The Cincinnati Reds are expected to be active ahead of the Aug. 1 MLB trade deadline, but a major concern inside the front office could lead to a quiet next 36 hours.
In the 2023 MLB season, the Cincinnati Reds have been one of the league’s best stories. After just one legitimate winning season in the last nine years, the Reds have taken a major leap forward led by young stars like Elly De La Cruz and Spencer Steer. And as the schedule nears August it looks like they have the staying power to remain in the thick of the playoff chase for the rest of the season.
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However, they are in a dogfight with the Milwaukee Brewers to hold on to the top spot in the National League Central. Furthermore, if they can’t win the division, scoring one of the three available Wild Card spots is far from guaranteed. That is why there has been speculation over the last week that the Reds could try to improve their playoff chances by swinging some deals before the trade deadline.
Cincinnati Reds record (2023): 58-49
Cincinnati certainly has the young assets to make some impact trades. However, on Sunday The Athletic’s MLB insider Ken Rosenthal revealed the front office may be resistant to pull the trigger on many of the notable options available.
“The Reds remain active in trade conversations, but reluctant to trade major-league-ready prospects for starting pitchers who could amount to two-month rentals,” Rosenthal wrote.
It seems that general manager Nick Krall and other decision-makers feel that some of their major-league-ready talents could be helpful to them down the stretch. Plus, for a franchise that was able to rebuild back to relevancy, giving up controllable and very affordable players for short-term improvements doesn’t fit the model the fiscally conservative organization still has.
It may not be what Cincinnati Reds fans want to read but it is an understandable approach in what is likely a long-term strategy to be a winning team for years to come.