Cincinnati Reds: 3 players who could be gone by the trade deadline

A slow start to the season already has some fans ready to quit on this year’s Cincinnati Reds team. If the losing continues, which 3 players will be gone when the trade deadline rolls around?

The Cincinnati Reds won their first game of the season and then went on an eight-game losing streak. While we as fans always try to support our team, the Reds recent track record doesn’t instill a lot of confidence in the fanbase. If the Reds continue to come up short, they’ll no doubt be sellers at the trade deadline. Who’s most likely to be shipped elsewhere?

Even before the season started, there were whispers. What if this doesn’t work? So far, the Reds have gotten out of the gates rather slowly. With nine free agents on this year’s roster, if the team is out of the playoff hunt come June, there’s plenty of players that other teams would love to pick up.

The question would come down to value. Last year, the Cincinnati Reds had the opportunity to trade both Billy Hamilton and Matt Harvey and failed to do so. Hamilton was non-tendered and is now with the Kansas City Royals, while Harvey signed a free agent deal this winter with the Los Angeles Angels.

If the Reds are in a similar situation later this summer, hopefully the organization will not stand idly by and fail to get at least something for a player that’s likely to leave via free agency. Even securing an Advanced-A level prospect is better than letting a player go for nothing.

So, while we all hope that the Cincinnati Reds are in contention this summer, they’ve dug themselves a hole early on. If they fail to get out, they’re destined to be sellers come mid-to-late July. Who are the three most likely players to be gone by the trade deadline?

Matt Kemp, Outfielder

This idea has been kicked around all offseason. The Cincinnati Reds have an overcrowded outfield and the most likely candidate to find a new address is Matt Kemp. The three-time All-Star was part of the trade that brought Yasiel Puig, Alex Wood, and Kyle Farmer to Cincinnati while shipping Homer Bailey to Los Angeles.

Kemp is a fine player, but at this stage of his career he’s better suited to be a designated hitter and fourth outfielder on an American League team. Kemp is currently being platooned with Jesse Winker in left field and I can only assume that the Reds would rather give the reps to their young, up and coming slugger rather than the aging veteran.

Don’t forget that the Reds still have Phillip Ervin and No. 1 prospect Nick Senzel in Triple-A Louisville. Senzel has been groomed all offseason to be this year’s starting center fielder and when he arrives, the Reds will need to find a spot for Scott Schebler.

I think Schebs is the perfect fourth outfielder for this team. He can play all three positions, has power from the left side, can hit leadoff or further down in the batting order as well. If any of the aforementioned outfielders happen to find themselves on the injured list, Phillip Ervin, like Schebler is capable of playing all three outfield positions too.

We all know that Kemp will not be part of the Cincinnati Reds organization going forward. He was the offsetting piece of the trade that allowed the Reds to move on from Homer Bailey. While it’s likely that any trade involving Kemp would require the Reds to eat an enormous piece of his salary, the $7M they received from the Dodgers will help ease the pain of that transaction.

David Hernández, Pitcher

David Hernández had a fabulous season in 2018, but so far this year the right-hander has struggled. Hernández labored through the final at-bat against Corey Dickerson on Opening Day and it’s all been down hill since then.

Hernández is in the final year of his deal. He’s a quality arm out of the bullpen, but Hernández seems like he’s struggling to adjust to the way in which David Bell is trying to utilize him this season.

Last year, it was very rare to see Hernández come into a game with runners on base or in the middle of an inning. In 53 of his 57 appearances last season, David Hernández began the inning with no outs and no runners on base.

David Bell has shown a different approach than Jim Riggleman. We’ve seen Michael Lorenzen and Amir Garrett, who’ve both shown the ability to go multiple innings, come in for just one or two batters.

Hernández, through 6 innings of work, has a 4.50 ERA. Hernández has allowed 10 hits in those 6 innings, which is the same as Wandy Peralta, Robert Stephenson, and Amir Garrett combined. Only starters Anthony DeSclafani and Tanner Roark have allowed more hits and both have pitched in more than double the number of innings.

Luis Castillo has pitched in 24.2 innings to this point and has fewer hits allowed than Hernández. David Hernández also has allowed the highest batting average (.370) among all pitchers on the Cincinnati Reds staff.

Hopefully David Hernández returns to form. In 57 appearances last season, Hernández owned a 2.57 ERA. It’s doubtful the Reds would outright release Hernández, but it is conceivable that he could be traded if he shows a return to his 2018 self as the season progresses.

It’s still very early and hopefully the majority of Reds fans have yet to give up on their team. However, if things don’t improve in the coming weeks, the front office could view this season a lot differently than they did before Opening Day.