Reds GM sees starting pitching as potential priority at trade deadline

The Cincinnati Reds currently sit atop the NL Central and have won 10 consecutive games. The club will look to make it 11 in a row with an afternoon affair at Great American Ball Park today against the Colorado Rockies.

Cincinnati will be looking for their third consecutive sweep after taking three straight from both the Kansas City Royals and the Houston Astros.

But Reds General Manager Nick Krall doesn't sound like someone who's content to just sit on his hands as the trade deadline approaches. In fact, the Reds could be buyers.

Reds rumors: GM sees starting pitching as potential priority at trade deadline.

Nick Krall made himself available to the media shortly before Cincinnati's game against Colorado on Tuesday evening. The Reds GM spoke about the team's decision to designate Wil Myers for assignment and also what the trade deadline could look like.

According to WLWT's Charlie Clifford, Krall agreed that starting pitching could be a priority at this year's trade deadline. Krall also stated that he has the financial flexibility to pull off such a deal. Let's explore these Reds rumors just little bit more, shall we?

First, starting pitching has been the Cincinnati Reds Achilles heel so far in 2023. While Hunter Greene and Andrew Abbott have looked very good, Nick Lodolo and Graham Ashcraft have struggled. Furthermore, Greene, Lodolo, and Ashcraft are all currently on the IL.

The Reds remaining pitching depth at Triple-A is very thin, so if the club was looking to upgrade the starting rotation, they're going to have to look outside the organization. With so much young pitching talent coming up through the organization, any addition would likely be a two-month rental (a starting pitcher who will be a free agent after the season).

In terms of financial flexibility, the Reds have already axed Mike Moustakas and Wil Myers. Both contracts combined come to to about $30-million. The Reds have also parted ways with Luis Cessa ($2.65-million), proving that salary will not trump performance this season.

These latest Reds rumors might suggest that Cincinnati will be buyers at the trade deadline, but don't think for one second that Nick Krall is going to sell the farm in order to secure the services of another starter for the final two months of the 2023 season.

Perhaps the word 'selective' might best define how Cincinnati's front office will approach the trade deadline. If the right deal presents itself and the Reds don't have to sacrifice much in terms of prospect capital, you don't have to squint very hard to see Nick Krall swing a deal later this summer.