Cincinnati Reds Could Make Key Trade to Clear Payroll in Quest to Bolster Roster

According to Nick Krall's comments on the Reds' 2026 budget, Cincinnati doesn't have much money left to spend this offseason after signing Emilio Pagan and Caleb Ferguson.

If the Reds are going to make any other more signings this offseason, they'll likely need to free up some payroll via a trade.

The Philadelphia Phillies are working to re-sign their starting catcher, J.T. Realmuto, but with a deal not coming to fruition yet, they've started to explore the catching market.

According to MLBTradeRumors.com writer Anthony Franco, the Philadelphia Phillies may consider the trade market for a catcher, with Jose Trevino among the names to watch.

"The Phils’ trade conversations may be due diligence for now," Franco wrote. "They still seem likelier than not to figure something out with Realmuto. If that doesn’t come together, speculative trade options include Pedro Pagés, J.C. Escarra, Connor Wong and Jose Trevino."

Cincinnati agreed to a three-year, $15 million extension with Trevino in March of 2025.

While Trevino is a great clubhouse presence for the Reds, he is someone the Reds should consider trading if they truly do need to shed payroll to sign an impact bat.

The veteran catcher slashed .238/.272/.351 with 24 extra base hits, production that aligns with a player who has never been known for his bat. The more concerning development, however, is the regression in his defensive profile. While his framing still ranked in the 69th percentile in 2025, several other key metrics trended sharply downward. His blocks above average ranked in just the 22nd percentile, his caught stealing above average fell to the 29th percentile, and his pop time ranked in the 10th percentile, raising questions about his overall defensive impact behind the plate.

While you'd hate to lose a clubhouse favorite like Trevino, if a team like the Phillies would be willing to take on his salary, it's a deal that would make sense for the Reds.

The Reds claimed catcher Ben Rortvedt off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers in November and he could instantly fill in as Cincinnati's backup catcher to Tyler Stephenson.

You can see the full article on MLBTradeRumors here.

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