Scooter Gennett

11:06am: MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon hears that, to the contrary, the Reds are “not actively looking to trade” Gennett. (Twitter link).

9:54am: The Reds are interested in dealing second baseman Scooter Gennett, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (subscription link). Though the hometown hero had previously seemed to profile as an extension candidate, Cincinnati president of baseball operations Dick Williams recently threw cold water on that concept.

Gennett is entering his final season of arbitration control at a projected $10.7MM price point. On the heels of consecutive standout seasons at the plate, the 28-year-old would be among the best second basemen available on the market. But he’s also limited to playing at the keystone defensively and has historically struggled against left-handed pitching, limiting his appeal.

Beyond that, as Rosenthal notes and as we have emphasized repeatedly of late here at MLBTR, it’s hardly an opportune time to be shopping a player at that position with so many others available. It’s not immediately clear what the Reds would be looking for in a trade scenario.

Presumably, the organization would be interested in improving its rotation if at all possible, though doing so directly in a Gennett trade would be challenging. After all, any hypothetical suitor would need to be in a win-now stance. That said, teams such as the Dodgers (Alex Wood), Nationals (Tanner Roark), Pirates (Ivan Nova), and Yankees (Sonny Gray) do have similarly priced rental starters who could theoretically be swapped in some kind of arrangement — though there’s no indication at present that those or any other particular clubs would be interested in trying to work something out.

Moving Gennett for some kind of prospect return would surely also be a consideration, particularly if it’d mean freeing assets (trade chips and salary) for pursuit of other players — with a center fielder and rotation upgrade likely at the top of the wish list. Rosenthal says that the organization is motivated by the desire to open the door to top infield prospect Nick Senzel, who could step right in at second, perhaps in partnership with a veteran utility infielder. Such a reallocation of resources could make sense for a team that is clearly interested in improving its near-term product without sacrificing its vision for the future.

Reds second baseman Scooter Gennett made clear today that he does not anticipate being traded, as MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon reports. Rather, the first-time All-Star says he has been given indication that the team would prefer to make him a part of the long-term picture.

Indeed, Gennett’s comments seemingly suggest that there’s even some contemplation of a long-term arrangement. Sheldon writes that “no serious talks” have taken place to this point, but that “a line of communication has been opened.” Perhaps it’s possible that mid-season talks will be pursued in some earnest, but that’s not particularly clear at this time.

What is apparent is that Gennett believes he won’t be putting on a new uniform in the next few weeks. As he puts it:

“Just from the talks that I’ve had with the guys in control of all those things, I feel like they want me here. I feel like, just from what I’ve been told, they want me here for the long term. What I’m getting is [CEO Bob Castellini] wants me here for a while.”

That dovetails with what Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports hears — namely, that some “sources familiar with Reds [sic] are dubious that the team has any intent of dealing him.” The note regarding Castellini is particularly interesting, as his preferences are of obviously critical importance and have evidently come to bear directly in the recent past. Though GM Nick Krall certainly did not give anything away in his comments to Sheldon, he did emphasize how much the team values Gennett.

Gennett, of course, has thrived since landing in Cincinnati via waiver claim before the 2017 season. There was cause to doubt the sustainability of his output last year, but he has only boosted it thus far. Through 374 plate appearances this year, Gennett carries an outstanding .326/.372/.518 batting line with 15 home runs.

That being said, there’s still reason to believe some regression could be in store, as his .371 batting average on balls in play doesn’t seem sustainable. In particular, it’s tough to imagine Gennett will keep up his current pace against left-handed pitching while carrying only a 3.7% walk rate to go with a healthy .389 BABIP.

No matter precisely how one views the 28-year-old, there’s no question that he’s a valuable asset. For the Reds, both evident possibilities — trade or hold and try to extend — are surely tantalizing. Despite an injury-riddled year, infield prospect Nick Senzel still seems to be a key long-term asset, providing added impetus to the idea of making a move. Cashing in Gennett might help other areas — notably, a pitching staff that’s still in need of long-term pieces despite some promising signs of late. At the same time, a long-term deal with the Cincinnati native would no doubt prove popular with fans. With the team expressing growing confidence in its core group of talent and preparing to increase its MLB spending, perhaps Gennett will be worth more to this organization than any other.

Reds second baseman Scooter Gennett discussed his future with the ballclub after last night’s game, as MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon reports. While a mid-season trade seems possible, Gennett says he’d “like nothing more than to play [in Cincinnati] long-term.”

Gennett’s comments are most notable, perhaps, for his discussion of one potential alternative to a trade scenario. The veteran infielder says that his agent made an offseason attempt at starting extension talks with the organization. That effort fizzled, however, when the team “shot it down.”

A native of the area and childhood Reds fan, Gennett seemingly suggests he’d still be amenable to discussing a new deal. “The ball’s in their court,” he tells Sheldon. “I think it’s really up to Mr. Castellini [owner Bob Castellini] and the front office about where we go from here. I love the team and I’d love to be here.”

It seems there isn’t any lingering negativity following the unsuccessful offseason contract negotiation efforts. Apart from the differing viewpoints on a long-term deal, the sides failed to settle on an arbitration number. Gennett ultimately prevailed in a hearing, taking down a $5.7MM salary rather than the $5.1MM that the team defended.

Gennett is eligible for arbitration one final time after the present campaign. It’s certainly possible the Reds could decide to keep him and simply tender him a contract for 2019, though it’s still hard to see the organization as a likely contender next year. Holding Gennett without extending him would mean giving up a chance at achieving future value through a trade or a new contract. It’s not a straightforward decision, particularly with Eugenio Suarez locked in at third and top prospect Nick Senzel at or near MLB readiness and in need of a position.

It seems at least plausible to think, then, that Gennett will be shopped at the deadline if the club does not view him as a long-term piece that they can extend at an appealing price tag. With a strong offensive track record dating back to the start of the 2017 season, Gennett has certainly earned consideration as a trade target for contending teams. Indeed, we fully examined his potential trade candidacy just yesterday, noting the excellent output at the plate along with some lingering concerns as to its sustainability.