Nick Krall's approach at trade deadline sounds familiar and Reds fans won't like it

When the Cincinnati Reds President of Baseball Operations Nick Krall recently appeared on MLB Network Radio, one particular comment out of many stood out — and not in the way Reds fans hoped with the trade deadline a little over a month away.

“As we go through the next couple of months and we get some guys back, it's right now a wait and see on where we are and if there's another injury or two down the road we have to patch," Krall said. “I think that's what we're looking at."

It’s a quote that sounds eerily familiar. In essence, Krall is again signaling patience — and reliance on the return of injured players as the team’s main deadline strategy. But for a franchise still looking to take the next leap forward, that approach is likely not going to cut it.

Reds may rely on injured players instead of making a splash at the MLB trade deadline

The names Krall is likely referring to are in fact significant: Hunter Greene (groin strain), Jeimer Candelario (lumbar spine strain), Noelvi Marte (left oblique strain), Austin Hays (foot contusion), and top pitching prospect Rhett Lowder (oblique strain) are all sidelined. Some are progressing toward returns, like Candelario who is already on a rehab assignment. In theory, if all return healthy and effective, the Reds’ roster does look a lot deeper.

But theory doesn’t win games in October. Injuries have already cost this team consistency and stability. There’s no guarantee the replacements — or returnees — will stay healthy, either. Banking on the good health scenario unfolding in the second half of the season feels more like hope than strategy.

Even at full strength, the Reds — currently hovering around .500 — didn’t project as true World Series contenders without external reinforcements when the season began. Most analysts saw this roster as a piece or two away, particularly in the bullpen and outfield. Waiting and watching while other contenders aggressively shop for upgrades could leave Cincinnati on the outside looking in come playoff time.

Some might argue that Krall is simply playing coy. Around the league, front office executives often use vague language ahead of the trade deadline to keep negotiations under wraps. But Reds fans have seen this movie before. Caution has often been the front office’s default setting. Even in years when buying made sense, the team’s moves were minimal — or nonexistent.

If Krall’s comments reflect the organization’s true intentions, Reds fans may have to brace for another quiet trade deadline. And if the team falls just short again, everyone will know exactly why.

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