The Cincinnati Reds are coming off a season that finally broke a long postseason drought - their first playoff appearance since 2020. But the excitement was short-lived. They ran into the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Wild Card round, and that’s where their run ended.
Now, with most of the offseason in the rearview mirror, the Reds have been relatively quiet on the transaction front. Their biggest move so far?
Bringing back Emilio Pagán, who could be in line to close games in 2026. It’s a solid, if not flashy, re-signing - the kind of move that shores up the bullpen but doesn’t exactly shake up the National League Central.
Beyond Pagán, the Reds have made a series of smaller additions. They signed outfielders JJ Bleday and Dane Myers, added some depth behind the plate by inking Jose Trevino to a two-year deal and Ben Rortvedt to a one-year contract, and brought in relievers Caleb Ferguson and Pierce Johnson to bolster the bullpen.
None of these moves scream “contender,” but they do suggest Cincinnati is trying to strengthen the roster around the edges - a common strategy for a team that’s building from within and trying to stay financially flexible. Still, with many of the big names already off the free-agent board, the Reds may need to get creative if they want to make a real leap in 2026.
That’s where the trade market could come into play.
One intriguing possibility? A deal with the Minnesota Twins for Byron Buxton. The proposed trade would send pitching prospects Rhett Lowder and Chase Petty to Minnesota in exchange for Buxton - a move that would come with both high risk and high reward.
Let’s be clear: Buxton’s talent isn’t in question. When healthy, he’s a game-changer - a Gold Glove-caliber center fielder with elite speed and power.
Last season, even in a limited role, he would’ve been Cincinnati’s most valuable position player by a wide margin. The problem, of course, is the “when healthy” part.
Buxton’s injury history is extensive, and banking on a full season from him is a gamble.
But that’s the kind of swing Cincinnati might need to take. This is a franchise that hasn’t won a postseason series since 1995.
They’ve got a promising young core, but they’re still missing that one player who can tilt the field in their favor - someone who can change a game with his glove, his bat, or his legs. Buxton, if healthy, checks all those boxes.
The cost wouldn’t be cheap. Lowder and Petty are two of the Reds’ more promising young arms, and giving up that much team-controlled pitching is no small thing - especially for a club that can’t just spend its way out of mistakes. But if the Reds believe their window is opening now, it might be worth the risk.
Especially in a division that’s not standing still. The Cubs just made a splash by adding Alex Bregman, and other teams in the NL Central are positioning themselves to compete.
If Cincinnati wants to keep pace - and build on the momentum from last season - they may need to take a bold swing. Buxton could be that swing.
It’s not a move without risk. But for a team still chasing its first playoff series win in over three decades, it might be the kind of risk that’s worth taking.