Reds trade rumors: Attempt to acquire shortstop rebuffed

The latest Reds trade rumors come courtesy of The Athletics’ Peter Gammons who suggests that Cincinnati attempted to trade for a shortstop, but were rebuffed. Gammons reported that the Miami Marlins are looking to move outfielders Adam Duvall and Starling Marte but declined to entertain a trade offer from the Cincinnati Reds for Miguel Rojas.

Gammons suggests that the Reds and any other team that may inquire about the availability of Rojas will be told to look elsewhere. Gammons believes perhaps Arizona shortstop Nick Ahmed could be available if Cincinnati were so inclined to do business with the Diamondbacks.

Making a deal for Ahmed, however, seems a bit silly if you ask me. Yes, Ahmed is talented defender and two-time Gold Glove Award-winner, but the 31-year-old is under contract through 2023 and has $17.5M remaining on his current deal. That seems a bit rich for a team that has a major league-ready shortstop like Jose Barrero on the cusp of breaking into the big leagues.

The Reds trade rumors suggest Cincinnati is still looking for an upgrade at SS.

It shouldn’t come as a shock to many that the Cincinnati Reds are looking for a starting shortstop, though Kyle Farmer has played well of late. Rojas’ 102 OPS+ and team-friendly contract are clear reasons why the 32-year-old popped up on the Reds’ radar.

That said, perhaps Cincinnati should continue to roll with Farmer at shortstop and focus more on improving their volatile bullpen. I know there’s hope with the eventual returns of Lucas Sims and Tejay Antone, but at some point, reinforcements need to be called upon.

Heck, the Reds could even call the Marlins if they wish to upgrade the bullpen. Miami has several talented relievers that many teams are likely to covet. First and foremost among them would be Yimi Garcia. The impending free agent owns a 3.47 ERA.

The Marlins also have veteran right-hander Anthony Bass. The Miami reliever has a 3.79 ERA and is under contract through 2022 with a team-option for 2023. The Marlins are also likely shopping fellow relief pitchers Ross Detwiler and Richard Bleier. Both southpaws could certainly give David Bell something more reliable than Sean Doolittle, Cionel Perez, or Josh Osich.

It’s great to hear the latest Reds trade rumors revolving around upgrading the shortstop position, as it suggests that Nick Krall and the front office are definitely looking to buy before the July 30th deadline. However, while the team may be seeking more offensive production from the position, what Cincinnati really needs is some reliable arms in the bullpen.