Mariners might have the one Reds trade target that feels impossible to land

Part of the Cincinnati Reds trade deadline plan seems to include trading for controllable big league talent. Rather than blowing it up and looking for prospects, it seems that Nick Krall and Brad Meador would prefer to rebalance their portfolio of assets, dealing away from the expiring veterans and trading away expensive pieces to build a more well-rounded and economical roster.

An underrated area where they could be looking for that sort of young, cheap, and controllable talent is in the starting rotation. Hunter Greene's salary is set to nearly double next season, Nick Lodolo's set to be a free agent in 2028 and hasn't proved he can stay healthy, and Brady Singer is a member of that expiring contract cohort. Finding cheaper arms to pair with Chase Burns and Andrew Abbott for the long haul isn't a bad idea.

One such pitcher who could be on the Reds' radar is Will Warren of the New York Yankees, but his availability is a bit of a question. So, in that same vein, the Reds could turn their attention to another controllable arm who we know will be available: Emerson Hancock of the Seattle Mariners.

Hancock is a 27-year-old right-hander who is enjoying a breakout season. The sixth-overall pick of the 2020 draft has a 3.16 ERA over 19 starts and 105⅓ innings pitched, posting a 3.72 FIP as well. He's raised his strikeouts, cut his walks, and seems to have put the struggles that had him enter 2026 with a career 4.81 ERA behind him.

Emerson Hancock is an ideal Reds' trade target, but finding a match with the Mariners is tough

The Mariners have a wealth of starting pitching, with six capable arms in their starting rotation. That depth has led to them employing out-of-the-box strategies like piggybacking them during starts to give everyone ample opportunity to pitch, but also to hide their porous bullpen.

In addition to the collection of MLB hurlers, they also have two prized pitching prospects in Kade Anderson and Ryan Sloan. Both of these young hurlers are ranked in the top 10 of MLB Pipeline's top 100 list.

That's led to an understanding that they will deal from their big league surplus to fill other needs. Seattle's lineup needs a boost from the right side, and they have multiple positions that need to be shored up. They also need to build out their bullpen.

Rumor has it they'd prefer to deal Reds' old friend Luis Castillo, but with the veteran struggling this year, a younger and more affordable option like Hancock will net them a bigger return.

That's where the problems begin for Cincinnati if the club plans to target the Mariners' right-hander. There is no more expensive commodity in the league than controllable starters, and Hancock comes with oodles of it, as he doesn't hit free agency until after the 2030 season.

So, while Spencer Steer is a player Seattle apparently has its eyes on, and he'd be a perfect fit, given both his prowess against lefties as a right-handed bat and his ability to play multiple positions, he alone won't be enough to pry away Hancock.

Adding Brock Burke to the package could get Cincinnati closer, but that still might not be enough. Finding an acceptable third piece is the roadblock the Reds will face in such a trade, and unless they can get creative and/or the Mariners are willing to think outside of the box, it seems like negotiations could stall out.

We still have a little bit of time between now and the deadline, so things could change, but for right now, it looks like Hancock is a perfect target for Cincinnati, but the Reds and Mariners are not a perfect match for each other.

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