Cash-strapped Astros offer Reds the rare opportunity to pull off blockbuster trade

The Cincinnati Reds are on the lookout for an outfielder, and they don't come much better than Kyle Tucker. The Houston Astros' three-time All-Star is rumored to be available at the right price. Astros GM Dana Brown said, "We'll listen on anybody."

The Astros are in a bit of pickle this offseason. Houston will oftentimes carry a top-10 payroll in MLB, but Astros owner Jim Crane is known to avoid the dreaded luxury tax. Houston crossed that threshold last season, and Crane would prefer that his team steer clear of being a repeat offender.

The Reds should check the availability of Astros' OF Kyle Tucker

And that's where the idea of trading for Tucker comes in. The Astros have a lot of money tied up in the likes of Jose Altuve, Yordan Álvarez, and Josh Hader. Houston is also doling out money to players no longer on their roster. Jose Abreu and Rafael Montero are collecting a whopping $40 million combined to play elsewhere in 2025. With Houston dead-set on trying to retain third baseman Alex Bregman, there are only so many areas they can cut.

Tucker is entering the final year of his arbitration window and will take home a handsome sum in 2025. According to MLB Trade Rumors, Tucker is likely to make $15.8 million next season and will be a free agent next next winter. The Astros have one of the worst farm systems in Major League Baseball, and trading Tucker would undoubtedly help them restock the cupboard.

It's not often that a big-time bat like Tucker is made available. Even if it were only for one season, it's a deal that Nick Krall and Reds' front office should at least consider. While Cincinnati's brass would probably perfer a right-handed slugger, Tucker's career splits are relatively even. Tucker plays average defense in right field, and has the type of bat you plug right in the middle of the lineup alongside the likes of Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain, and Tyler Stephenson.

It's unclear if the Astros would actually trade Tucker, but if they re-sign Bregman this winter, their chances of retaining the All-Star outfielder beyond the 2025 season are slim-to-none. This is a gamble the Reds should definitely take, and it's the type of move that would put them in the driver' seat in the NL Central next season.

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