Failed Kyle Schwarber chase highlights the plan the Reds should've followed all along

By now the sting has worn off, but Cincinnati Reds fans are still licking their wounds after Kyle Schwarber spurned their favorite team's attempts to sign him during the MLB Winter Meetings. The Middletown native chose instead to return to the Philadelphia Phillies on a five-year, $150 million deal.

One can hardly blame Schwarber for chasing the money. The Reds reported offer came in $25 million below the Phillies, but Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported that Cincinnati told Schwarber they’d up the ante to at least five years, but he preferred to return to Philly.

Either way, the chances of the Reds landing Schwarber this winter were always slim to none, and Cincinnati can now focus on the path they should've chosen the moment the offseason began — improving the team through trades.

Failed Kyle Schwarber chase highlights the plan the Reds should've followed all along — go make some trades

The Reds have been linked recently to the likes of Ketel Marte, Brandon Lowe, and Jake Meyers. Players like Wilyer Aberu and Jarren Duran are out there as well, but Boston's asking prices are said to be exorbitant.

The price tag for Marte is also said to be extremely high, and given the $106 million contract attached to that trade, it's tough to see the Reds making such a bold move. The Arizona Diamondbacks are looking for starting pitching in return — something the Reds are hesitant to part with.

The other two names, however, could become a reality. Lowe, though he plays second base, has plenty of pop in his bat. The left-handed slugger smacked 31 homers last season, and with a salary of just $11.5 million next season, the Reds could (and should) be able to make that number fit inside their budget.

Meyers is a much better fit for the Reds — both positionally and economically. An elite defender in the outfield, trading for Meyers would allow the Reds to platoon him alongside TJ Friedl in center field. Meyers is also in Year 2 of his arbitration window, and expected to make less than $4 million in 2026. The downside, of course, is that Meyers would provide little to no power for a lineup that's starving for a big-time slugger.

A name that hasn't received a lot of fanfare, but probably should, is Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Yandy Diaz. The salary isn't cheap — he's owed $12 million in 2026 — but the bat is undeniable. If the Reds and Rays were able to work out a deal that brought Diaz to Cincinnati while shipping one of Brady Singer or Nick Lodolo to Tampa, that trade might be too good to pass up.

Long story short, it's time for the Reds to stop pretending they have money to spend in free agency, and instead turn their attention to the trade market.