Reds Rumors: Surprise AL contender emerges as Tyler Stephenson trade partner

The Cincinnati Reds are obvious sellers with the MLB trade deadline fast approaching. The club has reportedly made it known that all players on expiring contracts are up for grabs, and that includes starting catcher Tyler Stephenson.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic recently relayed that the Chicago White Sox are "working hard" to acquire a catcher before the August 3 deadline. Stephenson would seem to be good fit for the South Siders, and it wouldn't be surprising in the least if these two organizations worked out a deal over the next week.

Reds Rumors: White Sox emerge as logical trade destination for Tyler Stephenson

The White Sox recently Kyle Teel to the injured list with a high ankle sprain. All signs point to the 24-year-old backstop missing the next 8 to 12 weeks, and in the meantime, Chicago is relying on the combination of Drew Romo and Edgar Quero. No wonder the White Sox are looking for reinforcements.

Stephenson has been a fixture in the Reds lineup since 2020. Though he's battled his fair share of injuries throughout his first six big-league seasons, Stephenson has been healthy this year and he's caught fire at the plate over the past few weeks.

Since the calendar flipper to July, Stephenson owns a .333/.349/.548 slash line with three doubles, two home runs, and 139 wRC+. His defense behind the plate has been terrific this season as well, and he's become one of the most proficient users of the new ABS challenge system. According to Baseball Savant, the Reds' catcher has won 72% of his ABS disputes.

The White Sox won't be the only team looking to shore things up behind the dish. Rosenthal also mentioned the New York Yankees as a potential landing spot for Stephenson. While the Bronx Bombers have their sights set on Minnesota Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers, it sounds as if the hotly-contest playoff race in the AL Central will keep him where he is.

Though there's not a direct connection (yet), you can be sure that these latest Reds rumors will gain some steam as the August 3 deadline nears. Reds fans should expect to learn of even more teams interested in trading for Stephenson in the coming days.

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