3. The Reds should sign Jonathan India to a contract extension next.
This one might be the most obvious, but also the most difficult to get done. First, I think it's fair to say the talk of Jonathan India's sophomore slump carrying into his third major league season can be put to bed. India, who's in much better shape physically this season, has looked great and it the unquestioned leader on this Reds team.
So why should it be so difficult for India and the Reds to find common ground on a contract extension. Two words - Scott Boras. That's right, the Reds second baseman is represented by one of the shrewdest sports agents in the game and Boras is always looking for his clients to make it past the arbitration window and into free agency.
In the past, according to NBC Sports, Boras refers to the type of contract extension India would be signing as a "snuff contract". Why is that? Because you're dealing only with one team, and in essence, snuffing out the player's opportunity to see what he might be worth on the open market.
Now, from the agent's perspective, Boras is 100% correct. If India, or any player still under team control, were to sign a contract extension, they're only negotiating with one ball club. It can certainly lower a player's value.
However, what if India puts up numbers like we saw in 2022? Then he'd love to have that "snuff contract", wouldn't he? The Cincinnati Reds should definitely approach Jonathan India about a potential contract extension. But Reds fans should know, it just might not be in the cards.