Roundup of Reds' potential Deadline targets

Roundup of Reds' potential Deadline targets

July 26th, 2023

This story was excerpted from Mark Sheldon’s Reds Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

CINCINNATI -- The Trade Deadline is less than one week away. When 6 p.m. ET strikes on Tuesday, will the Reds have made any deals, upgraded the rotation or bolstered the bullpen?

Cincinnati and general manager Nick Krall are buyers, that's no secret. Whom they might be willing to acquire and, just as importantly, whom they are willing to part with are questions that will only intensify over the next six days.

• A perfect-world Trade Deadline strategy for each team

Despite recent improvement, starting pitching is the Reds’ biggest need. Let's take a look at who could be available.

White Sox RHP
He is under team control through 2025, which means the asking price to get Cease is likely going to be higher than to acquire others. He has a 4.04 ERA over 21 starts in '23 and a 3.65 career ERA.

White Sox RHP
He is 6-6 with a 3.79 ERA in 21 starts this year and a free agent after the season. He's owed about $3.5 million over the last two months of 2023.

White Sox RHP
A familiar face and an ex-Cardinal, Lynn is pennant-race tested but a back-of-the-rotation guy now at 36. He's owed around $6 million for the rest of this season and has an $18 million club option for 2024 that includes a $1 million buyout.

Tigers RHP
Reds fans are certainly familiar with Lorenzen, who pitched for Cincinnati from 2015-21 as a reliever and a starter. He is 5-6 with a 3.49 ERA entering Wednesday. Making $8.5 million this year, Lorenzen is a free agent after the season.

Tigers LHP
This is a little complicated. Rodriguez can opt out of the remainder of his contract (three years, $49 million) and be a free agent this winter. That will likely happen, but if he struggled with the Reds and depressed his market, Cincinnati could be on the hook.

Padres LHP
This can only happen if the Padres become sellers, which isn't certain yet. Snell has been fantastic the past couple of months, but he has pitched more than six innings in a start only once in 2023. He's a free agent after the season. 

Mets LHP
Another complicated one. The Mets aren't sellers yet, and Quintana is starting on Wednesday for only the second time this season because he was out with a rib injury since Spring Training. He's signed through 2024 and will make $13 million this year and next.

Pitchers from division rivals
(Cubs), and (Cardinals) and  (Pirates) all seem unlikely as the Reds would try to avoid a scenario in which their prospects reach the Majors for another NL Central team.