Reds may find a Gavin Lux market if AL West team misses on Brendan Donovan

Gavin Lux has remained on the Cincinnati Reds offseason roster much longer than many fans expected. Several assumed Lux would be non-tendered last November. But the former Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop survived and it's assumed that he'll be part of the roster when the team descends upon Arizona in a few weeks.

But Lux didn't even arrive in Cincinnati until January last year, and depending on how the market unfolds, it wouldn't be surprising to see him wearing a different team's uniform in 2026.

The Seattle Mariners could be one of those teams who might be interested in trading for the Reds' utility player, especially if their efforts to land Brendan Donovan fall short. The Mariners have been linked to the St. Louis Cardinals top trade chip, but there are a number of teams — including the San Francisco Giants — who are also looking to add Donovan this offseason.

Reds' utility player Gavin Lux could be traded if the Mariners miss out on Brendan Donovan

Donovan has been drawing a lot of trade interest from the Mariners since the offseason began, but Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (subscription required) is reporting that such discussions have yet to bear fruit. Seattle is said to like Donovan's defensive versatility and his 119 OPS+.

Pivoting to a player like Lux would still offer Seattle plenty of defensive versatility. Like Donovan, Lux spent time at both second base and left field in 2025. Though neither possesses an elite glove, having a player who's willing to play on the infield dirt and outfield grass is quite the luxury. Donovan outclasses Lux in a number of advanced metrics, but the former first-round pick was still able to post a .724 OPS against right-handed pitchers last season.

Lux isn't the All-Star that Donovan is, but represents a much cheaper version of the same type of player. Both Donovan and Lux are expected to take home about $5 million during the upcoming season, but St. Louis has put a high price tag on their second baseman. The Cardinals are looking for a prospect-laden package in exchange for Donovan, while trading for Lux wouldn't cost an organization anywhere close to that.

Lux is heading into the final year of his arbitration window and will be a free agent after next season. The Reds recently added Dane Myers and JJ Bleday, so Lux's time in the outfield is likely to be quite rare in 2026. In fact, with Matt McLain, Sal Stewart, and Spencer Steer on the roster, it's looking more and more likely that Lux will be the de facto DH for Cincinnati next season.

There are a myriad of reasons the Reds should be shopping Lux this offseason. But in order to pull off a trade, you need to find a willing partner. The fallout following the Donovan trade — which is expected to happen at some point this offseason — could trigger another club to give the Reds a call. Will it be the Mariners? Someone else?