Reds could explore bold trade with NL rival to fix outfield hole

If the Cincinnati Reds are truly looking to make some swings at the upcoming trade deadline, the outfield is an obvious area that needs some attention. While TJ Friedl, Will Benson, and Austin Hays have all had their moments, the Reds lack of a consistent, everyday outfielder has been apparent throughout the entire season.

Reports from The Athletic (subscription required) seem to suggest here's seemingly a giant sign outside of PNC Park that reads 'for sale'. The Pittsburgh Pirates appear to be selling off every single asset not named Paul Skenes. That would include former All-Star outfielder Bryan Reynolds with Pittsburgh reportedly in the market for young bats in return.

Reynolds is not having an All-Star season in Pittsburgh, however. The 30-year-old is in the midst of the worst seasonof his career following four straight years of 20-plus home runs and a collective 125 OPS+. While Reynolds' power is still very much in play — he's already hit double-digit homers in 2025 — his batting average and on-base percentage are on track for career lows.

Reds could explore bold trade for Pirates' outfielder Bryan Reynolds

Deciding to trade for a player who's having a down-year is always dicey. Banking on bounce-back that may never come and being stuck with the cost — in this case about $15 million per season through 2030 — is incredibly dangerous.

On the plus-side, there's the idea that trading for a player who's underperforming lessens the return. While Reynolds could've fetched a bevy of top prospects back in 2023 or even 2024, such a notion would be foolish at the moment given his downturn in production and the remaining salary on his contract.

That's where the Reds come in. Would president of baseball operations Nick Krall be willing to buy low on player like Reynolds with the hope that he'd return to his All-Star form? That would be quite the gamble, but if it worked, Krall would've solved one of Cincinnati's biggest flaws for the next several seasons.

The Reds have endured countless years of sub-par performance from their outfielders. Friedl was red-hot during the month of May, but cooled off dramatically in June. Hays has been terrific when he's on the field, but three IL trips and an impending trip to free agency make his future in Cincinnati somewhat questionable. The Reds continue to wait for Benson and Rece Hinds to breakout, but that hasn't happened yet.

Reynolds has quite the track record. He finished fourth in the 2019 NL Rookie of the Year voting, and was in the mix for MVP back in 2021. All the advanced metrics suggest that Reynolds is having an unlucky season. He's in the 80th percentile or higher in expected batting average, expected slugging, average exit velocity, and hard hit rate. Those are in the exact same range that allowed him put together an All-Star season in 2024.

At the end of the day, the asking price will determine whether or not the Reds are interested. There's certainly risk involved, but this is a possible trade the Reds should at least consider.

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