Reds just backed themselves into a corner by keeping Tyler Stephenson

The Cincinnati Reds made a questionable decision on Monday and chose not to trade Tyler Stephenson. The demand for catchers at this year's trade deadline was said to be high, and with Stephenson set to enter free agency after the season, many observers were surprised by Cincinnati's decision to hold on to their starting backstop.

Stephenson is having a tremendous season. After a slow start, he's now hitting .256/.342/.417 with nine home runs, 32 RBI, and a 108 OPS+. His .629 OPS through the first two months of the season was rather underwhelming, but since June 1, that number has jumped to .913.

By keeping Stephenson around past the deadline, the Reds have effectively backed themselves into a corner. Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall claimed that the organization didn't receive an offer they liked before Monday's deadline passed.

A number of fans, however, hold to the idea that something (anything) is better than nothing; which is exactly what Cincinnati will have to show for their efforts if Stephenson leaves via free agency. With that in mind, the Reds now have little choice but to sign Stephenson to a contract extension before the end of the season.

Reds must sign Tyler Stephenson to a contract extension ASAP

A Stephenson extension has been a topic of conversation for the better part of four years. Many fans were clamoring for the Reds to workout such a deal after he placed sixth in the NL Rookie of the Year voting following the 2021 season. Then, Stephenson suffered a season-ending injury in 2022 that limited him to just 50 games.

Stephenson failed to bounce back the way many would've hoped, and hit just .243/.317/.378 in 2023. That was a sharp drop off from the .286/.366/.431 line he posted the year before. Stephenson rallied in 2024, and many assumed that his performance would spur contract talks once again. That didn't happen, and the Reds' QB1 struggled in 2025.

But if the Reds fail to extend Stephenson now, they'll be headed into the 2027 season with Jose Trevino as their primary catcher. The only other backstop on the roster is journeyman minor leaguer Will Banfield. Reds fans are excited to see Alfredo Duno make his Major League debut, but that may not come until 2028 at the earliest.

With that in mind, the Reds should make every effort to re-sign Stephenson to a two or three-year extension before the 2026 campaign comes to a close. The former first-round pick is currently taking home $6.8 million this season, but a two-year deal with an average annual value in the neighborhood of $10 million, might be enough for both sides to sign on the dotted line.

The Reds have a lot of money coming off the books this coming offseason, so the resources are there. It's time to get a deal done.

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