Tyler Stephenson’s Sunday homer may have come in a Reds uniform for the last time, and the emotion around it was impossible to miss.
With Major League Baseball’s trade deadline now less than 24 hours away, Stephenson is one of the names widely expected to move. He gave Cincinnati one more big swing before the uncertainty fully settled in, launching a home run in the eighth inning after homering in his first plate appearance as a Red years ago.
After the game, Reds broadcaster Jim Day asked Stephenson whether he thought about what the moment meant while he circled the bases.
"Oh, man, I am going to be emotional," Stephenson said while holding back tears. "It was pretty special.
I don't know. There is a lot going on."
Later, in the locker room, Joe Danneman of Fox 19 asked Stephenson again about the possibility of being traded.
"I don't know yet," Stephenson told Joe Danneman of Fox 19. "I am just going to enjoy it and see what happens."
Stephenson said he and his wife had already talked about using Monday’s off day to visit a few places they enjoy, just in case a deal comes through.
The Reds catcher has spent years in Cincinnati after being selected in the 1st round (11th) of the 2015 MLB June Amateur Draft from Kennesaw Mountain HS. Entering Sunday, he was hitting .254/.339/.405 with 24 extra-base hits in 85 games this season.
If Stephenson does get dealt, he’d go to a contender with a bat that can help right away down the stretch.
There was also a notable plate-discipline nugget floating around Sunday: JJ Bleday continues to rank among the best in baseball at getting on base via the walk. According to Matt Wilkes, Bleday’s 14.4% walk rate is ninth among all qualified MLB hitters this season, behind only Mike Trout, Nick Kurtz, Juan Soto, Taylor Ward, James Wood, Yordan Alvarez, Kyle Schwarber, and Geraldo Perdomo.
Wilkes also pointed out that the last Reds hitter not named Joey Votto to finish a season with a walk rate above 14% was Shin-Soo Choo, who posted a 15.7% mark in 2013.
In Other News...
Reds Trade Deadline Plan Could Cost Them A Familiar Bat
With the trade deadline approaching, the Reds are taking a hard look at their roster and the market around it. Tyler Stephenson, Eugenio Surez and Brady Singer are all being floated as possible trade chips because of their expiring contracts, a sign Cincinnati is at least listening on veterans who could help another club down the stretch while also giving the front office some flexibility.
The more revealing part of the picture is that the Reds are also open to moving at least one hitter from a separate group that includes Nathaniel Lowe, JJ Bleday and Dane Myers. Spencer Steer had been in that conversation too before a wrist injury changed the equation, leaving Cincinnati to sort through a deadline plan that could reshape the lineup while potentially sending a familiar bat elsewhere. [Read more 🡒]
Tyler Stephenson Just Became A Reds Trade Deadline Dilemma
Tyler Stephensons recent stretch has quietly turned into one of the more interesting developments on the Reds roster. The catcher had been trending upward since early June, and his Fathers Day home run was another reminder that hes looking more like the kind of middle-of-the-order bat Cincinnati hoped he could become. For a team that values offense from behind the plate, that kind of production matters, especially when it comes from a right-handed hitter at a position that is always tough to fill.
The timing only makes the situation more complicated with the trade deadline approaching and catcher-needy clubs already searching for help. Stephensons improved bat has boosted his value at just the moment the market is tightening around available backstops, which puts the Reds in an uncomfortable spot. A player who helps them win now can also become exactly the kind of target other teams are lining up to pursue. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Deadline Could Bring Elly De La Cruz The Infield Help He Needs
The Reds are heading toward the trade deadline as expected sellers, and that puts a few familiar names in play. Players on expiring contracts such as Brady Singer and Tyler Stephenson could be moved, which would open room for Cincinnati to rework parts of the roster while keeping an eye on the young core already in place.
One path being discussed would send the club toward a young infielder who could help stabilize the group around Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart for the long haul. Cincinnati has spent plenty of time exploring different deadline scenarios, and this one is the kind that could shape not just the rest of the season, but the next few years as well. [Read more 🡒]