Reds rumors: Cincinnati Reds discussing possible trade for Trevor Bauer

These latest Reds rumors are sure to get the fanbase excited. The Cincinnati Reds are in discussions with Cleveland Indians regarding Trevor Bauer.

If the latest Reds rumors are true, the Cincinnati Reds may pull off the biggest deal of the summer. According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Reds are talking with Cleveland Indians about a trade for former All-Star Trevor Bauer. If Cincinnati pulls this off, they’ll have one of the best starting rotations in all of Major League Baseball.

Bauer has been the subject of much trade speculation since last offseason. The right-hander was a former first-round pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2011 and has been with the Indians since 2013. Bauer was 12-6 last season with a 2.21 ERA and finished sixth in AL Cy Young voting.

This season, Bauer hasn’t been as dominant, but it still having a very good season. Bauer leads the league in innings pitched and is 9-8 in 24 starts this season with a 3.79 ERA. Bauer is in the top 10 of the American League in strikeouts with 185 on the season. Unfortunately, he also leads the league in walks with 63.

Trevor Bauer is a top-level pitcher and is under team control through next season. While his salary is expected to reach about $18M through arbitration in 2020, hopefully the Reds would look at extension if a trade was executed a la Sonny Gray.

As it is with any blockbuster trade, this one would come with a hefty price tag. If the Reds and Indians were to make a deal, it’d likely include top prospect Taylor Trammell. The Reds No. 1 prospect according to MLB Pipeline is currently hitting .236 in Double-A Chattanooga.

Rosenthal also suggests that it’ll take more than just Trammell to complete a deal with Cleveland. The Indians, who are in the playoff hunt, would also likely require some MLB-ready talent. What that looks like is anyone’s guess, but one of many outfielders on the Reds current roster or at Triple-A Louisville would likely be enough to entice Cleveland to make a deal.

While players like Phillip Ervin and Josh VanMeter have shown promise of late, they could be on the table if the Indians are looking for another piece. Players like Aristides Aquino and Brian O’Grady from Triple-A Louisville might be just enough to get a deal done as well.

These latest Reds rumors definitely have some traction to them, as even Jon Heyman of MLB Network is chiming in on the possible trade. The Cincinnati Reds are not yet out of the playoff race in the National League and a move like this could put them right back into contention. However, this move would be made with next season in mind as well.