2 Reds trade deadline successes & 1 failure

The MLB trade deadline came and went on Tuesday, and for the most part, it was rather quiet. Outside of Justin Verlander rejoining the Houston Astros, there were very few major acquisitions.

The Cincinnati Reds were thought to be buyers at the trade deadline, but aside from a minor pickup on Monday, Nick Krall and front office didn't make any moves.

So, with the 2023 MLB trade deadline now in the rearview mirror, what are the team's two biggest successes from the past few days and where did Krall and his team make a mistake?

Reds trade deadline success: Addressed major need.

The Cincinnati Reds made one trade before the deadline, and it was a good one. Cincinnati landed Oakland Athletics' relief pitcher Sam Moll in a deal that saw pitching prospect Joe Boyle headed out to the Bay Area.

Adding a left-handed reliever was a must for the Reds at the trade deadline. While pitchers like Brent Suter and Brad Hand were also available, Cincinnati decided to go with Moll. The southpaw, while 31 year old, has several years of team control remaining; something that Krall and his team were adamant about securing.

Prior to Monday's transaction, the Reds had been managing the bullpen with just one left-hander. After Reiver Sanmartin landed on the 60-day IL earlier this season, Alex Young was it. The veterans has pitched well, but adding Moll now gives David Bell two lefties he can turn to when necessary.

While fans tended to bicker back and forth about whether or not a reliever or starter was more necessary, I think almost everyone in Reds Country will agree that acquiring a left-handed arm for the bullpen was absolutely essential. Time will tell how effective Moll can be out of the Reds bullpen.

Reds trade deadline success: Farm system remains in intact.

The one thing that seemed to scare Reds fans to death was the possibility of losing one of the team's top prospects in exchange for a rental. After seeing some of the trade deadline deals, you can understand the panic.

But Cincinnati Reds General Manager Nick Krall stuck to his guns and the team looks as if it will continue to build through the draft while also developing talent from within. It's kind of hard to argue based on what fans have seen so far in 2023.

This year alone, Cincinnati has seen rookies like Spencer Steer, Andrew Abbott, Elly De La Cruz, and Matt McLain look like fixtures on the roster for years to come. There's also Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Brandon Williamson, and Casey Legumina; all of whom will look to be significant contributors for the next several years.

A major acquisition at this year's trade deadline likely would have cost the Reds one of their top young prospects. Names like Cam Collier, Connor Phillips, and Chase Petty were tossed about as potential trade chips in the days leading up to Tuesday's deadline.

In the end, Krall didn't see a deal that he felt comfortable making, so the team decided to stand pat. With Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo readying to return, the Reds' brass are hopeful the lack of activity at the deadline will pay off.