Reds reportedly making last-ditch effort to bring Nick Castellanos back to Cincinnati

Okay, calm down. The latest Reds rumors are suggesting that Cincinnati is making a push to re-sign Nick Castellanos. I know, it makes no sense to me either, but this would be a huge signing if the Cincinnati Reds were able to pull it off.

It was recently reported that the Philadelphia Phillies, among others, were in hot pursuit of Castellanos. The Miami Marlins, San Diego Padres, and Boston Red Sox were in the mix as well. But now, Jon Heyman is reporting that the Reds are showing interest in re-signing Castellanos.

Reds rumors are swirling that Nick Castellanos may be re-signed.

These latest Reds rumors make little to no sense. The Cincinnati Reds have spent last few days purging the roster. Eugenio Suárez and Jesse Winker were dealt to the Seattle Mariners. Sonny Gray was traded to the Minnesota Twins. And Amir Garrett was shipped to the Kansas City Royals.

To be clear, Heyman refers to the Reds as a long shot, but it's not as if Nick Castellanos hated his time in Cincinnati. In fact, he seemed to forge a good relationship with manager David Bell and players like Joey Votto and fellow Florida native Jonathan India.

If the Reds re-entered the Castellanos sweepstakes and were somehow able to swoop in at the last minute and re-sign the All-Star outfielder, the entire outlook for the 2022 season would change. Yes, there would still be some pieces to shuffle, but having Castellanos' bat in the middle of the Reds batting order gives Cincinnati a chance to compete in the NL Central.

The prospects of playing the outfield may help sway Nick Castellanos back to Cincinnati, as the slugger has said previously that he doesn't see himself as just a designated hitter. Were he to sign in Philadelphia, that would be his primary role.

Furthermore, Castellanos is not going to find too many venues that set up as well for his swing as Great American Ball Park. Castellanos hit 34 dingers last season and racked up 100 RBIs on his way to his first Silver Slugger Award.

If these latest Reds rumors come to fruition, I believe a good portion of the Cincinnati faithful would forgive the purge that has occurred this week. Re-signing Nick Castellanos should be Nick Krall's primary focus going forward.