The Angels and Rangers just gave the Reds a deadline blueprint.
On Wednesday night, Los Angeles kicked off the trade chatter by sending catcher Logan O’Hoppe and reliever Chase Silseth to Texas for 19-year-old infield prospect Angel Arredondo. It was the kind of swap that turns heads not because it was massive, but because it looked attainable.
That’s exactly why Cincinnati should be paying attention.
O’Hoppe’s bat has been rough this season, with a .209/.271/.295 line and a 58 wRC+, but he still fits a glaring Reds need: a young, controllable catcher. Silseth, meanwhile, is in the middle of a breakout year out of the Angels’ bullpen. Put those pieces together, and this is the sort of deal the Reds should have been in the mix for.
The price tag only sharpens that point. Arredondo wasn’t ranked by any reputable outlet among the Rangers’ top prospects, even though he’s hitting .243/.371/.392 in 85 games at Low-A this year. For a catcher and a reliever, that’s not exactly a haul.
Cincinnati’s catching situation makes the case even louder. The Reds need to sort out that spot between now and the start of the 2027 season, and the deadline is a logical place to start.
Tyler Stephenson is set to hit free agency after the 2026 season, and he’s also likely to be moved before Monday’s deadline. Behind him, Jose Trevino and Will Banfield are on the 40-man roster, but neither profiles as a starting-caliber catcher.
There’s hope in the system, of course. Alfredo Duno is the name Reds fans are watching, but the organization’s top prospect is still at least a year away from the majors.
He was just promoted to Double-A earlier this month, and catching prospects don’t move fast. Some scouts also wonder whether the big backstop will stay behind the plate at all, which only adds to the urgency.
Whether Cincinnati actually missed out on O’Hoppe is up for debate. His offense and defense have both been underwhelming, and Texas wasted no time by optioning him to Triple-A. But the larger lesson is hard to miss: the Reds need to be ready to make these kinds of moves.
The front office has made clear it wants to help next year’s team, and that means finding a Major League-caliber catcher and another arm if the price stays modest. The Angels-Rangers deal showed that those pieces may be available without a blockbuster return.
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