This Reds-Braves trade looks perfect on paper, but one pesky detail ruins everything

The Cincinnati Reds still need to add offensive firepower, but a tight budget will require some creativity. The club hasn't completely settled all of its arbitration cases, but with some dominoes falling, the picture on the 2026 payroll is starting to come into focus.

This means that the trade market is the Reds' best chance to make upgrades to the roster. We've heard this song before, but the Reds' impressive rotation depth likely holds the key to them finding a bat to round out the lineup.

The good news here is that starting pitching has become uber expensive. Free agents ranging from top-end arms like Dylan Cease, to mid-level veterans nearing the end of their careers like Merrill Kelly are getting paid big bucks. That has led to starter-needy teams turning to trades in search of controllable arms, and the pitchers who've been dealt have netted quite the haul.

That's why Nick Lodolo becomes an attractive piece for clubs in need of rotation help. He'll make just $4.725 million in 2026, and doesn't hit free agency until after the 2027 season. That sales pitch could get someone to give up a high-potential major league bat.

A club that could use a starter and might have a young, potentially impactful, hitter that they're willing to part with could be the Atlanta Braves. Center fielder Michael Harris II's inconsistencies could have him on the block, and Lodolo could be exactly what Atlanta would like to add to its rotation, except for one thing.

A Nick Lodolo-Michael Harris II swap could benefit both the Reds and the Braves

The Braves have spent significant money this offseason on former Reds closer Raisel Iglesias, Robert Suarez, and Ha-Seong Kim. That could lead them to look to the trade market for an affordable arm to complement Chris Sale, Spencer Schwellenbach, and Spencer Strider.

With Sale being the only lefty, adding a southpaw like Lodolo, who is coming off a superb 3.33 ERA campaign, could be a very attractive proposition. The performance, potential, and affordable contract could be enough to get them to part with Harris, who, despite entering his age-25 season, was a big disappointment with a .249/.268/.409 slash line last season.

Still, Harris hit a career-best 20 homers in 2025, and even with his inconsistent performance over the last two seasons, he has slashed .274/.307/.451 for his career. A change of scenery could be just what the doctor ordered for the 2022 NL Rookie of the Year.

There's one significant sticking point. The Braves dealt with a litany of injuries to their starters in 2025, with Sale, Schwellenbach, and Strider all missing significant time. Reynaldo Lopez made just one start before missing the rest of the year and requiring arthroscopic shoulder surgery.

With that history, durability is paramount for Atlanta, and it's not something Lodolo provides. The lanky lefty's big league story has been marred by injury, and while he was mostly healthy in 2025, logging a career-high 156⅔ innings, his past health struggles might put a bitter taste in Atlanta's mouth.

A swap would make sense for both sides in many ways, but the injury concern with Lodolo might kill any deal before it has a chance to gain steam.