Reds Should Target 'Potential Surprise Trade Candidate' In Dream Trade Scenario

This idea would make a lot of sense for the Reds, but they would have to step way out of their comfort zone.

May 12, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton (25) looks on against the Miami Marlins in the fifth inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

The Cincinnati Reds desperately need a right-handed hitting outfielder to help crush lefties and give them everyday production from the outfield. They could dive into potential trade options as the MLB Trade Deadline gets closer.

Bleacher Report's Tim Kelly recently listed Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton as a potential surprise trade candidate this season. While it's a long shot, this would be the perfect move for the Reds to make.

"The Twins are 16-23, and don't have a path to competing in the near future. If the 32-year-old is healthy—obviously, that's a big if—and the Twins approach him in the summer about waiving his no-trade clause, you wonder if he would be willing to consider the possibility of going to a contending team," Kelly wrote. "Buxton—signed through 2028 to an incentive-heavy deal that includes base salaries of $15.14 million—is a Georgia native, and given how hot of a start the Braves are off to, there will be plenty of speculation about him getting traded to Atlanta to play left and/or center field."

Byron Buxton is the Dream Trade Target for the Reds

May 12, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton (25) celebrates scoring a run against the Miami Marlins in the fifth inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Buxton is a dream trade target for the Reds.

He would play every day in center field in Cincinnati. This season, he's slashing .260/.319/.580 with 15 home runs and seven doubles. He's one of the fastest players in the league and has been a very good defender again this season. Adding somebody like Buxton to the top of the Reds lineup alongside Elly De La Cruz, Sal Stewart, JJ Bleday, and eventually Eugenio Suárez would be a huge move.

This kind of trade would be expensive for the Reds to pull off, but if the Twins are willing to eat some of Buxton's 2026 salary, it might have the foundation of a possible deal.

It's Unrealistic for the Reds to Pull a Move Like This Off

President of Baseball Operations Nick Krall listens as new manager Terry Francona answers questions from the media during an event to introduce the new manager of the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Again, this trade idea is a dream scenario for a reason.

The Reds' front office doesn't make moves like this. They don't typically go all in with a huge trade for a superstar.

Buxton is being paid $15 million per year for the next three years, which would be the biggest issue with this idea. The Reds are already strapped with their payroll right now, so there's no chance they'd take on any significant amount of money to land Buxton.

But they could afford $15 million on their payroll in 2027 and in 2028. The prospect return would be large, but to land somebody like Buxton, that would be the cost of doing business.

Again, not the most realistic option for the Reds right now, but it would certainly be the perfect fit.