Cincinnati Reds: 3 free agent reunions we’d like to see

These three former Reds could certainly help the team in 2021.

The Cincinnati Reds have some holes to fill heading into the 2021 season. With a few key players likely headed elsewhere via free agency, Cincinnati’s general manager Nick Krall may have to scour the free agent market for replacements. Are there any former Reds players who could help Cincinnati ascend to the top of the NL Central next season?

With the potential losses of Trevor Bauer and Anthony DeSclafani, Cincinnati will need help filling out the starting rotation. Michael Lorenzen, Tejay Antone, and the recently acquired Jeff Hoffman are all in-house options who’ll have a chance to occupy the No. 5 spot in the starting rotation next season. But, perhaps an upgrade will be necessary.

Shortstop is a glaring weakness heading into the 2021 season. With Freddy Galvis unlikely to return and José García in need of some more time in the minor leagues, Krall may need to look toward the free agent market or make a trade in order to fill that vacancy.

There’s also the matter of the offense as a whole. Cincinnati’s bats struggled mightily last season despite the additions of Shogo Akiyama, Mike Moustakas, and Nick Castellanos. All three will be back in a Reds uniform next season, but some reinforcements will be a welcome sight. Cincinnati needs to find way to score runs.

2. Derek Dietrich, Utility infielder

Don’t get too excited! I’m not advocating for the Cincinnati Reds to bring back Derek Dietrich to save the franchise. He can’t do that. However, in a day and age when power is everything, Dietrich brings a lot of it. In five of the past six seasons, Dietrich has finished with an OPS+ above 100. That lone season where he didn’t reach that plateau was 2019 (99 OPS+) with the Reds.

We all love Dietrich’s theatrics, fun-loving personality, and Ohio roots, but he brings much more than that. Dietrich is a versatile fielder that would certainly give David Bell a quality bat to replace Joey Votto at first base on occasion. Cincinnati traded utility infielder Josh VanMeter to Arizona, so heading into the 2021 season, there is no left-handed power-bat capable of coming off the bench.

Dietrich brings that. Last season, in limited action with the Texas Rangers, Dietrich slashed .197/.347/.459 in 61 at-bats. The stat that sticks out to me in that line is not the sub-.200 batting average (we saw that up and down the Reds lineup last season), the the .347 on-base percentage despite the .197 batting average.

If the Reds brought Derek Dietrich back to the Queen City, Cincinnati would have both the left and right side of the infield covered. Kyle Farmer could hold down the fort when Eugenio Suárez or the Reds shortstop need a day off, and Dietrich could replace Mike Moustakas or Joey Votto if either veteran could use a breather.

If the designated hitter returns in 2021, and there’s a possibility that it could, that offers Dietrich another opportunity to find his way into the lineup. Make no mistake, I’m not advocating that Derek Dietrich be an integral part of the 2021 Cincinnati Reds roster, but the 30-year-old brings versatility, power, and a veteran presence to any ball club.

3. Mike Leake, Starting pitcher

Mike Leake was the first player to opt out of the 2020 season because of concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Rather than keep Leake under contract for the 2021 season, the Arizona Diamondbacks declined his team option, paying his $5M buyout, and making him a free agent heading into the winter.

Leake was taken the first-round of the 2009 MLB Draft and made his Reds debut the following season, going 8-4 with a 4.28 ERA. Leake finished his Cincinnati career with 62 wins and a 3.87 ERA. After Cincinnati, Leake made stops in San Francisco, St. Louis, Seattle, and finally Arizona. For his career, Leake is 105-98 with a 4.05 ERA.

While Nick Krall and the Cincinnati Reds front office appear ready to move on from Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer, signing Leake to a one-year contract might be good way to bring along top prospects Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo while remaining competitive with the Gold Glover taking the ball every fifth day.

Mike Leake is a gamer, a la Bronson Arroyo. Every year since 2012, Leake has started at least 30 games and thrown at least 175 innings. With a strikeout-rate of just 16.0% for his career according to FanGraphs, Leake is more of a finesse pitcher whose high ground ball rate (50.4%)contributes to his success.

The Cincinnati Reds need better offense, a solid shortstop, and an additional starting pitcher. Strangely, the team could account for all three positions by going after former players. There’s also former players like Yasiel Puig and Todd Frazier who could fill some areas of concern for the Reds in 2021.