Reds' pursuit of Nick Pivetta could signal something bigger brewing behind the scenes

The Cincinnati Reds traded Jonathan India for starting pitcher Brady Singer earlier this offseason and have been connected to multiple other pitchers this offseason. Cincy was reportedly one of the finalists for Garrett Crochet and will likely check in on Roki Sasaki. More recently, the Reds have been linked too free agent Nick Pivetta.

Pivetta is a back-of-the-rotation starting pitcher who can eat some innings. The right-hander has gone over 140 innings in each of the past four seasons. Pivetta has solid strikeout numbers, hovering around 10 per nine innings, while posting a career-best 2.2 batters walked per nine innings this past season.

But with so many starters, why are the Reds pursuing Pivetta in the first place? The Reds have been looking for outfield help, so perhaps targeting Pivetta is a sign that Cincinnati is looking to use one of their young, controllable starting pitchers as trade bait.

Why are the Reds pursuing Nick Pivetta?

Hunter Greene isn't going anywhere and it's doubtful that Rhett Lowder or Chase Burns are either. The most likely trade candidates would probably be lefties Nick Lodolo and Andrew Abbot. The Reds have been linked to multiple hitters in trade talks, namely Josh Naylor, Lane Thomas, and Luis Robert Jr. The Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox could both use an infusion of talent into their starting rotations.

Naylor and Thomas are both players the Guardians are open to move and are entering their final year of team control. Naylor would fit well at first base and could provide that middle-of-the-order bat the Reds are seeking. Thomas, a right-handed hitter, would pair well with Jake Fraley and TJ Friedl in the outfield. Both Naylor and Thomas would be upgrades over what the Reds have now.

Robert would be a nice upgrade for the Reds, and though coming off of a down-year, the White Sox have set a high price. If he can bounce back, Robert has a shot to be an All-Star caliber player.

The Reds have a lot of moves they could make this offseason, but trading a starting pitcher shouldn't be off of the table. Bringing in a player like Pivetta who has shown the ability to log 140-plus innings could point towards the Reds looking to move one of their young starting pitchers, or at the very least, a lack of confidence in their ability to withstand the rigors of a 162-game campaign.

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