The Reds Should Make These Trades Before the Deadline

Here we are at the Major League Baseball trade deadline weekend. All trades must be in by Monday, August 3rd, 2026 at 6:00 PM EST. What will the Reds do? What should the Reds do? What should the Reds not do? Those are the big 3 questions leading into a defining moment of this ballclub's core nucleus.

The major trade talk circulated around hitters Tyler Stephenson, Eugenio Suarez, and Nathaniel Lowe, plus pitchers Brady Singer, Emilio Pagan, Brock Burke, Caleb Ferguson, Pierce Johnson, Tejay Antone, and Sam Moll. All those players and Spencer Steer were in the national discussions until Steer's wrist strain put him on the shelf. A Wild Card in all this is outfielder JJ Bleday, who the Reds have control of through 2028 and has also been mentioned.

Lots to unpack here. First off, Bleday is a great pickup who I wrote about earlier in the year, and this situation reminds me of Brent Rooker hopping around and then becoming an All-Star with the Athletics. Ironically, Bleday's last stop was with the A's. Unless you're getting a top 100 prospect and a mid-level prospect, Bleday might be better off being stashed in Cincinnati's outfield until the next trade deadline.

On to Spencer Steer, the guy who has no position, but if he were used correctly at one, would likely produce even better in the batter's box. Steer is on his way to his 4th straight 20+ home run season, and again, if he were planted at 1B, 2B, or 3B as the everyday starter, would likely chip in 30 HR & 100 RBI. He finished the last 3 seasons with 86, 92, and 75 RBI under the radar. Just like Bleday, Steer is under control through 2028, so he should be just as valuable at next trade deadline as now. Not to mention the really underwhelming 2026-2027 free agent class, so these offensive players might be valuable trade chips this off-season when more teams are in for the bidding.

The Reds front office needs to be both buyers and sellers at the deadline. There is a huge opportunity to add offensive talent at this deadline. At the same time, the Reds need to clear off the free agents to be and really try to unload Emilio Pagan, who has a player option for $10 million in 2027. He gets a $500,000 bonus if traded, so it'll take a bullpen-needy team to engage with the Reds for Pagan.

Teams that match up best with the Reds

Catcher Tyler Stephenson has a good amount of value at the trade dealine. There is not much out there for catching help, and an offensive catcher is hard to find. With names like Hunter Goodman, Adley Ruschman, and Ryan Jeffers out there, there is only one of those three likely to be moved. Ruschman would take a major league starter plus prospects back so for a playoff contender, coughing up a starter isn't a desirable option. Which leaves Tyler Stephenson as the most logical for catcher needy teams.

Dodgers, Yankees, Rays, and White Sox can all use a catcher. If I am the Reds, I place a premium on trading with the Dodgers, so in this scenario I would ask for OF/1B James Tibbs III. The Reds need outfielders with power, and Tibbs brings power and could fit nicely opposite JJ Bleday in one of the outfield corners and could immediately be called up to Cincinnati. If the Yankees want to bring in the Reds catcher, the request should be right-handed starter Will Warren and minor league starter LHP Henry Lalane. Will Warren was just offered in a trade for 2 months of the Padres' All-Star left reliever Adrian Morejon. Seems to me a starting right-handed power-hitting catcher is worth just as much with a sweetener in Lalane. Warren, who the Reds like, takes the ball every 5th day and is under control through 2030. 6'7" starter Lalane has a 98 MPH fastball and a huge sweeper that could propel him to the Reds rotation in 2028. If it's the Rays making a deal, the Reds brass should ask for OF Jacob Melton, who could be called up also and play CF the rest of the season, along with OF Slater de Brun. This double outfielder combo package fills a need now and a pipeline need of center fielders.

Now the White Sox offer a unique opportunity where the Reds could package Tyler Stephenson and Brady Singer to help the White Sox in their newfound success. The Reds could add in rental starter Brady Singer to let White Sox GM Chris Getz do one-stop shopping and a 2-for-2 package, Nick Krall should net OF Jaden Fauske, left-hander Ky Bush, and left-handed starting prospect Christian Oppor. There is a strategy here to add outfielders to the pipeline where Fauske, is a gifted left-handed hitter who can play all three outfield spots, Bush can operate out of the Reds' reworked bullpen with his heavy breaking ball, and Oppor has a lot of potential as a mid-rotation starter.

The Arizona Diamondbacks have already called about 1B Nathaniel Lowe, so I am sticking with the outfielder theme and putting OF Gavin Conticello as the asking price. Conticello can play RF or 1B and has a powerful arm to play right, along with the big-time power to justify playing a corner position.

Eugenio Suárez is a fan favorite, but right-handed power is in high demand around the league. Both the Mariners and Red Sox could use an upgrade at third base and another right-handed bat. That said, it's hard to imagine Seattle making another trade to bring Suárez back. I see the Orioles OF Taylor Ward as a better fit for GM Jerry Dipito's Mariners needs. I could see the Red Sox parting a couple mid to late Top 30 organizational arms like LHP Hayden Mullins and RHP Blake Wehunt. Both pitchers started out as starters, but their future is likely out of the bullpen. Mullins and Wehunt have live arms, allow less hits than innings, and profile as middle-inning relievers. Since, in this scenario, the Reds are trading bullpen arms. This under-the-radar trade back fills some major league quality relievers in the system. Boston could then move IF Caleb Durbin to second base and deploy Suarez at third.

Playoff-bound teams will be scrambling to add bullpen depth for the stretch run, and Emilio Pagán could be one of the relievers drawing interest. If a contender is willing to take a chance on him, the good news is that he's been outstanding in July, posting a 1.93 ERA with one win and five saves over 10 appearances while striking out 15 batters in 9 1/3 innings. This version of Pagan might be able to net a high-leverage reliever prospect like former Duke standout LHP James Tallon from the Phillies. The 6'5" Tallon can git 95 with his deceptive fastball and can throw a curve and change, but he should complement his heater with his sweeper-like slider to be a fastball-slider power reliever.

Valuable lefty Broke Burke has been reliable for the Reds and leads the National League in appearances with 55. His original team, the Texas Rangers, needs some relievers, and since Burke was in the AL West last year and has had back-to-back strong seasons, the Reds might be able to get a really talented young outfielder who really doesn't have a place to play in lefty-hitting Alejando Osuna. He is also plug-and-play into CF. His arm is fringy, so he's going to be in left or center.

There is one more intriguing reliever left up for trade in the Reds bullpen and it's 3-Time Tommy John surgery recipient RHP Tejay Antone, who has a 2.10 ERA on the season and 1.84 ERA over the last 30 days, covering 29 1/3 innings. Antone should be in demand, and his value will never be higher. The Twins need another reliever after acquiring starter RHP Dean Kremer from the Orioles and reliever LHP A.J. Minter from the Twins. The Twin Cities have an OF Trevor Larnach, who is hitting .284/.373/.450 with 9 HR and 39 RBI. Just nixed in a trade to Houston, the Reds brass should swoop in and offer up Antone or any one of their deep reliever roster for the lefty-hitting Larnach.

What does that leave as far as assets? There is one player who is not getting much attention but should be in demand: right-handed hitter OF Dane Myers. This deadline, right-handed hitting outfielders are in strong demand and this is a seller's market. The Reds should take the opportunity to capitalize on this outfielder versus JJ Bleday, who the club actually needs for offense. Teams like the Yankees, Braves, Guardians, and Phillies all could use an outfielder.

Some teams like the Phillies will be bidding against Seattle for Taylor Ward, but if they lose out, there are quality pitchers like RHP Cody Bowker or RHP Sean Youngerman who might interest the Reds with their top-line fastballs, which the Reds love to develop around. The Guardians are actually a great fit for Ward too but Myers being under team control and able to play all outfield spots might be able to justify former 1st-rounder RHP Daniel Espino. Once a top prospect starter, Espino has battled injuries and now has been developed as a reliever who's had a nice little bit of success this year at the MLB level over 6 IP. The Guardians could move on from Espino and have a nice, affordable piece in Myers who might be able to start for them for a few years.

The Yankees are more likely in need of an outfielder who can play all three outfield due to Bellinger's injury. The ask for Myers here could be a LHP starter Kyle Carr, a 2023 3rd-rounder who touches 97 on a smaller 6'1", 175 lb. frame, and a twice-traded prospect OF Jace Avina. Again, Myers has years of control so nabbing a couple 10-20 organizational prospects shouldn't be too much of an ask when you consider how good defensively Myers has been, along with his nice OBP. He offers any contender a really nice, flexible piece for outfield-needy teams.

Now there happens to be an opportunity here to acquire some really talented hitters to stretch out this lineup. All-Stars 3B Zach Neto, who the Reds coveted in the 2022 MLB Draft, and C Adley Rutschman are reportedly available for trade this weekend. The Reds need to compete during the 2027 and 2028 seasons for a chance at a World Series run with that four-core. So, it's time to cash in on starting pitching depth and stop hoarding prospects.

Nick Krall and company should offer up LHP Nick Lodolo, SS Edwin Arroyo, #4 prospect SS Tyson Lewis, and #14 prospect RHP Mason Morris to the Los Angeles Angels for SS Zach Neto and Reliever RHP Ryan Zeferjahn. The Reds slide Neto to 3B, where he could team up with Elly as an All-Star left side of the infield. The gifted SS turned 3B could bat 3-4-5 with the other Reds sluggers to elongate the lineup and make the Cincinnati Reds a formidable opponent through that core four window. Zeferjahn has electric stuff and works perfectly right into the bullpen. Before you think this is an underpay, Lodolo is one of the most intriguing pitchers in the Majors in baseball circles; Arroyo can plug right into shortstop, and Tyson Lewis was in the MLB Top 100 pre-2026 and ranked #68 in baseball according to Keith Law's ESPN Top 100 Prospects. RHP Prospect Mason Morris has all the attributes and projection of a big-league starter.

Baltimore is the team that matches up very well with the Reds. Both teams are in a stalled mode where they can come together to make a Mega-Deal to shake up their rosters and both move forward in a better position. Catcher Adley Rutschman and 2B Jackson Holliday have been made available by Mike Elias. The Orioles need starters, so I am asking for MiLB LHP Cade Povich as well in this trade. Rutschman would come in for the rest of 2026 as Tyler Stephenson's replacement at Catcher and hold it down until Reds Top Prospect Alfredo Duno is ready to come take over in Cincinnati. For 2027, I am converting Rutschman into the Reds' first baseman, where he is likely to build on his hitting prowess and provide a .300-30-100 hitter for this newly rebuilt Reds' lineup. Holliday was the 1st overall draft pick in 2022, that just has not gotten going until lately in Baltimore. Lefty Povich, 26, is in AAA and has a nice K/BB ratio, slides right into the Reds' Rotation to replace Abbott. What would it take? If the Reds can offer All-Star LHP Andrew Abbott, 3B/OF Noelvi Marte, 2B Matt McLain, RHP Chase Petty, #6 RHP Aaron Watson, and #12 1B/3B Cam Collier.

Now I know you're wondering: if the Reds need outfielders, why are you trading Marte? First off, Marte is not an outfielder. He still has some value and the Orioles can deploy him back at 3B where they have a need. Former 1st Rounder Matt McLain is a 20/20 player who just needs a change of scenery. Chosen by Minnesota in the 1st Round of the 2021 MLB Draft, Petty goes to Baltimore's pitching lab and likely benefits. Starter Aaron Watson, drafted 51st overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, gives the Orioles a really nice starting prospect who has tremendous upside. Collier is blocked in Cincinnati at 1B and 3B either way, and still has some value as a former 1st-rounder (2022). Abbott gives the Orioles what they need: a controllable quality starter who is affordable. That is quite a few former first-and -second rounders going back to the Orioles.

To the consummate observer, you might have noticed that under this plan, the Reds traded 3 starters, Singer, Lodolo, and Abbott. I totally understand. But Singer needs to be traded and it's time to capitalize on Lodolo and Abbott's value now. The Reds now have Greene and Burns still front-lining the rotation. In the Rutschman trade, they are getting back LHP Povich, so that's another starter with MLB experience behind the new starting five. Between Reds AAA arms RHP Julian Aguiar and RHP Jose Franco, again, the Reds to find out what they have in these pitchers.

Looking at the bullpen, you've also sent out Ferguson, Pagan, Burke, and Antone. Not all these trades are likely to happen so the Reds will likely need to find some bullpen arms to get them through the last 2 months. But you still have right-handers Ryan Zeferjahn, Julian Garcia, and Zach McCambley. Those arms, along with fellow righties Zach Maxwell and Luis Mey, and the odd man out of Aguiar and Franco can fill out the bullpen. I mentioned Moll and Johnson, but their value is probably limited so you still have two relievers to offer some continuity.

This is a mountain of moves and not all of them, if any, will happen. But the takeaway here is at some point, if the Reds are serious about winning. They need to clear out depth and acquire impact players to make runs in 2027-2028-2029. They do not need to collect a mixed bag of interchangeable parts that never get full playing time. The Reds can use the 2026-2027 off-season to concentrate on filling out their rotation and bullpen, add a stop-gap center fielder, and be in a much better position to take over the NL Central. The Neto move is in the vein of the Brewers turning their franchise around in 2018 when they acquired OF Christian Yelich from the Marlins for 4 top prospects, and those prospects ended up being just prospects. Now this won't be the case in every trade, but the time is now or never for this iteration of the Cincinnati Reds.

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