Cincinnati Reds: Grading 2020 trade deadline deals

Brian Goodwin adds depth to an already stocked Reds outfield.

On the surface, this trade does not make much sense to me. The Cincinnati Reds just recently designated Phillip Ervin for assignment, and while Brain Goodwin is having a better 2020 campaign than Ervin did, surrendering a potential left-handed starter like Packy Naughton for a rotational outfielder like Goodwin is a non-starter for me.

That’s not to say that Goodwin is not a talented player. The former first-round pick has good speed and plays solid defense. Goodwin possesses the ability to play all three outfield spots, but will likely find a home in left field when he’s in the lineup. Goodwin’s career-OPS of .783 is good enough, but it just feels as though his standing with the club will be redundant.

It’s obvious that Cincinnati’s outfield was, and still is, crowded. Nick Castellanos is the team’s right fielder and when Nick Senzel returns from injury, he’ll be the team’s everyday centerfielder. Jesse Winker seems to have settled into the role of designated hitter, but he can play left field as well.

Shogo Akiyama has not lived up to the hype, but it seems very unfair to judge the Japanese outfielder’s performance based on just one month of major league action. The Reds still have left-handed hitting Mark Payton on the roster and just recently called up Aristides Aquino. Adding Goodwin, while not detrimental to the team, seemed like an unnecessary move.

In return, the Los Angeles Angels received left-hander Packy Naughton. While not one the Reds elite prospects, Naughton is no slouch. Naughton doesn’t wow you with his fastball, but he has a solid three-pitch repertoire. Naughton has the potential to be the Angels No. 5 starter as soon as 2021 or, at worst, a solid left-hander out of the bullpen.

Analysis: I’m really not a fan of this trade. That’s not a slight against Brian Goodwin, but the reality is that Cincinnati has more than enough outfielders. When you struggle as an organization to call up last year’s Player of the Month of August (Aquino), why add another player to the mix?

Grade: C-