Reds begin sorting through trade deadline fallout with two revealing roster moves

The Cincinnati Reds had two vacancies on the active roster after the trade deadline, and on Tuesday, filled those spots with a pair of prospects. Right-hander Chase Petty and outfielder Héctor Rodríguez were recalled to replace Caleb Ferguson and Nathaniel Lowe.

Some fans might refrain from calling Petty a prospect, but the 22-year-old is still in his rookie season. Petty debuted in 2025 but fell woefully short of the lofty expectations that are attached to a former first-round pick. He's since yo-yo'd back and forth between the major and minor leagues in 2026, though he's performed much better coming out of the bullpen.

As for Rodríguez, when he steps onto the field for the first time this week, the former New York Mets farmhand will be making his Major League debut. Rodríguez was part of a deadline deal with the Mets back in 2022, and after steadily working his way up through the minor leagues, exploded onto the scene in 2025.

Rodríguez earned a 40-man roster spot this past winter, and has been absolutely crushing balls at Triple-A Louisville this season. The young outfielder has 27 homers on the year, and will look to bring some pop to the Reds lineup.

Chase Petty & Héctor Rodriguez have a chance to prove their worth to the Reds

Petty's had enough run with the club for those in the front office to get a good feel for what he brings to the table. In total, he's made 15 appearances this season, including two starts, and has a 4.50 ERA to go along with a mediocre 10.8% strikeout rate. To Petty's credit, he's only walking 6.2% of the batters he's faced.

Petty was brought along as a starter, but found a home in the bullpen at the big-league level. Depending on how the remainder of the season unfolds, it wouldn't be surprising to see the Reds give Petty a few more starts before the 2026 campaign comes to a close. The right-hander has a live arm and a deep repertoire, but he's yet to put it all together.

Rodríguez will get an extended look, and unless something goes horribly awry, fans should expect to see him in the everyday lineup through the end of the season. With Lowe now off the roster, the Reds have need for another left-handed bat, and Rodríguez could operate in right field or log time as the team's starting DH.

Something of note will be how Rodríguez's presence affects Noelvi Marte's playing time. The Reds former top prospect has struggled — both at the plate and in the field — and his fit with this roster moving forward has to be in question.

Both Petty and Rodríguez should be given every chance to prove their worth during the second half of the season. While Cincinnati still has playoff aspirations in 2026, those odds have now dipped below 2%.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow