Reds have one Winter Meetings trade chip fans should be watching closely

The MLB Winter Meetings are set to begin this week. President of baseball operations Nick Krall, GM Brad Meador, manager Terry Francona, and other senior executives from the Cincinnati Reds front office will arrive in Orlando, Florida on Monday with the intent to build a competitive roster heading into the 2026 season.

At the moment, the Reds have a number of holes on the roster and a limited budget. As such, Krall and Co. may look to pull off a trade at this week's event in order bolster the team's lineup or add an extra reliever or two.

The Reds have an abundance of starting pitching, and most fans would probably assume that any trade Cincinnati makes during the Winter Meetings would include one of their starters. But the Reds also have a logjam up the middle of the field, and one of Cincinnati's infielders could be moved this week.

Will the Reds look to trade Matt McLain during the MLB Winter Meetings?

The Reds have declared that Elly De La Cruz is staying put at shortstop. The team also has Ke'Bryan Hayes — as anemic as his bat may be — locked in at third base for the next several seasons. But the right side of the infield is far less certain, and if the Reds wanted to take a big swing at the MLB Winter Meetings, they could look to trade second baseman Matt McLain.

McLain is coming off a down-year. In 2025, the former first-round pick hit a paltry .220/.300/.343 with a 77 wRC+. In McLain's defense, he was just one year removed from major shoulder surgery that cost him the entire 2024 season. Still, McLain's performance was so bad last season that he was bumped all the way down to the bottom of the Reds batting order.

Though his offense tanked, McLain still possessed an above-average glove at the keystone. While he registered -6 defensive runs saved (DRS) at second base, he was worth 6 outs above average (OAA) and possessed a .988 fielding percentage.

After adding Edwin Arroyo and Leo Balcazar to the 40-man roster a few weeks back, the Reds suddenly have an influx of talent up the middle. Arroyo is a natural shortstop, but could be a Gold Glove-caliber second baseman at the big league level. Balcazar has played second, third, and shortstop during his Minor League career.

The Reds also have Spencer Steer, Tyler Callihan, Sal Stewart, and Gavin Lux on the 40-man roster; all of whom have some level of experience at second base. Though McLain is easily the superior defender, his bat made him unplayable at times last season.

There's also the matter of McLain's contract. After qualifying for Super Two status, McLain is owed a raise heading into next season. MLB Trade Rumors projects McLain will take home $2.6 million in 2026, and though that's a relatively insignificant amount of money in baseball terms, the Reds are operating on a limited budget this winter. That $2.6 million could be used to boost the team's beleaguered bullpen.

McLain also rejected the Reds' attempt to sign him to a contract extension last winter. While he probably wishes he had that decision back, don't think that his rejection of that long-term deal doesn't weigh heavily on the minds of the Reds top decision-makers. If McLain was unwilling to agree to an extension last offseason, it's doubtful he'll look to stick around beyond his arbitration window. That could fuel Krall to get something in return now rather than watch McLain post another subpar season and lose all trade value.

The Reds would likely be selling low on McLain, which is arguably the biggest reason not to trade him at the MLB Winter Meetings. But if another team is willing to pay top-dollar for McLain's services, it's the type of deal that could help the Reds rebuild their 2026 roster rather quickly.