3 possible signings Reds should prioritize over Tony Kemp

Robbie Grossman

Signing Robbie Grossman seems like a no-brainer for the Cincinnati Reds. After having been part of the Texas Rangers World Series last season, Grossman still finds himself on the open market. Grossman's splits would suit the Reds' needs quite well.

The 34-year-old slashed .306/.416/.536 against southpaws in 2023. His .633 OPS against right-handed pitching was not good at all, but Cincinnati has plenty of bats in their lineup that crush right-handers. Grossman could find a home in right field in place of either Jake Fraley or Will Benson when the opposition send out a left-handed starter.

While Grossman plays below-average defense, his salary requirements wouldn't seem to be exorbitant, so he'd likely fit nicely into the remaining budget that Reds President of Baseball Operations Nick Krall is working with the offseason.

Grossman isn't a burner, but he's not a snail on the base paths either. In fact, Grossman's sprint speed (27.8 feet per second), according to Baseball Savant, is actually faster than Tony Kemp's (26.1 feet per second). Grossman also does a great job of laying off bad pitches, and posted a strikeout-rate of just 23.3% a year ago.

If the Cincinnati Reds are looking to fill out that last spot on the bench, there are worse options than Tony Kemp. But pursuing the former Oakland A's utility player seems rather odd when players like Robbie Grossman, Adam Duvall, and Michael A. Taylor are still on the open market.