Marty Brennaman didn’t mince words when he sized up Nick Krall’s trade deadline approach, and the longtime Reds voice thinks the gamble goes beyond this season.
Cincinnati was one of the more eye-catching teams at the deadline because it mostly stayed put even though the club was below .500 and had several players on expiring contracts. Rather than sell off pieces or add for the future, Krall, the front office, and ownership chose to trust the current roster to make a late run.
That bet has shown some signs of life. The Reds are 15-10 since the All-Star break and have played noticeably better baseball over the last few weeks. Even so, they still have a long climb ahead if they’re going to get back into real postseason contention.
The problem is that the injury situation keeps getting worse. Hunter Greene is done for the season after undergoing the second Tommy John surgery of his career.
Emilio Pagan has pitched only once in the last eight days because of hand soreness. Chase Burns could also be shut down soon because of an innings limit.
With those issues piling up, it’s difficult to picture Cincinnati powering through and reaching the playoffs.
There’s also the possibility that the Reds come out of this with nothing in return for players such as Brady Singer and Tyler Stephenson after choosing not to move them to a contender. That kind of decision is part of why Brennaman believes Krall is taking a real personal risk.
"I honestly think Nick Krall is rolling the dice on this club and his future," Brennaman told his son, Tom, on 700 WLW.
Krall has been with the organization since 2003. He became general manager in 2018 and was elevated again in 2023 to President of Baseball Operations.
The Reds still haven’t won a postseason game with Krall in charge. Some of his moves have landed, including additions like JJ Bleday and Nathaniel Lowe, but several of his bigger swings have gone the other way.
Cincinnati had to designate both Mike Moustakas and Jeimer Candelario for assignment before their contracts expired, leaving the club to absorb the remaining money on both deals. Krall also brought in Ke'Bryan Hayes last season, and Hayes has been one of the worst offensive players in baseball this year.
For a fan base that has gone far too long without a postseason series win since 1995, the patience is wearing thin. Every season that passes without a breakthrough only adds to the frustration, and Reds fans are no longer interested in explanations. They want results.
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