Reds: 4 trade proposals with the Tigers to improve the bullpen

4. The Reds should make a play for Tigers’ reliever Michael Fulmer.

Reds Country saw the Carson Fulmer experiment go awry, but maybe there Michael Fulmer experiment will go much better. After bouncing in and out of the rotation this season, Fulmer seems to have found his groove in Detroit’s bullpen. Since switching to a relief role, Fulmer owns a 2.42 ERA in 22.1 innings and has a 29.5% strikeout-rate.

Fulmer, however, will not come cheap and other teams are likely to have interest in the right-hander. So, if the Cincinnati Reds are serious about improving their bullpen, adding Fulmer will cost more than just a couple of low-end prospects.

The Reds have a great deal of power bats in their farm system, and Tyler Callihan is one of them. Callihan is an infield prospect without a position. The former third-round pick is currently at Single-A Daytona, has played a couple different infield spots, and owns a .788 OPS.

Callihan’s hit tool is his calling card, but Cincinnati has other infield prospects like Jose Barrero, Rece Hinds, and Ivan Johnson climbing the minor league ranks as well. Cincinnati also has young infielders like Jonathan India and Nick Senzel already in the major leagues.

Cincinnati could also throw in a player like TJ Friedl into the mix. Friedl has been blocked at the major league level for some time, and with the likes of Aristides Aquino, Scott Heineman, and Mark Payton fighting for playing time as well, I don’t see that changing any time soon.

At the end of the day, the Cincinnati Reds front office needs to do something about their poor excuse for a bullpen. Michael Feliz, Carson Fulmer, Jose De Leon, Cionel Perez, and Sal Romano are not going to get the job done. It’s time to make a play for a couple relievers, and the Tigers seem like a good trade partner.