Reds rumors thrust Cincy into Ketel Marte sweepstakes with AL contenders lurking

The Ketel Marte to the Cincinnati Reds smoke has been brewing for some time now. As the dust settles on the Winter Meetings, it seems as if fans are beginning to gain more clarity as to where the real priorities lie.

At first, it seemed as if the offer to Kyle Schwarber was a one-of-a-kind punch up into the superstar tier. If they had been successful in their quest, there would have been additional dominoes to fall in order to make the budget work.

Now, though it seems like Cincinnati isn't scared off by bloated salaries, as long as the club finds the player in question worthwhile. Thanks to recent updates, that seems to be the case with Ketel Marte.

Reds Rumors: Cincy is a real player for Ketel Marte, but the Red Sox and Tigers are circling

USA Today's Bob Nightengale dropped a few interesting Marte nuggets in his most recent report. The first of which is that going into the Winter Meetings, the Diamondbacks didn't feel as if trading Marte was a likely outcome; however, based on how negotiations went, they now feel like it's an eventuality.

Nightengale goes on to list the top suitors for the three-time All-Star, naming the Boston Red Sox as the favorite, though the Detroit Tigers and the Reds are potential suitors.

The more deep-pocketed American League contenders would seem to have a leg up. Marte's contract is hefty, though the $19.16 million AAV isn't particularly onerous. The bigger issue with Marte is that he's already 32, and this latest extension has him on the books through his age-36 season, at minimum.

Boston can certainly absorb that money both now and in the years to come. Detroit can, though they'll need to decide that's really something they want to do. The Reds? That's a little more dicey.

However, if this is purely about return packages, the Reds might be able to best anything the other two clubs have to offer. Arizona isn't trading Marte because they want to blow it up. Instead, they're shopping him in order to rebalance their roster and address the serious need they have in the starting rotation.

Arizona likely won't see Corbin Burnes at all following his elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery. As currently constructed, their No. 2 and No. 3 starters are Eduardo Rodriguez and Brandon Pfaadt. Rodriguez recorded a 5.02 ERA in 2025, while Pfaadt came in at a 5.25 mark.

Detroit likely needs to add a starter, not subtract one, and Boston is possibly eyeing more rotation help even after trading for Sonny Gray. The Reds? Trading a starter is their bread-and-butter.

Swapping Hunter Greene for Marte would help offset the salary increase Cincinnati would be taking on, at least for the next three seasons, though that would leave the Reds without an ace. If they deal Brady Singer, more will be needed, and they'll have to figure out how to make payroll work in future years. Nick Lodolo could also be of interest for the Diamondbacks, but again, there's more that would need to be added in order to swing a deal.

Marte to the Reds isn't likely, but it is a real possibility. That alone should make Reds fans happy. It's disappointing that they have to operate with such a tight budget, but these rumors show they're doing everything in their power to make it work.