.
No need to trade.
Tyler Stephenson is not a playoff starting catcher in 2020. So yes, there is a need to trade since the whole point is trying to win this season.
Go get Lindor. Send off Senzel, Malhe,and some other guys and get Lindor.
Put Garcia or Farmer at 2nd. Let Galvis come off the bench.
Lol. Indians are in first place in division- why would they be sellers and reds buyers ?? There’s nothing there
The reds are losing Bauer next year, they would be absolute morons to get rid of a talented Mahle.
Gotta get rid of someone. People just don’t give you talent like Lindor just because you want it.
That being said, the Reds have called up Jose Garcia and have said he will likely be the SS for the rest of the year. They love that guy.
Castellanos, Winker, Suarez, Moose as the core offensive four. Gray, Bauer, Castillo as the front three in the rotation. Garrett, Stephenson, Iglesias as the back end of the pen. OF COURSE THEY SHOULDNT SELL BECAUSE OF A SLOW START. The squad has the talent to go deep into the playoffs, but may need a few small upgrades/depth pieces.
depth or a small upgrade does nothing for them, if they’re going to buy it ought to be something that’ll move the needle. I expect them to stay pat personally.
I think MLBs done a pretty good job getting this season together but they have been blowing it w trade deadline last two years. Normal year- let it run through August. This year – let it run through 45/50 games. Why not ?? Then teams will get more desperate to trade, others will be willing to trade and more stars will end up in postseason.
Ask price has to be better than trammell if reds trade Bauer. So a top 25 prospect or a young Mlb player ready to contribute. So if yanks it’s Frazier and either Schmidt or García
Trammel was the price when he had 1.5 years of control. Not .5 and shortened .5 at that. Either way I dont see the reds selling. They have committed too much to throw in the tow.
No Trammell AND Puig was the price for 1.5 years of control. Puig had value last season. Not much now, but that has to be factored in as well.
I would say Puig was worth the .5 with Trammell buying the 1. So you are looking at a prospect 1-2 tiers down from a Trammell. Still a top 100 guy, but probably more in the 75-100 range instead of top 25. And you’d probably get a couple of throw ins as well. Probably similar to the Greinke deal from a few years back when he went from the Brewers to the Angels for a Segura (#60 at the time) and 2 lotto tickets.
I would like to see Bauer do a California tour with his next five contracts. One year each with the Dodgers, Padres, Athletics, and Giants, and then a multiyear deal with the Angels when he is on the decline.
Gotta make the Angels the last one. They’d break him if not.
The Angels contract would be for eight or nine years so he and Trout can retire together. The Hand-Me-Down Los Angeles Angels at Anaheim Where Broken Players Will Always Have a Home.
Reds are playing better and Suarez looks relaxed And locked in.
Would not trade for a catcher. Barnhart good defensively .
Relief staff has improved in the last ten plus games.
That was before Suarez “hit” for the Golden Sombrero in game 1 yesterday with two more SO’s in game 2. 0-7 with 6 SO’s. He went right back to looking lost.
It would help if he took the bat off his shoulder before he was down 0-2 or 0-1 every AB. Opposing pitchers know they can groove one to start each of his PAs.