Outfield market keeps shrinking after potential Reds' target signs with NL contender

Well, you can take Jurickson Profar off your bingo card. The now-former San Diego Padres outfielder surprised a lot of MLB experts after coming to terms with the Atlanta Braves on Thursday afternoon. Profar agreed to a three-year, $42 million deal with the Braves, taking yet another potential upgrade for the Cincinnati Reds off the board.

The Reds' biggest offseason need has been, and continues to be, the outfield. At the moment, Cincinnati appears to be gearing up to rely on the trio of Spencer Steer, TJ Friedl, and Jake Fraley, with Will Benson and Stuart Fairchild lurking in the background.

This was the outfield alignment that Reds' fans were excited about at this time last year, but the lack of success that group exerted in 2024 has raised some red flags heading into the upcoming season. Many fans assumed Nick Krall and the Cincinnati front office would find some type of upgrade this offseason, but to date, they've done nothing to address it.

Jurickson Profar's deal with Braves takes another potential Reds' target off the board

Profar's deal with the Braves comes on the heels of Anthony Santander's massive five-year, $92.5 million pact with the Toronto Blue Jays. After Juan Soto's signed a new mega-deal with the New York Mets, Profar and Santander were seen as the best of the rest. With those top two now securely entrenched with their new teams, the cupboard is nearly bare.

Randal Grichuk, Alex Verdugo, and Austin Hays represent the best available free agents remaining, meaning that Cincinnati may now look to the trade market if they're intent on upgrading the outfield this offseason. The Arizona Diamondbacks have an abundance of outfielders, and may be willing to strike a deal with the Reds before Opening Day.

This is surely a disappointment for the large contingent of Reds fans who were hoping to see Cincinnati find a long-term solution for the void in the outfield. Spring training is less than a month away, and the Reds opportunity to add an everyday outfielder to the roster is shrinking by the moment.

More Cincinnati Reds News and Rumors