Cincinnati Reds: Freddy Galvis likely to compliment José Peraza in 2020

The Cincinnati Reds claimed shortstop Freddy Galvis on Monday. This is a great move heading into 2020, as Galvis is a nice compliment to José Peraza.

The Cincinnati Reds claimed former Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Freddy Galvis. With José Iglesias set to become a free agent at the end of the season and Galvis under contract through 2020, it would seem that the Reds may be choosing to go forward with the combination of Galvis and José Peraza at shortstop next season.

If I’m reading the tea leaves correctly, the acquisition of Galvis gives the Reds insurance in the event that they are unable to come to a contract agreement with Iglesias this offseason. While the Reds would love to keep Iglesias on the team, it’s going to have to be at the right price.

According to Spotrac.com, Iglesias’ market value could top $8M. Call me crazy, but I can’t see the Reds offering a multi-year deal to José Iglesias with an average annual value (AAV) of $8M per year. Especially considering that Galvis has a club option for $5.5M and Peraza’s arbitration number is likely to be below $5M.

While Freddy Galvis does not provide the same wizardry that Iglesias showcases on a nightly basis, he’s still a very solid defensive shortstop. In fact, both Galvis and Iglesias have an identical .985 fielding percentage at the shortstop position.

Galvis does offer more pop in his bat with 18 home runs this season and a .444 slugging percentage. Iglesias has, however, shown much more power this season than he ever has in his career. The 29-year-old has 8 home runs, 44 RBIs and a .407 slugging percentage.

I still believe the Reds are hoping for José Peraza to be the team’s shortstop-of-the-future. This season has not gone as planned, though Peraza has been playing much better of late. Having the right-handed hitting Peraza and the switch-hitting Galvis on the same team would give David Bell a plethora of options when filling out his lineup card.

I’m a big fan of defense, and José Iglesias flashes the leather on a nightly basis. That being said, in today’s game, with all the defensive shifts, having a shortstop with the range of Iglesias is not as valuable as it used to be.

I honestly hope that the Cincinnati Reds pursue Iglesias during the offseason. If the front office could negotiate a 2-year contract with an AAV of $6M, I think Dick Williams and Nick Krall should really consider making that deal. However, adding Galvis gives Cincinnati an insurance policy to pair with Peraza at shortstop in 2020.