Reds Rumors: Nick Pivetta's new suitor, Roki Sasaki pursuit, challenging trade market

The Cincinnati Reds rumors have been hot and heavy this offseason, but actions speak louder than words. Outside of re-signing Nick Martinez to a qualifying offer and trading for Brady Singer, it's been a quiet offseason for the Reds.

While those two moves cannot be ignored, the Reds have an obvious void on the roster. Cincinnati's lineup took a hit after trading Jonathan India and Joey Wiemer to the Kansas City Royals, and the Reds have been looking for an outfielder since the offseason began.

Reds Rumors: Blue Jays emerge as potential landing spot for Nick Pivetta

The Reds are in the market for an outfielder, but they're also looking to upgrade the starting rotation. Cincinnati was linked to Garrett Crochet before he was dealt to the Boston Red Sox, and more recently the Reds were rumored to have interest in Nick Pivetta.

But the Reds are not the only club who's looking to land the former Red Sox starter. Boston is interested in re-signing Pivetta and the New York Mets are looking to bolster their rotation even more after adding Frankie Montas and Clay Holmes. According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Toronto Blue Jays are interested in bringing Pivetta home to Canada. The right-hander is from Victoria, and the Jays could certainly use an extra arm in their rotation.

Reds Rumors: Cincy has reached out to Roki Sasaki's representatives

If there's one major free agent splash the Reds could make this offseason, it's signing Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki. The 23-year-old was posted during the MLB Winter Meetings last week and is expected to make his decision after January 15th.

Sasaki's agent noted that small and mid-markets could be a nice fit for the young right-hander, and according to Nick Krall, the Reds have reached out and talked to his representation. While the Reds have only signed one Japanese player (Shogo Akiyama) during the franchise's history, Cincinnati's minor-league development department could be key in securing Sasaki's services. The Reds also have one of the largest international bonus pools available.

Reds Rumors: Demanding trade market making it difficult for Nick Krall to swing a deal

Reds fans are hoping to see the team make a big splash in the free agent market, but sky-high prices make deals for players like Teoscar Hernández more of a pipe dream than a reality. The trade route makes more sense given the Reds' depth in the minor leagues.

But the market is not cooperating. Krall appeared on the Reds Hot Stove League radio program on Tuesday and revealed that most teams are looking to swap major league talent this winter. That's a great sign for the sport as a whole, but Cincinnati's major league roster is rather thin outside the starting rotation, and it would seem unlikely that the Reds would trade one of their young hurlers. Only a handful of teams are looking to acquire prospects this offseason.

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