Reds suddenly have ideal trade partner after Orioles’ big Winter Meetings splash

The Baltimore Orioles have been one of the most active teams in improving their club this offseason, but even with all of the big splashes, their most pressing need remains. The Cincinnati Reds could be poised to help them out.

The Orioles walked with the biggest prize of the Winter Meetings, inking power-hitting Pete Alonso to a five-year, $155 million deal. The Reds, meanwhile, left the festivities licking their wounds as hometown boy Kyle Schwarber spurned their advances. It should feel as if these two clubs are moving in different directions, but in actuality, the recent events could only pull them closer.

The needs of the Orioles and Reds are diametrically opposed. So too are their strengths. Baltimore got the thump it needs with Alonso and Taylor Ward before him, but its starting rotation still leaves a lot to be desired.

Meanwhile, Cincinnati is still starving for a big bat of its own, but the rotation is flush, and the reserves are overflowing. This could bring the two sides close to a deal, and there are a lot of secondary reasons why a partnership makes sense.

The Reds and Orioles line up perfectly for a trade, thanks to Pete Alonso

The Orioles have been searching for a true ace for some time now. The club traded for Corbin Burnes ahead of the 2024 season, but watched him walk away in free agency after just one year. It wasn't for lack of trying, Baltimore offered Burnes a whopping $45 million AAV over a four-year deal, but their front office chief, Mike Elias, has always been skittish about coughing up big years and big money for starters, preferring to acquiesce on one front but not both.

So while the Orioles are involved in negotiations for top-of-the-market solutions like Framber Valdez and Ranger Suarez, it's a real question if they'll pony up the long-term, big-money deal required to land either fish.

On the other hand, the Orioles could use more than just an ace. The rest of their rotation features Trevor Rogers (4.92 ERA in 2024, 1.81 ERA in 2025), who has never pitched more than 133 innings in a season. Ditto for Kyle Bradish, who has made just 14 starts in the past two seasons. Dean Kremer is a steady back-of-the-rotation presence, but not much more. Cade Povich and Tyler Wells come with massive question marks as well.

The Reds have seen rumors swirl around Hunter Greene, and while he fits the bill as a true ace on an affordable deal, it's hard to find the value that would lead Cincinnati to part with him. Brady Singer is the hurler they'd prefer to move, and the stability he brings, combined with a short-term, relatively affordable commitment, could be right up the Orioles' alley.

In return, Baltimore can offer up a package headlined by one of their young bats who have been squeezed out.

Colton Cowser, 25, is coming off a down year that was bogged down by injuries, but his left-handed bat produced a 24-homer, .768 OPS campaign in 2024 and is under control through 2029. Dylan Beavers, 24, is another lefty bat with immense potential. He only has 35 big league games on his résumé, but his 19% walk rate in that time, combined with his power potential, makes him a potentially potent weapon.

Less of a fit, but still intriguing, is 24-year-old Coby Mayo. The once-promising first baseman has struggled mightily, posting an 81 wRC+ so far in his young career, but his pedigree and youth are intriguing. He'd be a tough positional fit, however.

Alonso's arrival, combined with Ward and the other, more established, young players in the lineup, will force at least one of these guys out of the Orioles lineup, giving the Reds a prime opportunity to snatch an affordable young bat with a ton of potential in exchange for Singer, or one of their other arms.

The needs and surpluses line up; now it's time for Nick Krall to get on the phone and try to get a deal done.