Trading for Josh Naylor doesn't make sense for the Reds and here's why

With Terry Francona now installed as the new Cincinnati Reds manager, it's only natural to assume that some of his previous players would love to be reunited with the future Hall of Famer. Shane Bieber sure would look nice with a wishbone 'C' on his cap next season, and a number of Reds fans have advocated for first baseman Josh Naylor to be part of Cincinnati's roster in 2025.

The Cleveland Guardians are rumored to be shopping Naylor this offseason. Much like Trevor Bauer, Francisco Lindor, and others former Guardians, Naylor's time in Cleveland may be drawing to close. The Guardians have a history of trading players who are entering their second and third round round through the arbitration process, and thus adding more zeroes to their paycheck.

Trading for Josh Naylor doesn't make sense for the Reds and here's why

But Naylor isn't necessarily a great fit for the Reds. Though his 16.6% strikeout rate and 31 home runs looks fantastic , Naylor is yet another left-handed bat. While Naylor is not a platoon player and there's not a tremendous drop off in his splits, the Reds are loaded with lefties already. While both Elly De La Cruz and Jeimer Candelario are both switch hitter, they're predominantly swinging from the left side. Cincinnati also has Jake Fraley, TJ Friedl, and Will Benson.

In addition to the Reds ability to run out four-plus left-handed hitters on a routine basis, Cincinnati also has an abundance of corner infielders. Both Candelario — who's making $16 million in 2025 — and Christian Encarnacion-Strand are land locked at first base with Spencer Steer also an option. Though Candelario has the ability to play third base, his defensive metrics were horrible in 2024.

If the Reds were going to make a trade for a big bat, it should be a right-handed hitter who can play the outfield. Naylor is the exact opposite — a left-handed hitter who's stuck at first base. While his bat would definitely play well inside Great American Ball Park, swinging a trade for the 27-year-old slugger doesn't make a lot of sense.

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