Trading Tommy Pham to Red Sox opens the door for this Reds player to audition in the outfield

The Cincinnati Reds have traded another outfielder to the East Coast. After dealing Tyler Naquin to the New York Mets late last week, the Boston Red Sox have reportedly acquired Tommy Pham.

Pham was slated to play left field and bat third for the Reds in their Monday evening contest against against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park. Pham was replaced in the lineup and on the field by utility player Matt Reynolds.

The return for Pham will undoubtedly be light, but clearing the space on the roster is the bigger story here. Could the Cincinnati Reds give Jose Barrero reps in left field?

Could the Reds allow Jose Barrero to audition in left field with Tommy Pham off to Boston?

The Cincinnati Reds experimented with Jose Barrero in the outfield a little bit last season, totaling seven games and a little over 40 innings. Every inning he played on the outfield grass was in center field.

Barrero has remained on the infield exclusively during his stint with the Louisville Bats, but perhaps it's time to have the 24-year-old star shagging balls in the outfield.

Kyle Farmer has played well this season, and until recently, Jose Barrero hasn't shown much at Triple-A Louisville. However, the Reds need to see what they have in Barrero. Given that Matt McLain, Elly De La Cruz, and now Noelvi Marte are climbing the ladder in the farm system, maybe it's time for Barrero to switch positions.

Barrero has struggled to hit major league pitching, but he's had just 117 at-bats in the big leagues. The Reds need to get his bat in the lineup over the final two months of the 2022 season to get an idea of how to construct this team heading into next season.

Losing Tommy Pham and Tyler Naquin will open up opportunities for Jake Fraley, Albert Almora Jr., Matt Reynolds, and Aristides Aquino. But the one unknown in the Reds system is Jose Barrero. Let's see if he's got what it takes to handle left field.