With a budding superstar in Elly De La Cruz and an accomplished new manager in Terry Francona, the Cincinnati Reds were poised for a big season. However, 55 games in, they find themselves a game below .500 with a 27-28 record, sitting in fourth place in the National League Central Division.
As the trade deadline is getting closer, the Reds might be looking to make a move before this season gets too out of hand. Struggling primarily with scoring runs and the ability to maintain their leads, as well as lacking consistency from their outfield, there are a few players who could help. They also have a loaded farm system and enough pitching (finally) to be able to move some away without worrying about a dip in the overall quality of the rotation.
With all that in mind, here’s a look at three outfielders the Reds could acquire to invigorate their struggling lineup.
Luis Robert Jr, the 27-year-old Chicago White Sox center fielder, could be just the kind of spark this Reds team needs. Through 178 at-bats, the former All-Star has tallied 34 hits, five home runs, 20 RBIs, and is averaging .191 at the plate.
Robert Jr would work to address the offense that the Reds are currently lacking while still providing a quality glove in the outfield, having won a Gold Glove in 2020. He could also help to infuse this team with the same sense of speed they’ve built over the last few seasons as he leads the MLB with 21 steals. Considering he finished last season with 23 stolen bases, it’s fair to expect this number to continue to rise.
With the White Sox sitting in last place in the American League Central Division by 12 games, they have no reasonable chance of competing for anything this season. With the abundance of young prospects in the Cincinnati farm system, a deal could be made that could help both teams.
Although currently working through an oblique injury, Josh Lowe could be a solid target for the Reds. He’s only had 39 at-bats this season, with 11 hits, two homers, and three RBIs with a .282 average.
Lowe has put up consistently good stats through the start of his career, despite facing injury issues. With the Tampa Bay Rays in second in the American League East Division at six games back, they could be looking to secure another arm for their rotation or a more reliable (or healthier) bat.
The Reds can offer both, and have enough depth to take a chance on a player with the injury issues that Lowe faces.
Another player the Reds could make a move for, and possibly the most exciting of the bunch, is Cedric Mullins of the Baltimore Orioles. Another former All-Star, Mullins has 40 hits, 10 home runs, and 31 RBIs with a .226 average this season through 177 at-bats. He also brings a level of quickness on the base path that would fit right into this team’s system.
Mullins may provide the best bat of these players, and thus may be the most difficult to acquire. However, with the Orioles sitting last in the American League East Division by eight games, they could bring in some younger faces in the hopes of building towards the future. If this is the case, the Reds have a number of different packages they could put together that would be appealing to a team in this position.
While they would presumably have to give up a sizable package to acquire any of these players, each is in a situation that could see their teams move them. The Reds are also in desperate need of both offense and wins, as their window to compete for the division grows smaller and smaller. They only have so long before free agency can tempt De La Cruz out of town, and may just decide to double down on this season with a big move.
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to our newsletter here. Check out Stadium Rant Original shows on our Youtube channel and subscribe! Give our socials Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok a follow for more great content!
