Hunter Greene’s elbow injury has changed the calculus in Cincinnati, and it may have turned Brady Singer from a likely trade candidate into a pitcher the Reds can’t afford to let walk.
Before the deadline, the expectation was simple enough: the Reds had veteran rentals, and Singer was the one with the most value. But Cincinnati never moved him, and now that decision looks a lot more interesting in light of Greene’s torn UCL. What initially looked like a missed chance to cash in may have been a crucial bit of insurance.
Nick Krall said the offers for Singer and the other major trade pieces never really materialized. Maybe that was the whole story.
But it’s also fair to wonder whether the Reds understood they needed to keep a reliable starter close at hand, especially with Greene’s elbow situation looming before the full diagnosis came out. Now that Greene is expected to miss most, if not all, of 2027, that choice looks even smarter.
The Reds are still hanging around the NL wild card race after going 13-8 following the All-Star break, but even the most hopeful voice in the room has to know what September looks like. The schedule is brutal, and a real playoff push still feels like a long shot. The more pressing issue is what happens next year, when Cincinnati is set to enter the season with one fewer arm in the rotation.
That’s where Singer comes back into the picture.
His contract is up, and the Reds probably shouldn’t lock themselves into a long-term deal. But a qualifying offer changes the equation. Like they did with Nick Martinez during the 2024-2025 offseason, the Reds could keep some badly needed rotation depth in place, and Singer might well take a one-year deal expected to land near $23 million.
The numbers on the surface aren’t exactly pristine. Singer’s ERA has hovered near 5.00 all season.
But the split tells a cleaner story. In his first 11 starts, he was hit hard and posted a 6.18 ERA.
Since June 1, though, he’s looked far more like the pitcher Cincinnati hoped it was getting, putting up a 3.45 ERA over his last 11 starts.
If that version of Singer sticks, then $23 million for a year doesn’t look nearly as steep. And with Greene unavailable, the Reds need all the short-term stability they can get while they sort out the bigger problem.
By 2027, Cincinnati is going to need another starter. The club can either pay full freight on the open market or spend assets to bring one in.
Or it can take the cleanest route available, extend Singer the qualifying offer, and hope he bridges the gap. If he turns it down, the Reds at least recoup a draft pick.
If he accepts, they’ve solved one of their biggest immediate problems.
In Other News...
Reds September Call Up Battle Is Taking Shape Fast
Michael Toglias move to the active roster after a strong run in Triple-A Louisville gave the Reds an early look at how they may use September to reward production and add depth. With rosters set to expand next month, the club has several names in the mix, and the conversation has already turned to which players have done enough to put themselves on the radar for Cincinnatis final push.
Zach Maxwell, Connor Phillips, Chase Petty and Michael Chavis all have cases built on recent work, while Edwin Arroyos return would fit the kind of infield help teams often seek when the calendar flips. There is also a catching angle to watch with Will Banfield, as the Reds weigh whether more support behind the plate could be part of the late-season plan. For now, the picture is still taking shape, and the next round of decisions should say plenty about how the Reds want to handle September. [Read more 🡒]
Jay Allen II Is Forcing A Reds Decision This Offseason
Jay Allen II has spent this season at Double-A turning a once-promising name into a much tougher roster question for the Reds. The former first-round pick is showing the kind of offensive growth that has long been the missing piece in his profile, pairing better plate discipline with real power while still bringing the defensive value that made him such an intriguing prospect in the first place.
The progress has put Allen in position to finish the year with a late push toward Triple-A, and it has also sharpened the decision Cincinnati will have to make once the offseason arrives. With his bat trending in the right direction and his glove already a selling point, the Reds may have to decide whether he has done enough to earn the kind of roster treatment that protects a player from being left exposed. [Read more 🡒]
Eugenio Surez Just Made The Reds Next Decision A Lot Tougher
Eugenio Surez has made a strong case for staying in Cincinnati a little longer. After a slow start interrupted by injury, he has found his rhythm again in recent games, giving the Reds a jolt at the right time and turning himself back into a useful piece for a club trying to sort out its late-season roster picture.
Surez said he wants to remain with the Reds through the rest of this season and even into next year, pointing to the mutual option in his contract as a possible path forward. Terry Francona has noticed the turnaround, praising Surezs work ethic and the value he has brought lately, and now the question is whether Cincinnati is ready to match the players interest with a decision of its own. [Read more 🡒]