The Reds should deal Tyler Mahle while his trade value is high

It feels like a forgone conclusion that the Cincinnati Reds are going to trade Tyler Mahle, doesn't it? Given how well the right-hander has pitched of late, Cincinnati should deal him now while his trade value is at its highest.

The Reds bullpen let another lead slip away and cost Mahle his third straight win. Thursday afternoon saw Mahle exit with a 3-1 lead, but Cincinnati allowed four runs to dent the plate in the ninth and lost the game by a final score of 5-4.

Unless the Cincinnati Reds have long-term plans for Tyler Mahle, the California native should be dealt sooner rather than later. Starting pitching will be at a premium for needy ball clubs as the trade deadline approaches, and Mahle represents one of the top arms available.

The Reds should deal Tyler Mahle while his trade value is high.

Tyler Mahle's 2022 campaign has been filled with ups and downs. The Cincinnati Reds Opening Day starter owns a 6.45 ERA during the month of April but only a 2.47 FIP. Things began to straighten out last month, as Mahle's ERA in May was 4.88 and the right-hander only allowed opponents to hit .190.

But it's been Mahle's last three starts that have been most impressive. The 27-year-old has gone at least six innings in his last three outings and has 24 punch outs over 18.2 innings of work. Mahle has a stellar 1.93 ERA in those three contests and opposing batters are slugging just .299.

With so much depth in the Cincinnati Reds starting rotation, Mahle is expendable. Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, and Graham Ashcraft look like the real deal, and Cincinnati also has Connor Overton, Justin Dunn, Reiver Sanmartin, and Vladimir Gutierrez under team control for the foreseeable future.

Antonio Senzatela of the Colorado Rockies signed a five-year/$50.5M contract extension this past offseason. Unless the Reds are willing to fork over that kind of cash, their best option is to trade Tyler Mahle while his trade value is high.