Reds are quietly positioned to win big once the Freddy Peralta domino finally falls

The Cincinnati Reds don't factor into Freddy Peralta's trade market at all, but what happens to the Milwaukee Brewers' ace could have serious implications for the rest of the offseason.

Five suitors have emerged for Peralta, and they're a veritable who's who of the deepest pockets in the sport, The Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees, and Boston Red Sox are all said to be in on Peralta.

Assuming the Brewers trade him, that means four of the teams who are hunting for a relatively cheap frontline starter will miss out. And that's where the Reds can swoop in and incite their own bidding war.

Freddy Peralta fallout could cause a bidding war for Reds starter Brady Singer

The nuclear option would be dangling Hunter Greene to those who miss out on Peralta. Thanks to his years of team control and recent dominance, Greene would fetch one of the biggest hauls in recent memory. But with the Reds eyeing a window of contention, that feels like one too many steps backward, and thankfully there haven't been many tangible rumors about his availability over the past several weeks.

More likely, the Reds would want to trade Brady Singer, who flourished during his first season in Cincinnati. He recorded a 4.03 ERA and 3.98 FIP in 169⅔ innings, while his 2.9 fWAR was tied with Greene for second-highest among all Reds starters and behind only Andrew Abbott.

Last season's performance was merely the continuation of an impressive trend for Singer. One of the most durable starters in the sport — he's made at least 24 starts in every season since 2021 — the right-hander has quietly been excellent in three of the past four seasons.

But Singer will be a free agent after the season and is owed $12.75 million in 2026, and the Reds have a plethora of pitcher competing for the final spot in the rotation. Holding a bidding war among those who miss out on Peralta feels like a smart use of resources, especially while the Reds continue to search for legitimate offensive upgrades.

Singer is not the same caliber pitcher as Peralta, but would serve as a rental with contract is relatively inexpensive for those big-market teams who miss out on the Milwaukee starter. The Reds would be foolish not to entertain offers for Singer after Peralta comes off the board.