Cincinnati Reds: Three possible trade scenarios if Marcell Ozuna signs

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 09: Marcell Ozuna #23 of the St. Louis Cardinals in his second at bat of the first inning against the Atlanta Braves in game five of the National League Division Series at SunTrust Park on October 09, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 09: Marcell Ozuna #23 of the St. Louis Cardinals in his second at bat of the first inning against the Atlanta Braves in game five of the National League Division Series at SunTrust Park on October 09, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
4 of 4
Next
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI – OCTOBER 06: Marcell Ozuna #23 of the St. Louis Cardinals hits a double against the Atlanta Braves during the second inning in game three of the National League Division Series at Busch Stadium on October 06, 2019 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Scott Kane/Getty Images)
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI – OCTOBER 06: Marcell Ozuna #23 of the St. Louis Cardinals hits a double against the Atlanta Braves during the second inning in game three of the National League Division Series at Busch Stadium on October 06, 2019 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Scott Kane/Getty Images) /

If the Cincinnati Reds do indeed sign Marcell Ozuna, expect the front office to start wheeling and dealing. These three trades may make the most sense.

The Cincinnati Reds, despite signing Shogo Akiyama, are still rumored in the hunt for outfielder Marcell Ozuna. If Ozuna and Cincinnati agree on a long-term deal, several players on the Reds roster suddenly become potential trade chips. With the front office’s pledge to make a return to postseason in 2020, what trades might the Reds make if Ozuna is added to the roster?

The Reds may very well be the favorites to win the NL Central based on the moves they’ve made this winter. Adding to that is the lack of moves being made by every other team in the division. With the exception of the Milwaukee Brewers, it appears as though the Reds other rivals within the National League Central are looking to shed salary.

Dormant for the past several seasons, the Reds front office has been very proactive this offseason, adding the likes of Akiyama, Mike Moustakas, and Wade Miley. The latest rumor, suggesting Cincinnati is still interested in Ozuna, only confirms the claims laid out by Nick Krall and Dick Williams before the start of the offseason; the Reds want to win in 2020.

Adding Marcell Ozuna will certainly help in that regard, but it would also allow Cincinnati to use some their assets to improve the team even more. Adding Ozuna would only add to the gridlock that already exists in the Reds outfield. Might some of those on the 40-man roster or within the minor leagues be moved to secure some pieces to help the team succeed next season? Let’s explore a few trade ideas.

CLEVELAND, OHIO – JULY 21: Francisco Lindor #12 of the Cleveland Indians celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a two run home run during the third inning against the Kansas City Royals at Progressive Field on July 21, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OHIO – JULY 21: Francisco Lindor #12 of the Cleveland Indians celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a two run home run during the third inning against the Kansas City Royals at Progressive Field on July 21, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

1. Reds complete blockbuster deal for Francisco Lindor

If Marcell Ozuna does sign with Cincinnati, the Reds will have filled virtually every hole on the roster except one – shortstop. If the season started today, Freddy Galvis, a serviceable major league shortstop, would likely take the majority of reps at the position. However, Francisco Lindor is a four-time All-Star and the Reds should shell out to bring Mr. Smile to the Queen City.

Lindor will not come cheap. In fact, it’ll likely cost Cincinnati one or two of their top young players. With Cleveland having dealt Trevor Bauer and Corey Kluber over the past year, it appears the Tribe is looking to rebuild. The Reds have several young players that may fit the Indians timeline, with Nick Senzel being the most likely player to be included in a deal for Lindor.

So, what might a trade for Francisco Lindor look like? Well, one can assume that if the Reds ink Marcell Ozuna to a deal, Shogo Akiyama will become the primary center fielder for Cincinnati next season. The Japanese outfielder reportedly agreed to terms with the Reds earlier this week. That signing makes Nick Senzel expendable.

With a starting outfield of Ozuna, Akiyama, and Aristides Aquino, the Reds have a formidable lineup. Add to that the bats of Joey Votto, Mike Moustakas, Eugenio Suárez, and Lindor and Cincinnati doesn’t really have a single hole in their lineup. Sacrificing Senzel and a couple prospects may be enough to snag Lindor away from Cleveland.

WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 17: Joe Jimenez #77 of the Detroit Tigers and the American League pitches in the fourth inning against the National League during the 89th MLB All-Star Game, presented by Mastercard at Nationals Park on July 17, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 17: Joe Jimenez #77 of the Detroit Tigers and the American League pitches in the fourth inning against the National League during the 89th MLB All-Star Game, presented by Mastercard at Nationals Park on July 17, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

2. Reds snag a reliever from Motown

While the bullpen is certainly not a disaster, it could use an extra arm or two. Enter Joe Jímenez. One year removed from a spot in the All-Star Game, Jímenez struggled to the tune of a 4.37 ERA in 2019. At 24-years old, Jímenez is still very young and under team control through 2023. The Detroit Tigers are going nowhere fast, and a few talented prospects could be enough to sway their front office.

The Reds bullpen has the talented Michael Lorenzen along with lefty Amir Garrett and the surprising Robert Stephenson at the back end heading into 2020. The biggest question mark in the bullpen may be Raisel Iglesias, who tumultuous 2019 season ended with the closer being hung with a team-record 12 losses for a reliever.

While I’m not suggesting that the Reds replace Iggy as the closer with Jímenez, the right-hander definitely has the stuff to close out a game. Jímenez earned nine saves in 2019, and his fastball sits in the mid-to-upper 90s. According to FanGraphs, Jímenez’s average heater was sitting at 95.5-MPH.

Joe Jímenez was once a Top 5 prospect in the Tigers organization according to MLB Pipeline. After a season in which Jímenez’s HR/9 jumped to almost three-times what it was in 2018, Detroit may be looking to sell low. Perhaps Derek Johnson could work some magic and get Jímenez back on track. Giving up on Vladimir Gutierrez and TJ Friedl would not be a huge blow to the Reds farm system.

MIAMI, FLORIDA – JULY 28: Jarlin Garcia #66 of the Miami Marlins delivers a pitch in the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Marlins Park on July 28, 2019 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FLORIDA – JULY 28: Jarlin Garcia #66 of the Miami Marlins delivers a pitch in the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Marlins Park on July 28, 2019 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

If Marcell Ozuna comes aboard, the Cincinnati Reds will have more outfielders than they know what to do with. With a starting outfield of Ozuna, Shogo Akiyama, and Aristides Aquino, the battle for the fourth outfield spot on next year’s team could become quite competitive. While Phillip Ervin mashed against left-handers last season, he could easily be the odd man out.

The additions of Travis Jankowski, Nick Martini, and Mark Payton already add to the logjam in the Reds outfield. Jose Siri looks ready to join the big league club next year, and Scott Schebler is still on the 40-man, recovering from shoulder surgery. Josh VanMeter also seems to be the forgotten man, and with the signing of Mike Moustakas, his future may be in the outfield rather than second base.

The Cincinnati Reds still need bullpen help, especially another left-handed reliever. The Zach Duke experiment crashed and burned, and Cody Reed is still a question mark at the big league level. With the new rule requiring pitchers to face a minimum of three batters, having a lefty capable of getting right-handers out as well becomes paramount. Jarlin García can do just that.

Garcia’s batting average against (BAA) was actually better against right-handed hitters (.194) than it was against left-handed batters (.247). It’s questionable if Garcia would even be available and wha the cost may be, but in their hopes for adding an outfielder, perhaps the Marlins would be content with a package of Ervin and minor league pitcher such as Jared Solomon.

Next. If Marcell Ozuna signs, which OF will be dealt?

So much of what happens for the remainder of the offseason is dependent on the Reds decision to sign or steer clear of Marcell Ozuna. The slugger’s list has apparently been narrowed to just a few teams, with Cincinnati being in the mix. Adding Ozuna to next year’s roster would certainly allow Dick Williams and Nick Krall the flexibility to trade for some more pieces.

Next