Cincinnati Reds: Phillip Ervin can pick up the slack if Yasiel Puig is traded

There is a lot of speculation surrounding the future of Yasiel Puig with the Cincinnati Reds. However, Phillip Ervin gives the Reds a nice fall-back option.

A recent article from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic suggests that Yasiel Puig is a “strong candidate” to be moved by the July 31st trade deadline. While a lot of Cincinnati Reds fans would prefer to see Puig in a Reds uniform for the remainder of this season and beyond, Phillip Ervin appears quite capable to pick up the slack in the event that a trade is made.

Recently, David Bell has taken the platoon approach when it comes to left field. While we’ve seen spot starts from Josh VanMeter and José Peraza, the majority of playing time of late has been divided between Ervin and Jesse Winker. Typically, Bell plays the percentages, and puts Winker in the lineup against right-handed pitchers and Ervin gets the start against southpaws.

However, if the Reds front office decides to move on from Yasiel Puig at the deadline, what would Bell do? To me, the best case scenario would be to keep Winker in left field and use Ervin to supplant Puig in right. While both Winker and Ervin are capable of playing right field, Ervin’s arm is a little better than Winker’s and more suited for right field.

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Ervin and Puig have been the best bats in the Cincinnati Reds lineup over the last month. Since June 23rd, Puig is slashing .345/.402/.621. Ervin, who has 37 fewer at-bats in that time span, is slashing .440/.491/.760. Add it all up, and Puig’s 1.023 OPS is slightly below the 1.251 OPS of Ervin.

While I think most fans in Reds Country would love to Yasiel Puig return to the Cincinnati Reds in 2020 and beyond, it may not make the most sense financially. Do the the Reds have the means to keep Puig? Yes, absolutely. However, should the front office make that investment? That’s where I’m on the fence.

I love what Puig brings to the team from a hustle and energy perspective. Since arriving in Cincinnati, he’s been nothing but fantastic in the clubhouse, on the field, and in the community. Puig brings a flare that most players don’t have, and the bad wrap that he carried in Los Angeles seems to be a bit overblown.

That being said, when you look at the production that Puig brings, it’s about the same as Phillip Ervin. Their wins above replacement is identical (1.2 WAR) and Puig has 274 more at-bats. That’s no knock against Puig, but more of a testament to what Ervin has done this season. The argument can be made that Ervin has deserved a spot on this team all season long.

Yasiel Puig will command a high dollar amount in free agency this offseason. After making $9.7M this season, we should expect Puig to get a contract with an annual average value (AAV) of $15M per season. Can the Reds afford a 3-year/$45M contract?

Sure, but should they pay that kind of money when there’s a former first-round pick who’s putting up similar stats and is under team control through the 2024 season? Ervin doesn’t even reach arbitration eligibility until 2021. From an economic standpoint, it doesn’t make sense to shell out that kind of dough when there are more glaring needs across the board.

With Taylor Trammell very high on the Reds radar, it’s safe to predict that he’ll be called up to the big leagues by the end of next season. Trammell profiles as a left fielder, but could possibility take over in center field for Nick Senzel and allow the Reds rookie to return to his normal spot in the infield.

The Reds need to think about their payroll long-term. While they have Eugenio Suárez on a ridiculously cheap deal, Joey Votto‘s contract does not fit into the category. Eventually players like Luis Castillo, Amir Garrett, Michael Lorenzen, and Jesse Winker are going to command more money as well.

Unless the Cincinnati Reds are able to secure a decent haul for Yasiel Puig that nets them an MLB-ready player, I’d keep him around past the deadline. At the very least, Cincinnati could give Puig a qualifying offer and take the draft compensation if he rejects that deal.

The next several days will reveal a lot about what the Reds feel that they have for the present and for the future. One thing is for sure, Phillip Ervin is starting to show that he has wha it takes to make an impact at he Major League level.