Reds should feel relieved after Royals overpay, but know an upgrade is still needed

The Cincinnati Reds will still be in pursuit of a big bat, even with news that preferred target Kyle Schwarber is going back to the Philadelphia Phillies. Aside from the Reds needing to regroup on that front, a parallel need is for a right-handed bat to replace what they're set to lose with Austin Hays and Miguel Andujar in free agency.

This won't be the same sort of earth-shattering move that signing Schwarber or someone of his ilk would've been. Nor is it a suitable replacement for said heart-of-the-order bat. However, the impact of Andujar down the stretch and Hays, when he was able to take the field, were key cogs against left-handed pitching.

At the same time, the Reds don't have the budget to splurge on a platoon right-handed outfield bat. That means Andujar and Hays are likely goners, but there was a perfect buy-low candidate just waiting to migrate across Ohio.

Former Cleveland Guardians outfielder Lane Thomas represented a potential bargain that could've filled an important need for the Reds. Unfortunately, Thomas was just picked up by the Kansas City Royals, but the cost undoubtedly made the Reds turn the other way.

Reds should feel relieved after Royals overpay Lane Thomas

On the surface, Thomas looked like a huge risk. The 30-year-old put up an absolutely putrid .160/.246/.272 line with four homers in 2025. Not ideal. However, he was limited to just 39 games due to injury and was heavily impacted by a nagging case of plantar fasciitis that dragged down his performance like an anchor.

He's expected to make a full recovery and be ready for spring training, but the injury and subsequent downturn in performance are what should've made him a bargain. But instead of staring down a minimum-type deal, he signed a one-year, $5.75 million deal with Kansas City.

If Thomas didn't cost more than a $1-$2 million, he could've been a great value-add for the Reds. Much like Andujar and Hays, Thomas absolutely mashes lefties. For his career, he's slashed .292/.359/.500 against southpaws, showing off good contact, on-base skills, and power when a left-hander is on the mound. But that extra $4-$5 million will have the Reds headed back to the drawing board.

Given the Reds budget, they're likely looking for bargains, not market value for what a player was two years ago. If Cincinnati was in on Thomas, they were right to pass, and will likely need to upgrade their lineup through a trade if these are the prices on the open market.