The best trade the Reds made this year wasn’t even a deadline deal

The Cincinnati Reds made several deals at this year's trade deadline to help push the team into playoff contention. Cincinnati added Ke'Bryan Hayes, Zack Littlell, and Miguel Andujar before the July 31 deadline passed, but their best trade over the past twelve months came back during November when the Reds traded Jonathan India and Joey Wiemer to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for Brady Singer.

Singer has put up terrific numbers in back-to-back starts and is looking like one of the most dependable pitchers on the Reds roster at the moment. Singer was utterly dominant in the Reds' 3-2 win over the Atlanta Braves last Friday. He's logged 18 strikeouts in 12⅓ innings during his last two starts while allowing just one earned run.

India, on the other hand, is having his worst season in the major leagues. Heading into the weekend, India was hitting just .240/.320/.343 with five home runs, 32 RBI, and an 85 wRC+. As for Wiemer, the Royals designated him for assignment this past week to make room for some of the trade deadline acquisitions.

The best trade the Reds made this year was Brady Singer for Jonathan India and Joey Wiemer

India had become a redundant player on a Reds roster loaded with talented middle infielders. Though this season with the Royals has seen India play multiple positions, the former first-round pick was consistently deployed at second base during his time in Cincinnati. The Reds, with Elly De La Cruz, Noelvi Marte, Spencer Steer, Jeimer Candelario, and the return of Matt McLain, saw an opening to trade India in an effort to shore up their rotation.

During previous seasons, Cincinnati's group of young starters had consistently broken down during the second-half of the year, and adding Singer to the mix gave the club a durable starting pitcher who's used to the grind. Prior to the trade Singer averaged nearly 28 starts and 155 innings pitched per season. Though Singer never posted an ERA below 3.00 in any of those seasons, he was always available to take the ball.

Singer's numbers are right in line with his career norms, and he's given manager Terry Francona reliability at the backend of the rotation. On the flip side, India's staring at career-lows this season, and faces the very real possibility that he'll be non-tendered during the offseason.

Reds President of Baseball Operations Nick Krall just proved that the July deadline isn't the only time you can improve your team through trades. It's an overused term, but it would seem that the Reds fleeced the Royals this past offseason.

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