Hunter Greene trade isn't dead but Tarik Skubal to Dodgers just crushed Reds' leverage

If you were one of those Cincinnati Reds fans who were hoping to see Hunter Greene traded at this year's deadline, you might want to adjust your expectations. On Saturday night, the Detroit Tigers traded two-time Cy Young Award-winner Tarik Skubal to the Los Angeles Dodgers, and in doing so, eliminated the most logical landing spot for Greene.

The Dodgers sent a prospect-laden package of Zyhir Hope, River Ryan, and Brady Smith to the Tigers in exchange for Skubal. While both Hope and Ryan are ranked among the top-100 according to MLB Pipeline, that's a fairly light return for a pitcher of Skubal's caliber, and it makes you wonder how many low-ball offers the Reds have received for Greene.

Dodgers deal for Tarik Skubal takes away Reds' best chance to trade Hunter Greene

No other organization throughout Major League Baseball has the resources the Dodgers do. Not only does the Dodgers' TV deal give them an advantage over every other team in the league, but LA has unlimited capital to spend — both in terms of cash and prospects. The Dodgers have one of the largest payrolls in all of baseball and a top-rated farm system.

But it's those very reasons that made Los Angeles the most likely team to trade for Greene ahead of Monday's deadline. Given the three years remaining on Greene's ridiculously affordable contract, the asking price for his services is quite high. The Boston Red Sox found that out the hard way after their would-be offer was quickly dismissed late last week.

Skubal's other suitors were rumored to be the Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays, and Atlanta Braves. There's no way the Reds are trading Greene to a division rival, so the Brewers are out. Tampa Bay might meet Cincinnati's asking price for Greene, but they always play things close to the vest. The Braves leadership isn't known for sacrificing top-tier talent, so Atlanta is probably out of the mix too.

There's always the possibility that a dark horse contender like the Arizona Diamondbacks or Philadelphia Phillies could blow the Reds away with an offer, but the Dodgers were always the most likely destination.

Having lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday, the Reds are now 5½ games back of the final NL Wild Card spot and will likely to begin selling off players on expiring contracts before Monday's 6 p.m. ET deadline. Will Greene be among those moved? Some MLB insiders are saying there's a 50-50 chance, but the number has likely gone down after Saturday's blockbuster deal.

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