Yesterday was a disheartening day to be a Reds fan.
Let’s get this part out of the way: if you had told me before the season that the Reds would be in first place on August 1, I wouldn’t have been thrilled; I would have thought you were literally insane. As they were constructed going into the season, I fully expected them to push for 100 losses again. Given ownership’s (or, more accurately, ownership’s son’s) derisive attitude toward the fanbase and retaining talented players, my interest was at an all-time low. I even thought about not keeping the streaming subscription that shows me the games. I almost certainly would have canceled if not for the fact that this could be Joey Votto’s last year, and being able to watch him play was worth it to me.
So I kept it, and stuck to my habit of watching each game (whenever possible) despite Votto starting the season on the injured list, and the season didn’t start off great. But then they started moving some pieces around, bringing up some of the prospects, and they started to win some games. And then the Ricky Karcher game happened (holy shit)! And then Joey came back slugging! And then Elly De La Cruz hit for the cycle! And there was a Viking helmet featured prominently throughout! The Reds were fun, and they were winning, and lo and behold, August 1 rolled around and they were in first place in the National League Central Division.
But!
August 1 was this year’s MLB trade deadline, meaning it was the last chance for contending ballclubs to significantly improve themselves for the stretch run by making trades for players on other teams. After using trades last season, including at the deadline, to sell of pieces of their big-league team and stock their minor league teams with prospects, the Reds looked to be in the opposite position this year, with plenty of trade chips and payroll flexibility to go get a player or two to shore up their weaknesses and put themselves in a great position to make the playoffs and push for a World Series trophy. They desperately needed a starting pitcher—and there were several available—and could have used some help in the bullpen. And, you know, if there were other opportunities to improve, why not?
On Monday night, they traded a minor leaguer to Oakland for a lefty reliever, Sam Moll. On Tuesday, I kept my eyes and ears fixed as much as possible on baseball news, eagerly anticipating a move. I was really hoping for Justin Verlander—in my opinion, he was exactly what this team needed: a great pitcher, Cy Young winner, playoff and World Series veteran, someone who could lead this young, talented staff by example—but I knew that might be a long shot. But still, they had to get somebody. Would it be Dylan Cease? Eduardo Rodriguez? Michael Lorenzen?
It was Sam Moll. That was it; that was the move. Deadline day was completely and utterly anticlimactic.
Reds GM Nick Krall said afterwards that they had a lot of conversations but ultimately couldn’t find a deal that made sense. And on one hand, I’m glad the Reds didn’t overpay in prospects for a player that wasn’t a massive upgrade. But on the other hand…all the teams the Reds are competing against managed to find ways to improve. And the fact that the Reds didn’t, despite their needs, stokes my fear that the Reds, at the highest levels, don’t really care if they win a championship or not.
And yes, I’m aware that Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo are slated to return from injury in the coming weeks, and that should greatly help the starting rotation if they can pitch well. But counting on two young pitchers coming off injuries to lead a playoff push seems more in the realm of a “hope” than a “plan.” Adding a veteran starter at the front—or hell, even the middle—of the rotation would have made this team that much more of a serious contender. The results of the game following the trade deadline—a 20-9 loss to division rival Chicago—made that abundantly clear.
Lack of moves notwithstanding, I really hope they can do it. I hope they can hold off the Brewers and Cubs to win the Central, or barring that, at least win enough games to make it into the playoffs as a wild card. If they can make it into the playoffs, anything can happen, and nobody will be losing their mind more than me if they go all the way.
But one way or another, this team is probably going to look a lot different next year. First up is the question of whether Joey Votto will retire or return, a question that has as much to do with his contract as it does his ability and desire to play. Beyond that, it seems incredibly unlikely to me that Jake Fraley, Will Benson, Nick Senzel, Spencer Steer, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Jonathan India, Jose Barrero, and Noelvi Marte will all still be in the organization next year. And that’s just on the hitting side, and I’m sure there are more names I could have listed. So trades are coming, and the offseason market is a whole different animal. If the Reds truly are interested in building a perennial championship contender, it’s going to be time to show it.
The Commaphile 