Cincinnati Reds: 3 trade packages swapping Nick Senzel for a shortstop

2. Reds send Nick Senzel and Austin Hendrick to Tampa Bay.

If the Cincinnati Reds really want to upgrade the shortstop position in 2021, Willy Adames should be their target. However, Nick Senzel alone would not be enough to complete a trade for the Tampa Bay Rays’ shortstop. Doing business with the Rays is always risky, but this move would put the Reds into contention for the next few seasons.

We’ve already seen Tampa Bay deal former Cy Young-winner Blake Snell, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see the team move on from Adames, especially with baseball’s top prospect Wander Franco ready to make the move to the big leagues. Adames, though, would not come cheap.

Some fans may scoff at the idea of sending last year’s first-round pick to Tampa Bay I order to complete a deal like this, but a move like this is about thee present versus the future. Nick Senzel, if healthy, and Austin Hendrick, if he develops, are cornerstone-type players for the Reds. But with the team’s current roster, Cincinnati is a couple moves away from competing for the division crown.

Bringing in Willy Adames solidifies the shortstop position for the next several years and gives Cincinnati time to develop José García. If the front office wants to keep Adames in their longterm plans, García then becomes a trade chip down the road. A trade like this is about winning in 2021, not competing in 2025.