Cincinnati Reds Rumors: Should Reds trade Zack Cozart before All-Star Break?

The Cincinnati Reds’ shortstop is having a great year.

It is an understatement to say that Zack Cozart is having a good year for the Cincinnati Reds. The righty is slashing .329/.416/.580 through 243 PAs. Also, he has clubbed 9 home runs and 38 RBIs. All last year, Cozart mashed 16 home runs with 67 RBIs.

At this point in the season, it looks like the righty hitter will surpass his previous season’s stats. This year his WAR is 3.0 so far, and last season’s total war was 2.5 ( according to Fangraphs). He is one of the key contributors for Cincinnati’s relevancy this far into the season.

The shortstop is playing his way off of the Cincinnati Reds.

Considering his career year, the Reds should utilize him as a trade chip. The problem is, the shortstop position is not known to be sought after at the Trade Deadline. But why not trade him before then? Even better, why not before the All-Star Break? There is great reason to do so, but there might be a shortage of suitors. Not just by the stats mentioned above, but because he is also an upcoming free agent. Cozart doesn’t seem to fit in the Reds future plans, as they have two international signees in Alfredo Rodriguez and Jose Garcia. Also, it doesn’t help that Joey Votto’s contract is 12-year $251.5 million dollars. Which is also the biggest contract in Cincinnati Reds history. I don’t think its in the best interest to sign more veteran’s to lucrative deals.

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Cozart is leading All-Star Game voting.

At the moment, the shortstop has taken the lead in ASG voting, according to MLB.com. Which is rightfully so, as he is racking up career numbers. But this is an intriguing story because last year, the whole Cubs infield started the ASG. The Reds infielder could beat out the Cubbies young studs, due to his great start and their below average performance. Barring an epic collapse, the righty hitter should keep the 1st place voting strong.

Possible trade destinations

The Reds have been deemed sellers for the past couple seasons. This season is no different, even with the competitive start. Cincinnati should off any and all veterans that are having good seasons and turn them into youthful players.

A possible destination is Seattle, as they’ve been linked to Cozart in the past. The only dilemma is that the Mariners just signed Jean Segura to a 5-year $70 million dollar contract. But Zack Cozart would be a great insurance policy just in case Segura’s production drops off. The price to acquire him won’t be as expensive as a controllable player, and the Mariners won’t have to give up any top talent that they do have.

Another fit could be the Baltimore Orioles. J.J. Hardy is having an awful year at the plate, he is batting .208 with a -0.5 WAR. The O’s would love a rejuvenation at the key stone. The Orioles have a dismal farm system, so acquiring a rental won’t hurt the farm as much.

Next: Zack Cozart and others deserve All-Star consideration

One more spot for Cozart is the Minnesota Twins. They also have a black hole at short, as Jorge Polanco has a 0.6 WAR. The Twins are a possibility because they are a surprise team this year and can dip into their system for help.