1 reason why Reds' reunion with Sonny Gray could work and 3 reasons why it won't

The Reds won't get into a bidding war with other teams looking to sign Sonny Gray

The Cincinnati Reds need starting pitching. But guess what? So does everybody else. Fans saw at the trade deadline how much starters were going for in terms of prospect capital. The Chicago White Sox made out like bandits after dealing away Lance Lynn, Lucas Giolito, and others to the highest bidder.

The Reds are not going to get into a bidding war with other teams for Sonny Gray's services. The Minnesota Twins are likely to attempt to re-sign the right-hander, and you can count the Baltimore Orioles and St. Louis Cardinals among the clubs likely to throw money at Gray this offseason.

History tells us that the Reds are rarely aggressive in the free agent market. Despite the fact that Cincinnati has the money to spend, it's hard to see Nick Krall and the Reds front office outbidding teams who are looking at one of the top pitchers on the market.

I don't believe that Cincinnati will be looking to come to terms with the bottom of the barrel this offseason. But given the number of pitchers in the Reds' farm system combined with those six starters already on the 40-man roster, it seems more plausible that signing a mid-tier starter is much more likely.

A pitcher like Brad Keller, Kenta Maeda, or even Michael Lorenzen seems like a much bettter fit for a team who's looking to restock the club from the inside. As interest in Sonny Gray increases, look for the Reds' involvement to decrease.