The Cincinnati Reds have made solid strides in building their roster over the past few years, but they still seem to be trailing behind in the National League Central.
In the offseason, they brought in players like Gavin Lux, Austin Hays, and Jose Trevino, all of whom have performed well. However, the team as a whole hasn’t been leading the division, and there’s a possibility the Reds could fall out of playoff contention and make some significant trades this season.
ESPN’s David Schoenfield recently predicted that the Reds would part ways with reliever Taylor Rogers at the trade deadline due to his expiring contract.
“The Reds’ offense has struggled, while their pitching trio of Hunter Greene, Brady Singer, and Nick Lodolo has been strong,” Schoenfield noted. “If the Cubs pull ahead in the division, it’s likely that the other teams in the Central won’t contend for a wild card, especially given the strength of the NL West.”
Rogers, along with Nick Martinez, is in the final year of his contract, but Rogers is the more likely trade candidate due to his $12 million salary, with the Giants covering $6 million. This means any team acquiring Rogers would only be responsible for around $2 million for the remainder of the season.
Rogers was brought in during the offseason, and the Reds could afford to part with him if a team offers a strong prospect or two in return.
Although the Reds don’t have much left-handed relief depth, top prospects like Luis Mey and Zach Maxwell (both right-handers) are close to reaching the majors. Trading Rogers wouldn’t be the worst option if the Reds are out of postseason contention by August.
