The Reds are “open for business” according to C. Trent Rosecrans, and Ken Rosenthal who spoke with multiple league sources. The team is apparently prioritizing trade packages for players with expiring contracts. Those include starting pitcher Brady Singer, relievers Caleb Ferguson and Brock Burke as well as third baseman Eugenio Suárez, first baseman Nathaniel Lowe and catcher Tyler Stephenson.
Singer has made 19 starts, going 4-9 with a 4.56 ERA over 96.2 innings, striking out 82. He has been much improved recently, however. This has no doubt helped his trade value, and if there is one thing the Reds do have a surplus of, it is good rotation arms. After his acquisition in the Jonathan India trade, Singer has given Cincinnati solid innings and could definitely help a contender at the back end of their stable of starting pitchers.
For his part, Ferguson has appeared in 20 games with a 3.20 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 19.2 innings, and Burke has a 2.96 ERA, 40 strikeouts over 45.2 innings. They are impactful arms coming out of any bullpen, and have even more value as left-handed specialists.
Eugenio Suárez was a signing that many Reds fans saw as a consolation attempt by the front office for missing out on Kyle Schwarber. On the other hand it might perhaps have been the perfect comeback for a beloved former player, but the results simply haven’t been there on the field. This year he is batting just .210 with 12 home runs and only 36 RBI in what can likely be described as one of the most disappointing reunions out there.
Lowe was a surprising value acquisition for Cincinnati this past offseason. He’s had stretches where he has been one of the Reds’ most solid bats, but that production has leveled off as of late. It’s culminated in a .250 average to go along with 10 home runs and 27 RBI.
Tyler Stephenson is hitting .238 with six home runs and 24 RBI this season, solid numbers for a catcher. Though he has had a good Reds career, his time in the Queen City may be winding down given the need the teams like the Yankees have for his services and the price they may be willing to pay for them.
The most interesting questions during this trade window revolve around JJ Bleday and Spencer Steer. Both are under team control until 2029, but both could fetch a significant return if the right offer were put on the table. Steer is hitting .250 with, 16 home runs and a .770 OPS. Bleday, in 247 at-bats, is batting .243 with 16 home runs and 43 RBI. They have both shown the ability to be reliable hitters that could assist in Cincinnati’s future rebuild within their current contract windows. If the Reds do listen to offers for either or both, they should be ones that are as one sided as possible given their value to this team.
But the reality is that a rebuild is what the Cincinnati Reds need. To be honest what they need is to clean house, from the top down, in order to ensure that a proper foundation exists to help right the rudderless ship that is this franchise. If the current front office leadership is allowed to bungle these important trades, it could sabotage the entire project before it even has a chance to get off the ground.
All one has to do is look at the recent all-star game to see the failures of this organization on full display. Aroldis Chapman, Raisel Iglesias, and Nick Martinez all took their places among the game’s best after their time with the Reds. And let’s not forget about the cautionary tales of Jeimer Candelario and Mike Moustakas if you need any more reason to doubt the ability of this team to spend money and evaluate talent.
Candelario signed a 3-year, $45 million contract before 2024 and appeared in 134 games over 2024–2025, hitting a combined .207/.265/.394 with 22 home runs before injuries and poor production prompted the Reds to designate him for assignment and release him in June 2025, eating a huge portion of his contract in the process. Moustakas signed a franchise-record 4-year, $64 million deal in late 2019 and played 184 games from 2020–2022, batting around .214 with limited power and multiple injuries before being released in early 2023 with $22 million still owed. This isn’t even touching the debacle that is the Ke’Bryan Hayes acquisition.
Nick Krall and his cadre have shown that they cannot build a winning ballclub, and that they lack the ability to make moves that address the many glaring deficiencies the Reds have faced, and are currently dealing with. They will no doubt manage the potential fire sale coming this trade deadline. The only hope is that the damage they can do is limited and we come away with some value for the players who have given so much for this team.
The foundation for something special is there. Chase Burns and Hunter Greene are now locked down for the foreseeable future. Elly De La Cruz will be a Red through 2029. Sal Stewart is a genuine rookie of the year candidate. Héctor Rodríguez and Alfredo Duno are waiting in the wings. The future can be so promising for this team and city, but these next few weeks may determine whether the Reds contend in the following years, or continue on in mediocrity. We simply cannot afford any more costly and careless mistakes.
