Reds have opportunity to capitalize on Yankees-Red Sox trade deadline drama

As the 2026 MLB trade deadline draws near, a number of teams are scrambling to make various roster upgrades, and the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox find themselves in the middle of a hotly-contest race for Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman.

Rutschman, who oddly enough is currently on the injured list, has a number of suitors, but recent trade rumors suggest the Red Sox are closing in on a deal to acquire the former No. 1-overall pick.

If that deal goes through, the Yankees will be left with a gigantic void behind the plate, and may quickly pivot to Cincinnati Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson as their fallback option. The Reds are thought to be shopping Stephenson who will be a free agent after the 2026 season, and might be able to squeeze a little bit more from New York thanks to Brian Cashman's desperation.

Yankees-Reds Sox drama could net the Reds a nice trade package for Tyler Stephenson

Stephenson, who gave an emotionally-charged interview following Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, has been a popular name among MLB insiders for the past few weeks.

With the Reds 5½ games back of the final NL Wild Card spot, Cincinnati has become obvious sellers at the deadline, and most experts and pundits expect them to offload any and all veterans on expiring contacts. That, of course, includes Stephenson.

Stephenson's performance this season hasn't been as good as Rutschman's, but the Reds' primary backstop has caught fire over the past few weeks, and is hitting .320/.393/.520 with five home runs and 15 RBI since June 1. This is arguably as good as Stephenson's looked since 2022 when his season was cut short due to injury.

Stephenson also excels behind the dish — both in terms of blocking and ABS challenges. The 30-year-old is among the best in the game when it comes to challenging the umpire's borderline calls.

After 6 p.m. ET no more trades can be made, so the Reds have a few mores hours to figure out how they plan to move forward as an organization — both in 2026 and into the future. Without a contract extension on the table, trading Stephenson seems like the only logical option, and the Yankees may quickly become the most likely suitor.

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