Reds Rumors: Rehabbing pitchers & roster crunch shaping Cincy's trade deadline plans

The Cincinnati Reds are not sellers (yet). But the team will likely be trading away one or more players before July 30th. Wait, doesn't that mean that they are selling? Not exactly.

According to The Athletic (subscription required), the Reds are attempting to maintain roster flexibility while at the same time trade away a couple of their impending free agents. In other words, the Reds have too many players without minor-league options remaining and only so many spots on the active roster.

Minor-league options allow teams to yo-yo players back and forth between the major and minor leagues. But there's a problem — teams only have a limited window in which to do so before a player runs out of options. And that's where the Reds find themselves at the moment. The problem is most pressing when it come to the Reds' crop of relief pitchers.

Reds Rumors: Rehabbing pitchers & roster crunch shaping Cincy's trade deadline plans

Among the eight relievers on the Reds active roster, only Sam Moll, Alexis Díaz, and Fernando Cruz have minor-league options remaining. That trio represents Cincinnati's best three relief pitchers, so the Reds would be foolish to send one of them back down the minors.

Instead, it appears that the Reds will look to trade one or more of Lucas Sims, Buck Farmer, or Justin Wilson. All three pitchers will be free agents after this season, and rather than lose them for nothing, the Reds will attempt to add another prospect or two to the farm system.

The Reds need more roster spots for the impending returns of Emilio Pagán and Ian Gibaut. Pagán is currently on the IL with a lat strain, but can return return in early-August. Gibaut has been out of action since Opening Day with a forearm injury, but is on track to return next month as well. Neither Pagán nor Gibaut have minor-league options remaining.

These latest Reds rumors confirm what was reported earlier this week. While the Reds aren't necessarily in sell-mode, the team is looking to deal a few relievers in order to give the club more roster flexibility going forward.

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