Reds' dream trade for Xavier Edwards comes with a brutal reality

From the moment the Cincinnati Reds were eliminated from postseason contention, we've been banging the drum to seek out well-rounded players to upgrade the roster. The time for one-trick ponies is over; every player needs to be able to contribute in multiple facets if the Reds hope to keep pace in the NL Central.

Miami Marlins second baseman Xavier Edwards has been a popular pick online to do just that. One of the most valuable middle infielders in baseball over the last three years, Edwards has been worth 2.2 to 2.6 fWAR every year since 2024, and yet the Marlins are willing to listen on offers at the right price.

He's no power threat (10 career home runs in 381 games), but he does just about everything else well. That includes a patient approach at the plate (11.4% walk rate), elite contact skills (.291 career batting average), along with pristine baserunning (79 steals since 2024) and fielding IQ. He's only 27 years old and is entering his first year of arbitration, making him as perfect a trade candidate as the Reds could hope for.

But the price tag attached to Edwards will be enormous — far too high for the Reds to consider.

Reds must resist the temptation to go all-in on a sole savior like Xavier Edwards

The Marlins may be shopping Edwards, but it's going to cost a king's ransom. His lack of All-Star credentials and slugging ability will tamp down his market to some degree, but cheap, controllable middle infielders in the thick of their prime don't come cheap.

The Reds are on the clock when it comes to building a competitive roster around Elly De La Cruz, who's only under team control through 2029, but Cincinnati is hardly just a second baseman away from contention.

The Reds' entire operation — from the bullpen to the lineup to the defense — needs an overhaul. Emptying so much of the farm system for one player, especially one who isn't even in the All-Star tier player, is too great a gamble.

The Reds do not appear ready to give up on Matt McLain, who's endured an ugly two-year stretch, but is still under team control for three more seasons. The Reds just re-signed Oswaldo Cabrera and watched Juan Brito put up good numbers in September.

The Reds can't afford to go all-in on a player who would raise their ceiling when their floor is so low. Edwards is a tremendous talent, but don't expect him to land in Cincinnati this winter.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow