3 Cincinnati Reds Who Could Be Traded if Franchise Becomes Sellers at Deadline

The season is fading fast. Could the Cincinnati Reds be looking to move pieces to start another rebuild?

Jun 1, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds designated hitter Eugenio Suarez (28) hits a single in the eighth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Wednesday night felt like the lowest point in the season for the Cincinnati Reds. A team that came off a dreadful month of May dropped their first series in June to a Kansas City Royals club that has been one of the worst teams in MLB.

Add on the laundry list of injuries the Reds have had to deal with this season, and it's hard to get excited about the future. So, what's next?

On Thursday, ESPN's Jeff Passan shared his initial thoughts on what teams around the league may be thinking ahead of the MLB trade deadline. That got us thinking, would the Reds be willing to sell in order to start over, yet again?

If that's the case, here are three players who could be on the chopping block if the front office is ready for a fire sale.

Nathaniel Lowe

May 23, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds first baseman Nathaniel Lowe (31) hits a two-run home run against the St. Louis Cardinals in the fifth inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

One of the best offseason moves the Reds made this offseason was bringing in left-handed slugger Nathaniel Lowe. Lowe has been the valued addition the front office was hoping for, as he has hit nine home runs for the Reds this season with a .250 batting average.

Unfortunately, if the franchise decides to burn it all down, a hot bat like Lowe may be a target for many teams that have postseason aspirations. It's tough to think about, but it makes sense for Lowe to be the first to go.

Eugenio Suarez

May 31, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds designated hitter Eugenio Suarez (28) celebrates hitting a solo home run against the Atlanta Braves at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

One move that may turn the fan base off completely this season would be if the Reds move Eugenio Suarez.

Suarez returned to Cincinnati this offseason on a one-year, $15 million deal. Injuries have derailed Suarez from coming out of the gates hot, but just like Lowe, his services could be used for a team fighting for a postseason spot. That is, if he can stay healthy.

Tyler Stephenson

May 30, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson (37) reacts after a strike is called in the seventh inning against the Atlanta Braves at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson is in a contract year. However, his play has not shown that this season. Stephenson has a batting average of .187, and being on a team that needs more offensive firepower, that isn't going to cut it.

The real question regarding Stephenson might be if he has any trade value at this point in the season. Teams won't be looking at him as an offensive threat. There's still a little way to go before the August 3rd trade deadline, but if the Reds see no future with Stephenson, finding value in a trade could be the best avenue.