Reds can't cash in on their biggest trade assets for one painful reason

No matter what Nick Krall may try to say, the Cincinnati Reds won't be doing anything besides selling at the trade deadline. Despite a winning road trip to begin the second half of the season, the Reds have a mountain to climb if they hope to snag a spot in the playoffs.

Reds fans shouldn't expect an all-in fire sale before the August 3 deadline. While any player on an expiring contract should be considered fair game, Krall is in the fortunate position of needing to retool the roster, rather than rebuilding it from scratch.

But even that conservative approach requires some caveats. A number of the team's best trade candidates are currently on the injured list, driving their value down so much that the front office may need to put off multiple trade discussions until the offseason.

Injuries to key Reds pitchers will mute Cincinnati's trade deadline haul

Nick Lodolo is out once again with a blister issue for what feels like the umpteenth time in his career. Though he's trying to alter the grip, it'll be difficult to get anything of value in return given his injury history.

Reds fans saw what a healthy Lodolo was capable of last year. He posted a 3.33 ERA over a career-high 156⅔ innings while cutting his walk rate to a career-low (4.8%). Unfortunately, those gains have all but receded in 2026, as he's responsible for his worst ERA (4.60) and walk rate (9.7%) since 2023.

Still only 28 years old and controlled through 2027 via arbitration, there's no rush for the Reds to move Lodolo at this year's deadline, but his trade value will only shrink as he gets closer to free agency.

The Reds' top two relievers — Tony Santillan and Graham Ashcraft — are also on the IL. Santillan has endured an up-and-down season, but there's always interest in cost-controlled relievers with a track record of success. Ashcraft was off to a tremendous start this season, but he's unlikely to begin a rehab assignment until sometime after the trade deadline.

It would have been nice to have the asset cupboard fully stocked this summer, but alas Krall can only play the hand he's been dealt. That makes the Reds players who are healthy and available that much more important to the team's trade deadline plans, and it's why names like Spencer Steer, Hunter Greene, and JJ Bleday have drawn the interest of other organizations.

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