The Reds enter the 2026 trade deadline looking like one of the game’s few clear sellers. Cincinnati sits at 47-54, putting them 16.5 games behind the Brewers in the National League Central. They’re technically only six games out of the Wild Card race, but they’ll need to leapfrog six teams to grab third place. It’s at least possible that they can string together six or seven more wins in a row — they’ve won the past two — and get the front office to rethink that position, but the most likely scenario is that Cincinnati will shed some pieces from the roster.
Working as a salesperson doesn’t necessarily mean tearing inventory down to the pegs. In contrast, Reds president of baseball Nick Krall indicated to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer this week that his hope is to recycle the 2027 season and give manager Terry Francona a more competitive roster than the 2026 iteration. Wittenmyer writes that this approach seems to be favored by players who have reached high scores (but still have little club control) or are on the verge of doing so for the first time.
Cincinnati has a strong young core in place. The right hand Chase Burns he just signed a seven-year, $105MM contract that will keep him at the top of the rotation for nearly a decade. He will be joined there by former number 2 pick, Hunter Greenesigned until 2028 with a club option for 2029. twenty-seven years old Andrew Abbott gives them a solid third starter and under club control in ’29. Star shortstop Elly De La Cruz and is under control in ’29. Rookie slugger Sal Stewart can be controlled until 2031.
Krall, general manager Brad Meador and the rest of Cincinnati’s front office have plenty of cap space to trade to other clubs, though some (eg. Eugenio Suarez, Pierce Johnson) have hard times. Nathaniel Lowe started strong but has cooled off significantly since early June, though still sitting on a quality .244/.326/.474 batting line overall (113 wRC+).
On the other side of the coin, the right hand Brady Singer and the hunter Tyler Stephenson I got off to a bad start but I changed the script recently. Singer, who is being paid $12.75MM this season, has a 2.92 ERA, a 24.1% strikeout rate and a 7.4% walk rate in 52 1/3 innings since June 1. Stephenson, who earns a $6.8MM salary, is hitting .309/.370/370/.435/496 over his last eight home runs. 135 trips to the plate. He hit .244/.320/.393 on the season (92 wRC+). Both have strong records heading into the 2026 season. Rotation help is always needed, and there are plenty of teams looking for an upgrade this year (eg Yankees, Rays, Red Sox, White Sox). In the bullpen, lefties Brock Burke again Caleb Ferguson seems like a sure bet to go. Southpaw guy Sam Moll he can join them.
As was the case in the offseason, Krall refused to rule out trades for controllable players. He was asked specifically about Greene and the jack-of-all-trades Spencer Steer but he only noted that it would be very difficult to move any player. That’s not a strong accusation of logic, but Krall took a similar stance early last season. That led to a lot of speculation about the possibility of an offseason trade of Greene, but in the end it didn’t seem like a solid thought.
“Spencer has been a great player for us. He’s a good clubhouse player, a good teammate, and it would be hard to get rid of him,” Krall said of Steer. He added that if someone was going to make a compelling offer for Greene, “we have to have a conversation about it,” but reiterated that such deals would need to benefit the club in the short and long term. A trade involving either player can be lengthy, but it’s worth digging into each other’s contract status.
Steer, 28, is making $4.5MM this season. He still has two more raises to settle issues before reaching free agency after the 2028 season. He’s sitting on a nearly league-par .242/.321/.427 (101 wRC+) line but has used a left-handed hammer both in 2026 and throughout his career. The righty-swinging utility man slashed .342/.442/.620 against southpaws this season and sports a lifetime .270/.358/.481 line (128 wRC+) when holding the team’s advantage. Steer can play all four corners and second base, but he’s made below-average marks everywhere except first base, where metrics like Defensive Runs Saved (11) and Outs Above Average (7) feel like he’s done well in 1,275 innings over the past two seasons.
Greene, who turns 27 in a few weeks, is one of the most talented starters in baseball but has spent too much time on the injured list in recent years. He had surgery to remove a ligament in his elbow during spring training and returned earlier this month. The Orioles walked him for eight runs in his first season, but he bounced back with three runs over 13 innings with a 19-to-1 K/BB ratio in his next two starts (against the Cubs in Cincinnati and the Rockies at Coors Field). He’s sitting at a 6.06 ERA thanks to that poor first start, but Greene has a 2.95 ERA, a 29.8% strikeout rate and an 8% walk rate in 274 1/3 innings through 2024.
The Reds signed Greene to a six-year, $53MM contract extension through April 2023. He is being paid $8MM this season (about $2.75MM due as of this writing) and is owed a total of $33MM in 2027-28. That includes a $2MM buyout of the $21MM club option for 2029. That being said, he can be restricted until 2029 for a total of $54.75MM (including the remainder of this year’s salary). For a pitcher with this kind of talent and power weapons, that’s a plus, even if his frequent IL moments frustrated the fans (and, perhaps, to some extent, the front office).
Greene has a much larger trade value than Steer. He is controllable for a long time, and a high first pitch is hard to come by. Steer has played regularly in Cincinnati, but many contenders would consider him a part-time player, given the team’s lackluster defensive profile and division. Both are important big players, but Greene should be a tough player to break away from.
It’s not the only tough call the Reds could face over the next 10 days. The one who plays outside JJ Bleday had a strong rebound after signing for $1.4MM following his non-tender from the A’s. He has managed two more seasons. The Reds could keep him in the fold, but might they also consider getting money and money from success? They will definitely get offers.
Elsewhere in the list, on the left Nick Lodolo it is regulated only in 2027. He is currently on the injured list due to a blister problem. He didn’t have a strong season, though. Likewise, the infielder Matt McLaina midfielder who turns outside Noelvi Marte and foreign player TJ Friedl all had poor showings but could attract other clubs as potential movers. All four looked to be key players in Cincinnati but have struggled in 2026 at least. McLain is set to return from shoulder surgery in 2024. Marte, arguably, hasn’t been the same since his 80-game PED suspension. Can the Reds sell short of any bundle? Position players – Friedl, in particular – could be candidates for tenders if their problems continue.
There are plenty of questions for the Reds to deal with and plenty of names that could change hands in a short amount of time. Burns, Stewart and De La Cruz felt untouchable. Greene, on paper, shouldn’t be too far behind but will command a strong interest. Change is coming to Cincinnati. The main question at this point — barring a surprising run of six or seven consecutive wins on top of the current two — is how willing the front office is to continue its rebuilding efforts next year.
