Cincinnati Reds Offseason Tracker: Hottest Free Agency News, Trade Rumors
The Cincinnati Reds missed the playoffs for only the second time in the past five years in 2014, so now the club will spend this offseason trying to figure out a way to get back to the postseason. However, the team will be focused not only on building for the 2015 season, but for years to come.
Four of the team's five starting pitchers—Johnny Cueto, Mat Latos, Mike Leake and Alfredo Simon—are set to become free agents after next season. The team will spend the offseason trying to figure out whom it might be able to lock up and who might be able to bring in pieces for the future.
Cincinnati freed up $9 million in cash by trading Jonathan Broxton in the middle of the season. That will give the team some extra cash to work with this winter.
The Reds, when healthy, have enough talent to make the postseason. Left field is the only position in the starting eight that really needs to be addressed.
Stay tuned throughout November to see what is going on with the Reds.
All stats are via MLB.com
Done Deals
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Oct. 30: Exercised RHP Johnny Cueto's $10 million option
Oct. 30: Declined LF Ryan Ludwick's $9.5 million option, pay $4.5 million buyout
Oct. 30: Declined INF Jack Hannahan's $4 million option, pay $2 million buyout (Dec. 23: Signed one-year, $1 million with South Korea's LG Twins)
Nov. 21: Signed OF Brennan Boesch to minor-league contract
Dec. 2: Traded OF Chris Heisey to Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for RHP Matt Magill
Dec. 11: Traded RHP Alfredo Simon to Detroit Tigers in exchange for SS Eugenio Suarez and RHP Jonathon Crawford
Dec. 11: Traded RHP Mat Latos to the Miami Marlins in exchange for RHP Anthony DeSclafani and C Chad Wallach
Dec. 31: Acquired OF Marlon Byrd from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for RHP Ben Lively
Dec. 31: Acquired Marlon Byrd from the Phillies
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The Cincinnati Reds have acquired outfielder Marlon Byrd from the Philadelphia Philles in exchange for right-handed pitcher, according to Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal.
Cincinnati wanted a big bat for left field, preferably one that could cover the next year or two until its prospects are ready. That's exactly what Byrd provides.
Byrd hit .264 with 25 home runs, 28 doubles and 85 RBI in 2014. That comes just one year after he hit .291 with 24 home runs and 35 doubles.
The 37-year-old will make $8 million in 2015 and has a vesting $8 million for the 2016 season. With that salary due, Rosenthal expects Philadelphia to include quite a bit of money in the deal.
Although the Reds did get a left fielder who can help the offense in 2015, this is a bit of a questionable move. Sure, the team will have a better lineup next season than it did this year. However, it just gave up a top pitching prospect for a player—who has a history of PED use—near the end of his career.
With Mat Latos gone and Johnny Cueto and/or Mike Leake possibly leaving after next season, the Reds can't be giving away promising arms in exchange for aging players—unless the club believe that player puts them over the top. Does Byrd really make the Reds World Series contenders, or does he just solidify the team as playoff contenders? It's most likely the latter.
Dec. 11: Reds Trade Mat Latos to Marlins
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The Cincinnati Reds have traded right-hander Mat Latos to the Miami Marlins in exchange for right-handed pitcher Anthony DeSclafani and catcher Chad Wallach.
When healthy, Latos is one of the best pitchers in the league. He went 33-16 with a 3.31 ERA in three seasons with the Reds.
However, his injury history made it tough for the Reds to commit to.
Latos spent last offseason recovering from surgery that removed bone chips in his pitching elbow. Then, on the first official day of spring training, he slipped and tore the meniscus in his left knee. He was out until June recovering from that injury. He pitched very well when he returned but missed the end of the season with a bone bruise in his right elbow.
Latos is eligible for arbitration for the third time and was due for a nice bump from the $7.25 million he made this past season. The Reds were able to address some other areas and shed salary with this trade.
DeSclafani, 24, spent time in Double-A and Triple-A in 2014. He went 3-3 with a 3.49 ERA in 12 games (11 starts) at Triple-A. He has a career 3.23 ERA in 73 games (65 starts) in his three seasons in the minors. DeSclafani has zoomed through the minors and gives the Reds a promising young arm.
Wallach, 23, hit .322 with a .431 on-base percentage in two levels of Single-A this year. He has just seven home runs in 571 plate appearances, so he is more of a contact hitter, rather than a power hitter.
Cincinnati had a tough decision on Latos. In the end, the Reds decided to shed some salary and get some pieces for the future.
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Dec. 11: Reds Trade Alfredo Simon to Tigers
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The Cincinnati Reds have traded right-hander Alfredo Simon to the Detroit Tigers, according to Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal. Per MLB.com's Mark Sheldon, Cincinnati will receive shortstop Eugenio Suarez and right-hander Jonathon Crawford.
Cincinnati deserves a lot of credit for how it handled Simon. The club picked the pitcher off the waiver wire from the Baltimore Orioles before the 2012 season. It turned a pitcher who hadn't had much success into a pitcher who has put up solid numbers as a reliever and a starter.
Now, the Reds were able to get his value up and trade him.
The 33-year-old went 12-3 with a 2.70 ERA in the first half of the 2014 season and ended up making the National League All-Star team. However, he went just 3-7 with a 4.52 ERA in the second half of the season. He threw 196.1 innings this season, which is over 80 innings more than his previous best. That may explain his second-half struggles.
Simon made $1.5 million this year. Given that he joined the starting rotation and made the All-Star team this year, he was due for a nice raise. The Reds opted to sell high on him and were able to shed salary by dealing him.
Suarez, 23, hit .242 with four home runs and nine doubles in 277 plate appearances for the Tigers in 2014. He has a career slash line .278/.362/.415 in six minor-league seasons. He gives the Reds much needed depth at shortstop.
Crawford, 23, was a first-round pick by Detroit in 2013. Per MLB.com, he was the No. 2 prospect in the Tigers' system. The right-hander is 8-5 with a 2.73 ERA in 31 career starts at the Single-A level.
The Reds turned a waiver pick-up into a first-round pick and a young shortstop—and the cleared some salary. That's a pretty good turn of events for the club.
Oct. 30: Reds Exercise Johnny Cueto's $10 Million Option; Extension Candidate
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Update: Tuesday, Dec. 9 at 5:10 p.m. ET
Opposing teams are calling about Cueto, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports. However, although the Reds are listening on the ace, they reportedly try to move the conversation to other pitchers.
--End of Update--
Update: Monday, Nov. 10 at 7:30 p.m. ET
The Reds are unlikely to trade Johnny Cueto this offseason, according to CBS Sports' Jon Heyman.
--End of Update--
In what was the easiest decision any club will make all winter, the Reds have picked up their $10 million option on Johnny Cueto. Now the team will look into the possibility of signing the ace to a multi-year extension.
Cueto went 20-9 with a 2.25 ERA this season. His win total and earned run average were second only to Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw. The 28-year-old led the league with 243.2 innings pitched and 242 strikeouts, tied with Washington Nationals star Stephen Strasburg on the latter.
Had Kershaw not had a ridiculous season, Cueto likely would have won Cincinnati's first Cy Young Award. In fact, the right-hander has made a case for the Cy Young Award in two of the past three seasons.
In early October, Cueto told MLB.com's Mark Sheldon that he would like to stay in Cincinnati past 2015. That's a good sign for the club, but a pitcher of his caliber typically demands a big contract.
The Reds will certainly look at trying to lock up Cueto to a multi-year deal, but if they are unable to do so, they may look at dealing the ace for young talent.
Reds Receiving Heavy Interest on Aroldis Chapman
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In what comes as a bit of a surprise, the Reds are reportedly open to trading closer Aroldis Chapman. MLB.com's Joe Frisaro reported that Cincinnati may be willing to deal the hard-throwing southpaw.
Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal reported that there is "heavy interest" in Chapman.
It's no secret that the club will look at trading starting pitching in order to clear some payroll and to address other needs. However, Chapman was not among the players thought to be on the trade block.
Chapman posted a 2.00 ERA and recorded 36 saves in 54 games this year. He struck out 106 batters and walked just 24 in 54 innings. The left-hander mixed up his pitches more than ever before, effectively utilizing his slider and changeup.
The 26-year-old had to overcome getting struck in the face by a line drive in spring training and had arguably the most efficient season of his career.
Trading Chapman doesn't make a ton of sense. The Reds' bullpen ranked 26th in the majors with a 4.11 ERA last season, and there weren't many reliable relievers outside of Chapman—especially once Jonathan Broxton was traded late in the season. Trading Chapman would bring back a nice return and likely clear some payroll. However, it would also weaken an area that already needs help.
Chapman made $5 million in 2014 and is due for a raise in arbitration. He is under club control through the 2016 season.
Yoenis Cespedes: Potential Trade Target
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The Reds have reportedly talked to the Boston Red Sox about outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, according to Fox Sports' Jon Morosi.
Of course, this looks like a very logical match. The Red Sox need pitching, and the Reds want a power bat for left field. Each team has what the other wants, but it doesn't appear as though anything is imminent.
Cespedes, 29, hit .260 with 22 home runs and 100 RBI between the Oakland A's and the Red Sox in 2014.
He is under club control for one more season.
John Axford: Free Agent Target
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The Reds are interested in right-handed reliever John Axford, according to MLB.com's Mark Sheldon.
Axford has spent the majority of his career inside of the NL Central, so familiarity with the division is likely an attractive trait for the club.
The 31-year-old split time with the Cleveland Indians and the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2014. He went 2-4 with 10 saves in 62 appearances this year. He posted a 3.95 ERA in 54.2 innings, striking out 63 and walking 36.
Axford spent the first four-plus seasons of his career with the Milwaukee Brewers. He recorded 105 saves from 2010-12. The veteran reliever finished the 2013 season with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Given that he has spent nearly his entire career in the NL Central, Axford has pitched at Great American Ball Park. He has a 10.80 ERA in 15 outings, spanning 11.2 innings, in Cincinnati.
Dec. 2: Traded Chris Heisey to Dodgers for RHP Matt Magill
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The Cincinnati Reds have traded outfielder Chris Heisey to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for right-handed pitcher Matt Magill.
For much of his time with the Reds, Heisey has been used off the bench. He had a couple of chances to solidify himself as an everyday player but could never grab hold of the job.
Heisey hit .222 with eight home runs and 15 doubles in 2014. Four of his home runs came as a pinch-hitter, and he has 10 career home runs off the bench.
Heisey is eligible for arbitration for the third time this winter and was viewed as a non-tender candidate.
Magill gives the Reds some needed pitching depth. He has made only six starts in the big leagues, all in 2013. He went 0-2 and posted a 6.51 ERA in 27.2 innings.
The 25-year-old spent the 2014 season in Triple-A. He posted a 5.30 ERA in 12 starts and a 5.04 ERA in 24 relief appearances.
Magill has 683 strikeouts in 687 innings in the minors and 26 strikeouts in the big leagues.
Dec. 23: Jack Hannahan Signs with Korean Team
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Jack Hannahan has played his final game in Cincinnati. According to MLB.com's Mark Sheldon, Hannahan has signed a one-year, $1 million deal with South Korea's LG Twins.
Per the team's Twitter account, Cincinnati has declined the infielder's $4 million option for 2015 and has opted to pay the $2 million buyout instead.
The veteran infielder missed most of the season after undergoing surgery last offseason to repair a torn labrum. When he returned in August, he didn't provide much to the club.
Hannahan hit only .188 with just three extra-base hits (all doubles) in 26 games in 2014. In the field, he was limited to just first base. The 34-year-old has played all around the infield in his career, but he wasn't very versatile after the injury.
The emergence of Kristopher Negron put the Reds in a position to move on from Hannahan and save $2 million in the process.
Melky Cabrera: Potential Free Agent Target
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As the Reds look to address left field, CBS Sports' Jon Heyman reports that the team has shown interest in free agent Melky Cabrera.
Based on his production, he would be a good fit in the Reds' lineup. Cabrera slashed .301/.351/.458 and hit 16 home runs and 35 doubles in 2014. He has a career .286 batting average.
Although his bat might help the Reds, this may not be a good fit for both sides. Cabrera is reportedly looking for a five-year deal, and the Reds are looking for a veteran outfielder who can cover the next year or two.
Mike Leake: Possible Extension/Trade Candidate
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Update: Monday, Nov. 10 at 7:30 p.m. ET
The Reds will "listen closely" on trade offers for Mike Leake this offseason, according to CBS Sports' Jon Heyman.
--End of Update--
Mike Leake has been a big part of the club since being drafted in 2009, but now he faces an uncertain future.
A year after going 14-7 with a 3.37 ERA, Leake went 11-13 with a 3.70 ERA. He threw a career-high 214.1 innings in 33 starts in 2014.
Although his pitching continues to improve, his offense has declined in recent seasons. He hit only .176 this season but did notch two home runs and five doubles.
The 26-year-old made $5.925 million this season and is eligible for arbitration for the third time. It may be possible for the Reds to sign either Cueto or Latos and still have some money left for Leake. However, a trade is also a possibility. Leake may not bring back as much as Cueto or Latos, but he could still bring in some valuable pieces.
Like with Cueto and Latos, the Reds will likely explore an extension before considering a trade.
Norichika Aoki: Free Agent Target
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One free-agent outfielder the Reds are going to look at this winter is Norichika Aoki, according to John Fay of The Cincinnati Enquirer.
Although Michael Morse would provide more power than Aoki, Aoki does a better job of hitting for average and getting on base. Aoki has hit .288, .286 and 285 in his three seasons in the the majors. He has also posted on-base percentages of .355, .356 and .349. The Reds could use some consistency at the plate, especially at the top of the lineup. That's something Aoki brings to the table.
Aoki spent his first two seasons of his career with the Milwaukee Brewers, so he is familiar with the NL Central. He has hit .294 with three home runs in his career at Great American Ball Park.
Even though he is a left-handed hitter, Aoki is able to handle southpaws. He has a career average of .319 against southpaws and a career average of .273 against right-handers.
Aoki will probably top out at 10 home runs per season—at most. However, his average and on-base percentage would be welcomed in Cincinnati. The Reds need someone who can get on base in front of Joey Votto, Jay Bruce and Devin Mesoraco.
The 32-year-old outfielder has a career slash line of .285/.353/.385 in the leadoff spot and a slash line of .303/.356/.441 while batting second.
Aoki made just $1.95 million with the Kansas City Royals this year. He would be very affordable for the Reds, especially considering the team saved $4.5 million by declining Ryan Ludwick's option.
Oct. 30: Reds Decline Ryan Ludwick's $9 Million Option
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Ryan Ludwick's strong 2012 season earned him a multi-year deal with Cincinnati before the 2013 season, but that contract didn't turn out the way the club had hoped. Now, the team has decided to move on.
Per the team's Twitter account, the Reds have declined the $9 million option for next season and will pay the $4.5 million buyout.
The veteran tore his labrum on Opening Day 2013 and has not been the same player that he was in 2012 since coming off the disabled list. He has hit only 11 home runs and 25 doubles in 149 games since returning from the injury.
Ludwick's lack of production at the plate early in the season forced him into a platoon role. The 36-year-old finished this past season with a .244 average.
The team chose to save $4.5 million by declining Ludwick's option and can now use that money elsewhere.
Ramon Santiago: Free Agent
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Unlike many veteran utility players before him, Ramon Santiago played well when given playing time in Cincinnati. Now the team has to decide if he's worth bringing back.
The 35-year-old hit .246 with two home runs and eight doubles in 75 games this season. He played second, third, shortstop and even some outfield. His versatility was very helpful to a team plagued with injuries.
Brayan Pena, Chris Heisey, Skip Schumaker and Kristopher Negron are all virtual locks to make the bench next season. That does leave one spot open for another infielder.
Santiago made only $1.1 million this past season. If he is willing to take a similar deal, the Reds may be interested.
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