With the trade deadline only weeks away, the market is starting to take shape - and not every move has to come from a contender chasing October. Sometimes the cleanest deal is between two clubs that know they’re not quite there yet, but still have something the other side badly needs.
That’s the case here with the Athletics and the Reds. Both teams are sliding far enough out of their divisions that a deadline swap could make more sense than a conventional buyer-seller setup.
The A’s have outfield depth. Cincinnati has an outfield need.
On the other side, the Reds have a rotation logjam that could help them deal from strength, while Oakland has been searching for young pitching.
The A’s have already shown they’re willing to make bold moves when the bigger picture demands it. Last summer, they dealt All-Star closer Mason Miller to the San Diego Padres and landed Leo De Vries, the second-ranked prospect in baseball. That move made one thing clear: Oakland wasn’t going to pretend it was one elite arm away.
This time, the names are different, but the logic is similar.
Cincinnati has gotten solid production from former A’s outfielder JJ Bleday, but beyond him, the rest of the group has not delivered consistent results. That opens the door for Oakland’s surplus.
Tyler Soderstrom is the headliner. He would bring the biggest return of the bunch, and because he’s locked up long-term, he’d give the Reds a big bat with plenty of control.
If Oakland prefers to keep him, Carlos Cortes has put together an excellent season and could fit as a future piece. Lawrence Butler offers another option.
And if the Reds want a right-handed bat, Colby Thomas stands out as a possibility thanks to his ceiling and his ability to hit left-handed pitching.
The pitching side of the equation is where Cincinnati can really make this work. Oakland’s rotation has been a problem all season, with only J.T.
Ginn and the star southpaw Gage Jump drawing real praise. The Reds, meanwhile, are loaded with starting arms.
Hunter Green, Chase Burns, Andrew Abbott, Brady Singer, Rhett Lowder and Nick Lodolo when healthy give them more starters than they can comfortably fit once Lodolo comes back.
That makes Lowder the most obvious name to watch. The A’s have made it clear they want young pitching, and the 24-year-old checks that box.
He’s been inconsistent lately, and his 5.75 ERA on the season doesn’t look pretty. But there are still signs of something better underneath.
He has a 3.09 ERA at home and a 4.12 ERA in night games, numbers that hint at a pitcher who’s more comfortable in certain settings and may be easier to unlock with the right adjustments.
There’s also the version of Lowder the A’s would be betting on. Last season, he posted a 1.17 ERA in 30.2 innings pitched, and a few minor tweaks from Oakland’s player development group could help get him back to that level.
If the price is one or two outfielders, this is the kind of trade that could make sense for both sides. The Reds would get a bat to help balance their roster.
The A’s would get a young starter who fits their timeline and their needs. That’s the kind of deadline deal that can come together fast once the phone lines really start moving.
In Other News...
As Forced Into Another Painful Roster Shakeup After Brutal Injury Night
The Athletics were forced into another roster reset Friday, placing right-hander Mark Leiter on the 15-day injured list with a right hip impingement and infielder Joshua Kuroda-Grauer on the 10-day injured list. Leiters move comes retroactive to July 19, while Kuroda-Grauers absence leaves Oakland juggling the infield after a rough night that added more strain to an already thin roster.
To fill the openings, the As recalled right-hander Hayden Juenger and infielder Max Muncy from Triple-A Las Vegas. Juenger, a recent trade pickup, gives Oakland another arm to lean on, while Muncy is back for another stint after being optioned earlier in the month, a reminder of how quickly the club has had to keep shuffling pieces just to stay afloat. [Read more 🡒]
Another A's IL Move Leaves This Thin Roster In A Tough Spot
The Athletics roster took another hit Monday when right-hander Mark Leiter Jr. landed on the 15-day injured list with a right hip impingement, a reminder of how little margin this club has as it tries to patch together pitching depth. Infielder Joshua Kuroda-Grauer also went on the 10-day IL after surgery, leaving Oakland to turn once again to the next wave of reinforcements.
Hayden Juenger and Max Muncy were recalled in the corresponding moves, but the bigger concern is how quickly these absences can stack up for a team already leaning on limited options. Leiters injury comes at an awkward time, too, with the right-handers availability and value becoming part of the backdrop as the deadline approaches and the As keep trying to hold the roster together. [Read more 🡒]
Jonah Heim Is Suddenly Part Of A's Deadline Conversation
Kyle Teels left ankle injury has already complicated the White Soxs catching picture, and it has a way of reaching beyond Chicago if the issue lingers. The uncertainty around Teels status has pushed the club to at least examine both internal depth and the trade market, with a few familiar names surfacing as possible answers behind the plate.
One of those names is Jonah Heim, who has suddenly become part of a deadline conversation because of where he sits on Oaklands roster. Backing up Shea Langeliers makes Heim look more movable than most catchers, and his expiring contract only adds to the appeal for a team trying to protect itself against a longer absence from Teel. [Read more 🡒]