ESPN Sunday Night Baseball broadcast hit Reds fans with exciting trade rumor

The Cincinnati Reds just swept the Tampa Bay Rays over the weekend, but perhaps a member of Kevin Cash's team will make a quick return the Queen City. During ESPN's Sunday Night broadcast between the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants, MLB insider Buster Olney linked the Reds to Rays' first baseman Yandy Díaz.

The broadcast crew had just learned of the Kansas City Royals contract extension with starting pitcher Seth Lugo and began to dissect the buyers and sellers at the MLB trade deadline. Olney, Karl Ravech, David Cone, and Eduardo Perez all expect Cincinnati to buy, but Buster dropped an interesting nugget when the conversation shifted to the Rays' plans for the deadline.

Olney suggested the Rays, especially after dropping three straight to the Reds, may look to sell ahead of the July 31 deadline. He then mentioned both the Reds and Boston Red Sox as potential fits for Díaz. Seeing as how Boston is in the same division as Tampa Bay, the Rays may be more amenable to dealing with the Reds rather than working out a deal with their AL East Division rival.

ESPN Sunday Night Baseball broadcast hints ag Reds pursuing Rays' first basemen Yandy Díaz

While Eugenio Suárez has been frequently linked to the Reds over the past week, Díaz might be the better fit. The Rays slugger signed a team-friendly deal with Tampa Bay that runs through next season and includes a club-option for 2027. If the Reds were to trade for Díaz, they'd be on the hook for the remainder of his $10 million salary this season and the $12 million he's owed in 2026.

The Reds are rumored to be targeting a middle-of-the-order bat at this year's MLB trade deadline, and Díaz certainly qualifies. He's hitting .286/.345/.475 this season with 18 home runs, 61 RBI, and a wRC+ of 126. Díaz has been incredibly consistent for the past five seasons with a .290/.371/.444 slash line since 2021.

Some Reds fans are bound to question the fit given Spencer Steer's Gold Glove caliber defense at first base. However, the Reds' infielder has been dealing with a quadriceps injury of late and he's only hitting .244/.304/.387 on the season. Steer, Gavin Lux, and Noelvi Marte offer plenty of versatility defensively, and Díaz can always be plugged in as the team's DH.

The bigger question might be whether or not the Rays decide to sell at the deadline. Tampa Bay, after losing three straight to Cincinnati, is currently three games behind the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners in the AL Wild Card chase. The Reds, on the other hand, are just one game back of the San Diego Padres for the final spot in the NL.

Nick Krall and the Reds front office have less than four days remaining to help bolster the club's roster before the MLB trade deadline passes. Adding Díaz (and maybe an extra reliever or two) would go a long way toward giving Terry Francona's team the necessary boost over the final two months of the season.

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