Reds: 3 players Cincinnati could trade and still remain competitive

2. Wade Miley, Reds starting pitcher

One could argue that Wade Miley has been the Cincinnati Reds best starting pitcher this season. After all, Miley owns the best ERA (2.88) among all Reds starters, he’s tied with Tyler Mahle for the team’s best WHIP (1.09), and opposing batters are hitting just .212 against him. Oh yeah, he also threw a no-hitter earlier this season.

Be that as it may, Wade Miley is not in the long-term plans for the Reds starting rotation. Heck, with the exception of Mahle and Vladimir Gutierrez, none of the Cincinnati starting pitchers may be in the team’s long-term plans.

Cincinnati recently promoted Hunter Greene to Triple-A Louisville, and it’s suspected that Nick Lodolo won’t be far behind. The Reds have already promoted Gutierrez and Tony Santillan to the big leagues this season, and former second-round pick Lyon Richardson is a good bet to make his MLB debut in the coming years.

If Sonny Gray returns healthy, Luis Castillo continues to right the ship, and Tyler Mahle asserts himself as the team’s ace, you could make the argument that Wade Miley is expendable. Coming into the season, Miley was thought to be the team’s No. 4 starter.

The lefty is under a team-friendly contract with a $10M option for next season. Seeing as how Cincinnati seems ready to hand the reins over to the young guns, it would make sense to part with the affable Miley prior to the July 30th trade deadline. Plenty of teams will be looking for a starting pitcher to boost their rotation, and Miley certainly fits that mold.