The Cincinnati Reds may be headed toward selling at the trade deadline, but they’re not being boxed into one lane. Multiple reports say the club is also open to dealing for players who come with multiple years of team control, the same kind of move they’ve made before with names like Scott Rolen and Trevor Bauer.
That possibility put Baltimore catcher Adley Rutschman on the radar Tuesday, when ESPN’s Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel released their top 100 trade asset rankings ahead of the MLB trade deadline. Rutschman checked in at No. 15, and the Reds were listed as one of the best fits for the three-time All-Star.
Passan and McDaniel wrote, "The Orioles aren't exactly looking to trade Rutschman, but they are certainly listening on the 2019 No. 1 pick. Rutschman's renaissance this season has come at a great time for Baltimore: He's a free agent after next season, Baltimore has Samuel Basallo locked up long term, and there's almost no chance of the sides coming together on a long-term deal."
They also noted, "This wouldn't necessarily be a deal for prospects. Baltimore could find some under-control arms and flip from a position of depth to get there.
While it makes plenty of sense, one potential impediment is that the teams most in need of catching are in Baltimore's division. Even so, Rutschman is good enough -- and the catching position important enough -- that if the Orioles become motivated to move him, they'll do very, very well."
For Cincinnati, the appeal is obvious. Tyler Stephenson is set to become a free agent after this season, and the expectation is that he’ll be moved at the deadline. Rutschman is under team control through 2027, which would give the Reds a starting catcher for next season and buy top prospect Alfredo Duno more time to develop in the minors.
Duno’s bat should be ready eventually, but his defense still needs work behind the plate.
The problem is the price tag. Rutschman would not come cheap, and a deal would likely require a major prospect package.
Cincinnati’s farm system is already thin, and moving top prospects for only a year and a half of Rutschman would be a massive gamble. If the Reds made that kind of move, they’d essentially be pushing their chips toward 2027.
That comes with another layer of risk, too, because of the uncertainty around the upcoming CBA negotiations, which could lead to a shortened season.
Rutschman would make the Reds better right away. The issue is whether the timing works. With too many questions still hanging over the roster and the future, Cincinnati may not be in position to sacrifice a big chunk of what’s next for a move that only partially solves the present.
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