Trade: Reds Trade Candidate #1 – Jonathan India

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11 November 2024

We are going to do a series where we look at the Cincinnati Reds’ potential trade candidates and talk about who they could be. Lock in, and enjoy! First up, we have Jonathan India, perhaps the most “reasonable” trade candidate, and a guy that’s survived 3 times now when it comes to being a Reds trade candidate. Just to be clear, this isn’t suggestive, this is strictly just what the Reds “might” do. We are perfectly happy with India remaining a Red.

He’s survived, 3 times, does he have any value?

I find it hard to believe that the Reds have held onto Jonathan India over 3 times now, with deals reported around the league for other 2B, if he actually had value. It was reported at the 2024 deadline that India to the Yankees was damn near a “lock” but the Reds evidently viewed his leadership as too good to give away for nothing. It needs to be known that India is also signed to a VERY team friendly deal, having been extended for 2 years to bypass arbitration in 2024’s offseason, for 2 years & $8,800,000. He will be paid $5,450,000 in 2025, which could be even more reason for the Reds to shop him once more.

There’s several reasons why I would imagine Jonathan India getting shipped elsewhere this year, and yes, please don’t forget that the Reds still haven’t inked any deals with an RSN and they’ll be losing $60,000,000 on their yearly revenue as it stands, which is a leading reason:

India’s salary
Matt McLain is back
Edwin Arroyo is knocking on the door
Lack of OF experience

India, soon to be 28, had a resurgent year in 2024, but was still quite streaky. Does he have value? That answer is absolutely, but what is he worth? He has 2 years remaining on his deal with the arb 3 year still there, and as mentioned, he’s signed super cheap for 2025. He was worth 2.8 fWAR, which was on par with his best season in the bigs, his ROY year. So what can we expect him to be worth, and what team may be interested?

Seattle Mariners

The Mariners are one of the few teams known to be looking for a 2B and some offensive help, which is what India is maintaining most of his value for. Would they rather keep their assets and use FA, or could Jonathan India be on their radar? We all know Nick Krall and Jerry Dipoto are two good friends and enjoy working with each other. After all, they’ve made over 3 trades in the last 3 seasons, the most notable being Luis Castillo. I think it’s safe to say the M’s have had a black hole at that position for a very long time now, would they even want India? We think so.

Seattle Mariners get: IF/DH Jonathan India

Cincinnati Reds get: RHP Ryan Sloan LHP Reid VanScoter

The Reds had Ryan Sloan very, very high on their draft board. The Mariners have a deep pitching system, and a 1-1 here is more than reasonable value wise. The Reds have a burning desire to keep their pitching prospects stockpiled, and Reid VanScoter fits a lot of what they like in LHP’s.

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Detroit Tigers

The Tigers are one of the ‘toss up’ teams who could definitely look to upgrade from their current situation especially after a surprise playoff push. It’s worth noting that they have 3+ top 10 prospects that can play 2B, and are more of a darkhorse here.

Cincinnati Reds Get: RHP Jaden Hamm

Detroit Tigers Get: IF/DH Jonathan India

Boston Red Sox

Boston is one of the teams that needs some big time help at 2B for 2025, especially since it sounds like they’re going to be in the market of ALL the big time free agents and will get back to contending. Their depth chart at the position is very lackluster.

Now, they have a stud named Kristian Campbell that they lucked into but everything suggests him likely playing left field, so we’ll keep India in play here for them.

Boston Red Sox get: IF/DH Jonathan India

Cincinnati Reds get: SS Yoeilin Cespedes, C Johanfran Garcia

If there’s a time to move India, it sure feels like now. The Cincinnati Reds won’t just “give him away” like most think they would, they’ll still be seeking something that makes sense for their club. At the end of the day, having India around in what would be his 2nd full season since ROY completely healthy wouldn’t be the worst thing. The Reds are in no hurry to ship him out the door – it just makes sense to when you look at the depth chart and his contract obligations.

The Cincinnati Reds Break Deal With Bally Sports OH

By

Nati

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8 November 2024

0

Today, the court proceedings occurred for several MLB teams, the Cincinnati Reds being one of them. They decided…they want out. Now, that is a little bit scary, considering they were generating an automatic $55-60M yearly through their RSN operated under Diamond Sports Group, known by many of us as Bally Sports OH, but it won’t be that way any longer.

What we know

Bally Sports OH rebranded to “FanDuel Sports Network” per the Diamond Sports Groups lawsuit about 3 weeks ago; we all thought that there was a great chance that the Reds would remain with Diamond Sports Group insisting that FanDuel would help bail them out. That ended up not being the case, and now…the Cincinnati Reds will be looking elsewhere. As we detailed in this article here, there’s several methods the Reds will begin looking at to getting their revenue back.

How will this affect the team in 2025?

It’s no secret that they’re going to lose a ton of revenue if they can’t secure a deal. As for Free Agency in 2025, it’s going to take a huge hit, too, because the Reds are losing $60,000,000 guaranteed dollars from their RSN deal; this means that they likely will not be seeking any “high profile” free agents, and will be operating with an extremely low budget, and essentially reliant on the MLB Revenue Sharing program to even afford their contractually bound “current” roster.

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Report: Nick Martinez Is Likely To Accept The QO, Why That’s A Good Thing

By

Nati

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7 November 2024

0

It’s the MLB offseason, specifically, the GM meetings; that means there’s a ton of movement all over the place, like qualifying offers, trade rumors, and more. Nevermind the rumors though, we know some information about a Reds player: Nick Martinez.

Nick Martinez signed a 2 year contract with the Reds in the 2024 offseason worth about $26M – the kicker was that his agent, Scott Boras, included an opt-out mutual option clause in case he pitched well enough to earn another contract. Well, without a doubt, he did. However, the market because of all the unknowns amongst teams about their TV deals…has dropped dramatically. The Reds have offered Nick Martinez the $21,050,000 qualifying offer, and as of yesterday, he is likely to accept, per Jon Heyman of the NY Post.

Why that’s a “good” thing, in my view

A lot of people may see Nick Martinez at 34 years old and think “jeez, that’s pricey as heck,” but let me tell you, if you get the production, again, out of Martinez – it’s not. It’s rather cheap. He posted 4.0 brWAR and filled one of the Reds’ greatest needs, swingman. The Reds sought out to fill that exact ‘position,’ and they got the best one on the market last offseason, and he played like it.

Injuries, more injuries, and even more injuries

One of the best examples of reason for hanging onto Martinez is because of all the arm injuries we already have suffered in Cincinnati and the season hasn’t even begun. So far, we know Brandon Williams is out for all of 2025, we know Julian Aguiar is out for all of 2025, and you can ALWAYS pack in some more trouble when it comes to the Reds. Hunter Greene has had his fair share of IL stints, Nick Lodolo hasn’t stayed healthy since he started losing his hair, Graham Ashcraft has been on and off the IL…long story short, Nick Martinez makes sense.

The Cincinnati Reds 2025 rotation, to start the year, likely looks like this:

RHP Hunter Greene
LHP Nick Lodolo
LHP Andrew Abbott
RHP Rhett Lowder
??? // Vet // Graham Ashcraft // Nick Martinez

It is plausibly true that Nick Martinez, for most part of the year, pitched better out of the bullpen than he did in the rotation. In September, he was absolutely nails, but I’m operating off of what he did the whole year, which was pitch better out of the bullpen. In August in 6 starts, he got beat around pretty badly, primarily bit by the homerun bug. But does it make sense to pay a ‘bullpen’ piece $21.05M?

Availability Has No Price.

That answer is yes. And it’s simple: Nick Martinez’s role as a swingman. He’s the perfect player we need, a guy that can come into a game in the 4th or 5th inning if a young guy is struggling, and finish it out while keeping his team close. For a large part of David Bell’s tenure, he never had someone like that. Martinez proved his worth in that role, too. He’s the perfect stop-gap to an injury happening in the rotation. Someone that can keep the team close. It’s a no brainer for me, and I hope he accepts the $21.05M QO, and if he doesn’t, oh well, we’ll get a compensatory draft pick out of him.

Worst comes to worst, the Reds likely will move to extending Nick Martinez through 2026, tagging on an additional $12-14M and potentially add a 2027 mutual option again with a buyout. That could get funky, but let’s play GM here to try to spin it to make it well worthwhile for the Reds longevity wise, while still remaining lucrative and reasonable for Martinez who could just take the $21.05M and run next year when financial forecast resonates for more teams…

Nick Martinez – 34

Total: $39,500,000 Gtd, potential $40,250,000

2025: $16,500,000

130 IP $500,000
All Star Game $250,000

Mutual Opt ($3,500,000 buyout)

2026: $14,500,000

2027: $8,500,000

Why would this make sense for both sides? Well, for the Reds:

It gives you another $3M-ish to play with on a very tight budget for 2025 (the TV deal paranoia is very real) and your team has a lot of holes it has to fill, still.
The buyout is cheap enough to where it won’t strain you if Martinez ends up suckin’ out loud and you have to cut him loose.

For Nick Martinez, why it makes sense:

You’re 34, this is likely to be your last contract, and you can bag an additional $18.5M guaranteed that you weren’t offered
There’s incentives, coming off your career year, to make it make sense to take about $1,000,000 off than what was offered in the QO
In case of arm injury or injury in general, the opt is mutual, but still puts you on the $20M spectrum for 2024.

Regardless of what happens, I think Nick Martinez is a weapon, no matter what rival GMs tell the Cincinnati Enquirer, and I think the Reds’ core is still going to be just fine if they end up having to pay $21,050,000 for his services for 2025’s season and he ends up walking the next year. I certainly hope what I proposed above is taken serious, but Scott Boras doesn’t give discounts, and yes – even $1,000,000 discounts. He’s already trying to run up Martinez’ market and it’s November.

Trade Deadline Targets For Bengals

By

Bengals_Storm

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4 November 2024

0

trey hendrickson — CINCINNATI, OHIO - NOVEMBER 03: Trey Hendrickson #91 celebrates after a sack during the second half of a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Paycor Stadium on November 03, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

The Cincinnati Bengals have put themselves back in playoff contention, as they went from a 0-3 start to now 4-5 and in the playoff hunt, but they know that there are multiple needs on the roster that can push this team to the playoffs, and potentially even a Superbowl run. Here are the best options for the Bengals to upgrade the roster.

Azeez Ojulari

Azeez would be the big splash move for a Bengals d-line that needs some pass rushers not named Trey Hendrickson. The entire Bengals edge rushers not named Trey Hendrickson have a combined 2 sacks as a unit, while Azeez would help it out greatly, as he has 6 sacks on the year that would help all levels of the defense.

Calais Campbell

Campbell is on a 1 year, 2 million dollar contract, and is 38 years, yet he has been playing at a high level all season, as the NFL veteran has put up 2 sacks and 7 TFL so far this season, and would be a great piece to add to the Bengals rotation.

Emmanuel Ogbah

A wildcard option no one is talking about is Emmanuel Ogbah. Being 31 years old and an unrestricted free agent in 2025, the Dolphins will look to sell at the deadline and Ogbah looks to be one of the players that stands out in a fire sale. Emmanuel has gotten 2 sacks and an INT this season.

Jack Jones

Moving onto CB prospects, Jack Jones has been balling for the Raiders this year, and still on a rookie contract too. He provides a play making ability the Bengals secondary is lacking at the moment, as he has a pick six and 8 pass deflections on the year

Jonathan Jones

If the Bengals are looking for a veteran corner that can help the team, Patriots veteran Jonathan Jones would fill that void, as he is smart on the field and can help in every way. Jones has 4 pass deflections on the year and a PFF grade of 66.8 on the year.

Khalil Herbert

With Zack Moss suffering a neck injury and being out indefinitely, the Cincinnati Bengals will be in the market to find a running back to compliment Chase Brown, and with Roschon Johnson and D’Andre Swift becoming the duo in Chicago, A change of scenery for the former starter would make sense. Herbert has had back-to-back seasons of over 700 scrimmage yards and has had 9 career touchdowns.

And Zac Taylor also said RB Zack Moss is out indefinitely due to his neck injury. https://t.co/2mRknTjCT7
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 4, 2024

Travis Eitiene Jr

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA – OCTOBER 06: Travis Etienne Jr. #1 of the Jacksonville Jaguars runs with the ball during an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts at EverBank Stadium on October 6, 2024 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images)

An intriguing player for the Bengals, Travis has been given a smaller role throughout the season and would be an obvious trade target for a hurt room in Cincinnati. The Jaguars running back has had back-to-back 1000 yard rushing seasons with 19 career touchdowns. Travis would be the best long term weapon you can add to this already stacked offense.

Other Potential Targets

Jadeveon Clowney
Chase Young
Devin Singletary
Marshon Lattimore
Raheem Mostert
Jeff Wilson
Brandon Scherff
Walker Little
Greg Dulcich
Arden Key
Sebastian Joseph-Day
Kendall Fuller
Antonio Gibson
Zamir White

Can the Bengals Right the Ship?

By

Bryson

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3 November 2024

0

We’ve reached the midway point of the NFL season after the Bengals win decisively against Las Vegas. The Bengals are 4-5 and Joe Burrow continues to play at an MVP level. But do they have what it takes to make the postseason? November and December is usually that time that the Bengals get hot, but I believe they’ll need some extra help. Can the Bengals right the ship?

Get Right Week

First and foremost, the Bengals need a “get right week.” They head on the road against a division foe with the Ravens on a short week. WR Tee Higgins has missed the last two games with a quad injury, while LT Orlando Brown missed this past week with a calf/knee injury. Adding those guys back into an offense that just scored 41 will be critical for the Bengals to right the ship.

BJ Hill and Erik All both left the game with injuries and did not return, so we’ll have to see if they can get back quickly. Sources say Erik All suffered a pretty significant knee injury, but we’ll have to see after testing is done tomorrow. I expect him to land on IR. Zack Moss is also expected to go on IR with a neck injury.

In the last matchup with Baltimore, the Bengals were a missed field goal away from winning. They scored 35 points and Joe Burrow had a very similar statline he had this week. Scoring 5 touchdowns through the air against Vegas, I like Burrow’s odds to have another great performance on Thursday. Mike Gesicki had 5 catches with 2 touchdowns and 100 yards, and Chase Brown ran all over for 151 scrimmage yards and a touchdown.

The Bengals are also looking for some growth and maturity from rookie WR Jermaine Burton. He was going to be a huge part of the game-plan against the Raiders, but no-called-no-showed to practice on Saturday. Zac Taylor stated after the game that Burton will face no further discipline after being inactive.

Time to make a trade!

The Bengals are one of the very serious teams trying to buy at the deadline, according to Dianna Russini of the Athletic. For a team that has only aquired two players via trade in the last 52 years, that is a significant development.

EDGE rusher Azeez Ojulari of the New York Giants is a hot name. He fits the mold of the Bengals signing players that abused them. Racking up two sacks and six pressures against the Bengals, he helps the lack of pass rush the Bengals have. A career high 6 sacks already, he could be a huge addition for an early day 3 selection.

Cornerback Marshawn Lattimore is also an interesting name as the Saints fall to last place in the NFC South at 2-7. DJ Turner and Cam Taylor Britt have shared their struggles this season, and adding a solid veteran would do the defense wonders.

Either way, the Bengals roster is not currently good enough to contend. That’s just the honest truth. They need to step out of their comfort zone and add a defensive weapon if they even want to think about the postseason. Duke Tobin needs to make a splash for the Bengals to right the ship.

What’s Key to Righting the Ship

The Bengals defense has been mediocre at best all year and have not shown up against a good team yet. If they can make that trade and improve to even just average, that will play a huge role in success. Joe Burrow and his offensive weapons need to continue to be on the same page. Maturity and execution is going to be critical to winning the next few ball games.

It’s also important to note that the Bengals will only play one game (against the LA Chargers) in a 23 day stretch after Baltimore. There will be a long time to recover. Put everything on the line like it’s the Super Bowl and WIN in Baltimore for the first time since 2021.

The season is far from over and the Bengals control their destiny into a wildcard spot. Winning the AFC North is still in reach with 3 games left against the Ravens and Steelers. Add some pieces, control what you can control, and the Bengals will be playing January football.

The Reds’ Roster Shakeup

By

chrisball96

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1 November 2024

0

On Friday the Cincinnati Reds made a flurry of roster announcements. With the signing of manager Terry Francona, this offseason is going to be pivotal with respect to putting a better team on the field to win in 2025 and beyond. There will no doubt be a significant focus on each move the team makes this winter. Transactions in early November are no exception.

Nick Martinez and Jakob Junis Both Decline Options

Though both Martinez and Junis declined their options, this wasn’t terribly surprising. For his part, Martinez’s option was for $12,000,000. Although he is 34 years old he is no doubt expecting a longer-term payday coming off one of the better seasons he’s had. As Doug at Redlegnation points out, Martinez “set a career high with 142.1 innings pitched, had a career best 3.10 ERA, a career low 18 walks, and a career high 116 strikeouts in 2024.” For all of the flack that Cincinnati’s front office has gotten when it comes to free agents, Martinez was a bright spot for that record.

Whether he started games, came in for long relief, got our bullpen games started, he answered every call. His versatility is certainly a point in his favor in the open market. The Reds can extend Martinez a qualifying offer of over 21 million. However, whether the team will do so, or is financially capable of doing so for a 34-year-old pitcher remains to be seen. In the end, Martinez signed something of a prove-it deal with the Reds, and he did exactly that. This is part of the reason why the writing was on the wall when it came to his option this year. It’s awfully rare to see pitchers bounce back so well in their mid-30s, but Martinez certainly bucked that trend.

The story of Jakob Junis is another example of a solid move by the Reds front office. This one came mid-season and was also quite effective. The ex-Brewer had a 2.69 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 67 innings. Junis’ option was for $8,000,000. Now he, too, will test the open market after pitching very well during his brief tenure in Cincinnati.

Both Martinez and Junis were key pieces of the Reds’ pitching staff in 2024. They were two of the brighter spots, and to see them walk is tough to swallow. But the Reds do have the potential for a very strong staff in 2025. The stable of Greene, Lodolo, Ashcraft, and Lowder could be very good. And let’s all remember that the offseason is just beginning. So, while this news might sting now, there is still plenty of time to bounce back.

Luke Maile and Brent Suter

The Reds also declined the option of catcher Luke Maile. It was for $3,500,000. Maile seemed to call very good games for his pitchers from behind the plate. However, his struggles at the plate simply could not carry him through. He posted just a .178 average.

For a bit of good news, the Reds and relief pitcher Brent Suter did agree to a deal for $2,500,000 for 2025. It also includes a $3,000,000 team option for 2026. Suter battled injuries last year, but still was a solid contributor. In 65 innings he posted a 3.15 ERA and had 50 strikeouts.

The Reds started off the 2024 offseason with a bang in hiring Terry Francona. It was a very solid first step in putting together a contender next year. The important thing to remember is that Martinez and Junis declining their options has little to no reflection on what the front office is doing or the team that will take the field come spring. Junis and Martinez pitched very well in light of their contracts. This is actually a sign that the personnel and scouting departments had success in getting these guys signed. And the hope is that they can find two other players that will replicate that type of success next season, for a value, once again.

Let the 2024-2025 offseason begin!

Featured image courtesy of the Reds on X

Nati Q&A, Series 1

By

Nati

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31 October 2024

0

Good morning, afternoon, whatever it may be where/when you’re reading this. Yesterday 10/30/24, I declared my intention to begin doing a weekly Q&A to continue creating content surrounding our favorite team(s) while in the offseason (Reds) – this is the beginning of such. I hope you’ll all lock in and enjoy! This week’s theme was Cincinnati Reds – going forward, it’ll be Bengals/Reds themed.

Questions will be in Bold, my answers will follow them.

Questions from X/Twitter & Nati’s responses

Q: Do you see any potential problems arising from the Reds moving towards a bat to ball “old school hitting philosophy” ?I believe both Krall and Terry said something about more bat to ball/line drives – BurrowLand

A: I don’t. Anytime you’re playing 81 games at Great American Smallpark, typically, 50+ in the heat of the summer, this is the right approach. The Reds ironically were one of the better teams in MLB with RISP in 2024, but they were relatively bad on the road when you look at the overall metrics. .230/.298/.373/.671 as a team…they didn’t get on base near enough & they struckout 50 more times in 9 less games on the road. They sucked, and they didn’t score near enough. 342 runs away versus 357 at home…101 HRs compared to 73 HRs away. You can see the issue there.

Q: What’s your take on our player psychological development (how our players approach a ball game)? Can be a big issue with a young team like ours. – Cincy Spotlight

A: I definitely worry to the bitter end about this. I’ve seen Zack Cozart harp on X frequently about how important veteran presence is, he cited it several times for his successes as a MLBer. I know we have quite a few guys that know they’re young & act like it. I’ve seen a few of them out at bars with a game the next day downtown, so it’s likely they’re doing this in other cities, too. In terms of the psych involved, I think we’re super far behind and the veteran they brought in (Jeimer) absolutely sucked, so he isn’t doing much leading…we definitely need more of a leader. Great, interesting question.

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Q: How many HRs do you think Elly will hit this year? – Aadhi

A: My answer is always controversial on this, because I feel like Elly is still developing. When he debuted in 2023, I said, accurately, he’d hit 20-25 HRs. People thought I was insane. Sure enough, in 2024, a fully healthy season, he only hit 25. We all know he has the power to hit 50 if he wanted to, but the Reds are doing the right thing having him do his own thing and move at his own pace. We don’t need Elly to hit 40 HRs. We need somebody else to do that…while he’s on base. After he’s stolen both 2nd & 3rd. I’m sticking to my 20-25 number. I could see him hitting 30 in 2025, but with Valaika at the helm now, I can see him sticking to a contact first approach & 25 of them will come in spurts.

Q: You have $200M, would you sign Elly to an 8 yr extension, or sign Juan Soto for 4 yrs. Assume both of them accept the proposal. – Bill Koger

A: First off, Bill, what a great question. Thank you for making me question my sanity. The answer is, I’m signing Juan Soto for 4 years. It’s a no brainer at the end of the day. Elly, as we know, is going to walk in 2029. We have him signed through then, under control, cheap. Juan Soto makes us a contender immediately. That profile is exactly what we need to fill a big hole.

Q: Who, if any, is the most likely Red to be moved (traded) this offseason, and what would you realistically like to get out of them? – Noah Lambert

A: The answer is and has always been Jonathan India, as unfortunate as that is to hear not only to myself, but many others as well. Realistically, I’d be stoked to get an MLB ready reliever for him & a top 20 prospect.

Q: What is your prediction for the Opening Day Rotation? – @MikeRKarl

A: I see the Reds seeking a veteran, and Tito Francona even hinted at adding a vet to the rotation. Let’s roll with this: 1) Greene 2) Lodolo 3) Lowder 4) Abbott 5) Buehler – I think the chance of Walker Buehler coming to Cincinnati is extremely, extremely real. I also view him as economical. Now…there’s a chance they go out and get Shane Bieber, too, but fresh off surgery scares me. Buehler is back, at least. I’m also thinking Martinez opts out. This is a playoff rotation, IMO, and Chase Burns knocks on the door. Don’t forget about Ty Floyd, too.

That concludes this week.

I have went through & bookmarked every question I didn’t answer and will answer them next week! Thanks everyone for playing and reading along. Much appreciated! I didn’t want to make this too long to keep engagement up.

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Question: Could Matt McLain Be Changing Positions for 2025?

By

Nati

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29 October 2024

0

It’s not secret that the Cincinnati Reds Matt McLain may be their 2nd most important player behind Elly De La Cruz, especially positionally. It’s also not a secret that the Cincinnati Reds created a pretty big problem for themselves with signing a plethora of infield talent, namely Jeimer Candelario…and must we not forget, Jonathan India is still on the team and likely will be. So here’s the question…will Matt McLain be moving positions?

Matt’s History Elsewhere

Matt McLain has logged innings in the outfield, just not professionally. In college, he was a centerfielder before he moved to the infield which ultimately landed him at the premium first round pick that he became. You’d have to go all the way back to 2019, yes, you read it right, to see the last time he played in the outfield in a live game. Today, that will change, as he is slated to play centerfield in the Arizona Fall League for the Glendale Desert Dogs.

Can he handle the outfield?

If you ask Nati_Sports, there is not even hesitation in my voice that he can handle the outfield. In fact, the idea of it absolutely excites me. He fits every mould in my book: quick, smart, cannon for an arm, extremely athletic. And let’s face it, the Cincinnati Reds haven’t employed an everyday outfielder capable of 25-25 in a long time. I know TJ Friedl has come close, but I think we can all agree Matt & he are very different players.

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So…is this a definitive?

I think you’d be silly to call this move a definitive, but I think it’s damn near close. I think Tito Francona’s clubhouses excel with leadership roles, and I don’t think the Reds will let Jonathan India go for free…with all of these said, I really do believe Matt McLain is the top candidate to move positions. It’s not because he’s the weakest link, it’s actually the direct opposite – he’s genuinely the best candidate to go play elsewhere, yet still be effective. He’s who I’d trust the most. What do you all think?

Cincinnati Reds Terry Francona Links Up With Dominican Reds players

By

Nati

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29 October 2024

0

It hasn’t even been a month since Terry Francona was named the Manager of the Cincinnati Reds, but he’s making a big impact early in terms of leadership and proving to people his health is far better than reported. This time, he’s traveling to the Dominican Republic to meet up with 3 very important Cincinnati Reds.

Jeimer Candelario, Noelvi Marte, & Elly De La Cruz

Candy, Noelvi, & Elly were all present for a little Tito in person meeting, per the Cincinnati Reds X account. As a Reds fan, I find this incredible. Seeing him display acts of leadership and to connect in the offseason, early, especially in a whole other country is sick. All 3 of these guys speak English so I can only imagine what the chatter was about.

Now how dope is this

Love to see it. #Reds https://t.co/q24b4OJrLL
— Nati Sports (@Nati_Sports) October 29, 2024

Cincinnati Reds in person meet

Dominican Winter League

Elly De La Cruz & Jeimer Candelario have played the Dominican Winter League the last few years, and that league is getting ready to start back up (they’ve already played 3 games,) in November. They will play these dates: 1, 6, 13, 17, 22, 26, 30 & for December: 4, 8, 14, 20, 22.

The Reds are typically in control of if they’ll allow their players to play in the DWL or not, and as of 10/29/24 at 10:30AM ET, they have not confirmed if Elly will play in that league or not. He last played in it in ’22. Jeimer Candelario is notorious for playing in it, as well, and one would expect with him being injured with the fractured toe, if he’s all healed up, he’ll play in the league as well, if asked.

Noelvi Marte’s Disappointing 2024

With Noelvi’s disappointing 2024, it’d be a good idea to get him some Dominican Winter League reps if a team would allow his participation. He & Jeimer both struggled a whole lot in 2024 and are both really important deposits that the Reds are counting on. His participation has also not been confirmed & the DoWL is typically a draft, not an invite league, so we’ll have to see what happens on that front.

Three Trades to Bolster the Cincinnati Bengals

By

Drewlutts

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24 October 2024

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Cincinnati Bengals, Geno Stone, NFL, NFL News, NFL Trades — Bengals defensive back Geno Stone makes a tackle against Browns Running Back Nick Chubb

It’s no secret the Cincinnati Bengals are in a tough spot. They are 3-4 this season, and while the offense seems to be coming alive, the defense could use some help. They have been in every single game this year so far, losing four games by a combined 15 points. If the ball bounced a different way in any of those games, or the defense played better, they could easily be 7-0. An overtime loss to Baltimore where they missed a game-winning field goal, a game where the Chiefs beat them on a questionable Defensive Pass Interference, a home loss to the Commanders and shining rookie Jayden Daniels, and a puzzling loss to a 1-6 Patriots team has the Cincinnati Bengals sitting at 3-4. This isn’t a time to panic, nor a team to panic about though.

Joe Burrow has been playing at an MVP level after suffering a season-ending injury in 2023. So far he has 1,759 passing yards, 14 TDs and 2 INTs. He has not been the problem with this Bengals team. It seems the offense is clicking on all cyclinders. Where the Bengals need the most help is on the defensive side of the football. In almost every single important category, they rank in the bottom third of the league. Today, we’ll be taking a look at how the Bengals can bolster their defense and get back on track, because they’re still in this thing.

Trades to Bolster the Bengals Defense

Trade #1

Cincinnati Bengals trade 2025 3rd & 2025 7th to Arizona Cardinals for S Budda Baker & 2025 4th

The first trade that comes to mind for safety help. The Bengals secondary is gives up 217 yards/game, which is 21st in the league. The Arizona Cardinals are also 3-4, but may be more willing to part with Budda Baker because he is on an expiring contract. Baker is one of the better safeties in the league, and would provide a very solid upgrade to the Bengals secondary. The compensation for picks here is essentially a swap for 3rd/4th rounders. So the Cardinals would presumably add another third round pick while Cincinnati moved down and acquired a 4th. For a safety like Baker, the Bengals would throw in a sweetener, and give up their 7th round pick as well. This trade approves in all models, and could be a solid trade for Cincinnati to beef up their weaker secondary.

Trade #2

Cincinnati Bengals trade 2025 5th & 7th to Denver Broncos for DT D.J. Jones & 2 2025 6th’s

This trade would help bolster the Bengals defensive front. All season long the Bengals have struggled to stop the run, and adding another big body in the middle of the line wouldn’t hurt one bit. D.J. Jones has earned a 65.3 PFF grade this season along the D-Line, and would give the Bengals a much needed boost to their current rotation of defensive linemen. Acquiring Jones shouldn’t cost too much in the way of draft capital either, and the Bengals should be willing to spend it while their Super Bowl window is still wide open. Adding Jones to a mix of BJ Hill, and Jonathan Rankins will give the Cincinnati Bengals the necessary depth to keep everyone along the line energized and healthy.

Trade #3

Cincinnati Bengals trade 2025 4th & 6th to Carolina Panthers for CB Jaycee Horn & 2025 6th

This final trade also would help the Bengals secondary woes. Jaycee Horn has only played in 22 of a possible 51 games in his short career . When he’s on the field, he’s a lockdown corner. Adding him to a Bengals secondary would be a welcome sight, as QBs are only completing 48.5% of passes thrown his way this season. The Panthers are a 1-6 dumpster fire and it’s worth giving them a call.

The Bengals could even pick up his 5th year option if he remains healthy. The pick compensation for him has to account for his inability to stay on the field. I have the Bengals giving up a 4th round pick for him, and swapping their 6th rounder with Carolina. Horn is long and lanky at 6’1 and could be exactly what the Bengals secondary needs. Especially since they have a few corners that are really banged up.

Final Word

The Cincinnati Bengals have a choice to make. If they beat the Philadelphia Eagles, they will be sitting at 4-4. They would still be in the Division and Wild Card hunt if they win. Now would be the time to make a move to improve this roster and make the playoffs for the third time in four years. Do you want to see the Bengals make a move to stay in the hunt? Or should they wrap it up and stockpile draft picks?

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