Three Reds Trade Candidates Who Could Help Make a Kyle Schwarber Deal Possible

The Cincinnati Reds find themselves in a spot where we don't expect them to add to their budget after a year where they made the playoffs as the final Wild Card team, making the postseason for the first time since 2020 and first time in a 162-game schedule since 2013. With the recent signing, bringing back closer Emilio Pagan on a two-year, $20 million contract, there isn't much left in the budget unless you make trades to clear money and potentially get a nice return as well. The Reds are rumored to be in on the Kyle Schwarber sweepstakes this offseason. With his potential salary approaching $30 million, they will need to get creative financially to make the dream a reality.

Tyler Stephenson is a player that I can see the Reds potentially trying to move this offseason. The 29-year-old is going into his final year of team control in 2026 and could make upwards of $7 million in arbitration this offseason. There has been no news of a potential long-term extension with him, and it may be worth exploring. The pros to moving on from Stephenson are that you're trading an above-average bat for the position, and a team in need of a catcher of his caliber could yield a good return. The cons are that no catcher in the system will fill his role offensively in 2026 or 2027. The Reds currently have three catchers on the 40-man roster: Jose Trevino, Ben Rortvedt, and Tyler Stephenson. Rortvedt was claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers in November.

The fact that Spencer Steer finished 2025 with a near-league-average OPS+ is a marvel in and of itself. Steer was announced to begin 2025 on the injured list with a shoulder injury, but a late injury to Austin Hays swayed the team's decision and kept him active, using him solely in a DH role. The 28-year-old's batting average did not reach .200 until May 3, and he only had two home runs through April. He finished the season slashing .238/.312/.411 with 21 home runs and 75 RBIs. Once healthy, he moved to first base and was one of the better defensive first basemen in baseball, becoming a Gold Glove finalist. Steer can make upwards of $4.5 million in arbitration for 2026 and is under team control through 2028. The pros to moving on from Steer are that you are moving a player who underperforms offensively for a first baseman, but is above average defensively. He does have power; he hit 21 home runs in a down year in 2025 and hit 23 in what has been his best season to date in 2023. This move also gives Sal Stewart primary first base duty, giving the rookie a significant boost in playing time. The cons are that you trade away a player with defensive flexibility, who can play the corner outfield, first, second, and third base, who has power, and has been noted to be a good clubhouse presence.

Nick Lodolo is coming off a career-best season in 2025. The 27-year-old pitched a career-high 156 2/3 innings, tossing a complete game for the first time, with two, one of them a shutout. He started 28 games and had a career-best 3.33 ERA, career-low 1.8 walks-per-nine, and a career-best 1.07 WHIP. His ERA+ was 137, putting him 37 percent above league average. Lodolo is entering his second year of arbitration and will see a significant raise to his $780,000 salary in 2025. Estimates have him making $4.5 million or more. The pros of moving on from Lodolo are the organization's nice pitching depth, with players like Rhett Lowder and Chase Burns. They also have Julian Aguiar and Brandon Williamson possibly returning in 2026 after missing 2025 with Tommy John surgeries. Lodolo might give you the biggest return from anyone on the team not named Hunter Greene or Elly De La Cruz. The cons for this trade are that Lodolo is arguably the team's second-best pitcher, right up there with Hunter Greene and the surging Andrew Abbott. The Reds have one of the best pitching staffs in baseball, and taking Lodolo away would be a big subtraction.

For the first time in a long time, the Reds have a chance to do something special. Signing a player of Kyle Schwarber's caliber could change the way a lot of fans feel about this current ownership group in the Queen City.

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