This last minute Reds trade pitch would solve absolutely nothing

Even though spring training is ramping up with live game action upon us, that doesn't mean that MLB clubs are done sorting through ways that they can improve their standing before Opening Day. For a team with eyes on competing in the wide-open NL Central, the Cincinnati Reds would be wise to investigate any and all options to stand out before the games start counting for real.

That means kicking the tires on whatever free agents remain, scouring the waiver wire, and exploring the trade market as surpluses and deficits develop based on unexpected performances and unfortunate injuries.

In that vein, Bleacher Report came up with last-minute trade targets for every MLB team, proposing that the Reds go after Los Angeles Angels outfielder Jo Adell.

Trading for Jo Adell would solve nothing for the Reds

At earlier points in the offseason, we had looked at Adell as a possible solution to the power void in Cincinnati's lineup. We weren't the only ones. Back in October, Jim Bowden of The Athletic (subscription required) floated the idea of Adell as a Reds' trade target, thanks to his relative affordability given his power production.

The thing is, a move for the 27-year-old always brought a lot of risk. Once a top prospect in all of baseball, Adell debuted in 2020 in part because of the cancellation of the minor league season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He struggled as a 21-year-old who was likely rushed, but went on to play parts of the next five seasons in the majors.

Injuries and inconsistencies held Adell back, and he didn't play more than 88 Major League games in a single season until 2024, when he managed 130 contests. Still, the tools hadn't clicked to the point that his production was consistent, with him slashing .207/.280/.402 with 20 dingers that year.

Last year proved to be his breakout season, jacking up the asking price in the process. Adell crushed 37 dingers while playing a career-high 152 games. That was the good. The bad was the big-time whiffs and lack of plate discipline, which yielded a .293 OBP.

Los Angeles forced him into center field after he had spent the vast majority of his career in right, in an attempt to leverage his athleticism at the position and preserve Mike Trout. The experiment failed miserably, and by the end of the season, Adell was back in right field.

With all of that said, Adell is a one-trick pony at this point in his career. The one stellar skill, the power, has only shown up consistently for one season. With the eye-popping long ball total from a year ago, the Angels are going to ask for a lot for his services, but we can't even be sure that he'll be able to consistently tap into that skill again.

Even if he does, the signing of Eugenio Suarez renders it a moot point. Cincinnati already got the power bat it craved, and this one has a lengthy track record of success.

Meanwhile, the Reds already have an Adell-like player in Noelvi Marte, who is three years younger and flashes all the tools, but has yet to put it all together. Why stunt his growth by trading for a guy who is a good comp for his worst-case scenario?

Acquiring Adell might have made sense earlier, but now it would be superfluous. The Reds would be better served by saving those assets for when a more pressing need arises down the road.