A new rumor Thursday suggests the Reds may have plans to sell at the trade deadline.
At the conclusion of April, the Cincinnati Reds sat at the top of the National League Central, owning the second-best record in baseball at 20-11.
Just over a month later, the Reds still own a winning record — but by the slightest margin, sitting in fifth place in the division. Now owning a record of 31-30 and after dropping a series to the struggling Kansas City Royals, it is no secret that things have looked bleak since that strong start to the year.
The Reds have been consistently hovering around the .500 mark for some time now. It is unclear if the team is on a decline or if a rejuvenation is near. However, it does not look like it would be the latter.
On Thursday, ESPN.com’s Jeff Passan gave his early predictions on where MLB teams will trend at the 2026 trade deadline. He suggested the Reds may lean more on the side of offloading their talent.
In order for the Reds to see themselves become buyers at the deadline, they would have to indicate very soon that this team is clearly bought in to win. But with recent injuries and a woeful run since April, the idea of selling is a rather likely one.
Star shortstop Elly De La Cruz was recently placed on the injured list. The team has been without ace Hunter Greene, who has been sidelined since an elbow surgery just before the season. Cincinnati has also seen injuries to their top arms in Emilio Pagán, Graham Ashcraft and Rhett Lowder.
If the Reds were to offload, they have a handful of players that could fit the trade chip description. Lefty reliever Brock Burke, a free agent after this season, could be a valuable asset for contending teams, should the Reds move him. The same applies to Caleb Ferguson, who has looked sharp since being reinstated from the injured list.
Slugger Eugenio Suarez and lefty bat Nathaniel Lowe could also be trade pieces that could attract a contender. Lowe is an impending free agent, while Suarez owns a mutual option for the 2027 season in his contract.
Right-handed relievers Pierce Johnson and Tejay Antone could also see the trade market, who are in contract years.
Passan also suggested that in the unlikely case of contention, Baltimore Orioles outfielder Taylor Ward could be a solid fit for the Reds’ outfield, one that has been underwhelming this season.
