Reds History: Cincy trades no-hit artist with bloated contract to Dodgers

The Cincinnati Reds gave their fanbase an early Christmas gift back on December 21, 2018. Longtime Reds' starter —and the owner of two no-hit performances — Homer Bailey was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in blockbuster deal brought Yasiel Puig and others to the city of Cincinnati.

The Reds had just hired manager David Bell back in October and were looking to turn the page with a new group of stars heading into the 2019 season. Bailey had worn out his welcome in Cincinnati after posting a 6.09 ERA in 20 starts during yet another injury-plagued campaign.

Bailey was entering the final year of a $105 million contract he signed with the Reds in 2014. The right-hander was owed $23 million in 2019, and the deal contained a $20 million option for the 2020 season with a $5 million buyout.

Reds History: Cincy trades Homer Bailey, prospects to Dodgers for Yaseil Puig, Matt Kemp & Kyle Farmer

The Reds found a taker for Bailey's enormous contract in the form of their longtime NL nemesis. The Dodgers agreed to take on the remainder of Bailey's contract along with top prospects Josiah Gray and Jeter Downs in exchange for Puig, Matt Kemp, Alex Wood, Kyle Farmer, and cash considerations.

Strangely enough, none of the three players LA received from Cincy ever suited up for the Dodgers. Bailey was promptly released by Los Angeles prior to the 2019 season. The former first-rounder latched on with the Kansas City Royals before finishing his career with the Minnesota Twins in 2020. Gray was part of deal with the Washington Nationals that brought Max Scherzer and Trea Turner to Hollywood in 2021, and Downs was part of the Mookie Betts' trade with the Boston Red Sox.

As for the Reds, Puig spent half the 2019 season in Cincinnati before being dealt to the Cleveland Guardians as part of a trade package that brought Trevor Bauer to the Queen City. Kemp was released just 20 games into his tenure with the Reds, and Wood only made seven starts during the 2019 season due to injury. Farmer, however, became a solid contributor for the Reds during his four seasons with the club and was traded to the Twins after the 2022 season.

The trade itself was not earth-shattering for either organization, but both teams benefited in different ways over the long haul. Seeing as how Los Angeles was able to include Downs in a deal with Boston that helped bring a former MVP into the Dodgers' clubhouse, it's hard to argue against the idea that LA won the trade. That said, Farmer was a brght spot for the Reds during the rebuild and trading Puig helped Cincinnati bring a future Cy Young Award-winner to their ball club.

Jay Allen II is still in the Reds' farm system and was the 2021 compensatory draft pick Cincinnati received after Bauer signed with the Dodgers during free agency following the 2020 season. So there's still an opportunity for the Reds to continue to reap the benefits of the 2018 blockbuster trade despite being now six years removed from the transaction.

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