3 Twins players who could be on the Reds radar during free agency

3. Twins pitcher Kenta Maeda could be on the Reds radar this offseason

The last time the Minnesota Twins pulled off a trade with the Cincinnati Reds, it cost them Spencer Steer and Christian Encarnacion-Strand. So don't look for Minnesota to be very eager to pull the trigger on another deal anytime soon.

So while a trade with the Twins may be off the table, Minnesota has another starter besides Sonny Gray who slated for free agency this offseason. Kenta Maeda, who missed all of the 2022 season following surgery, will be a free agent after the World Series.

There are better pitchers who'll be available this offseason, but Maeda fits that mold of a No. 4 or No. 5 starter who can give manager David Bell five quality innings every time out.

Maeda is going to mix and match three different pitches and try to keep the opposition off balance. Maeda's fastball sits in the low-90s, so he's not going to blow hitters away. Instead, the 35-year-old will use a fastball/ change up/ slider combination to get hitters out.

The Cincinnati Reds have a very young starting rotation and would greatly benefit from the addition of a veteran starter or two this offseason. Kenta Maeda could be an outside-the-box option. Don't be shocked if Nick Krall zeroes in on the former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher.