Opinion: Moves to Consider to Kick Start the Reds Offense

The Cincinnati Reds have been dealing with injury after injury it seems to start this season. The Reds currently sit in last place in the National League Central with a 19-28 record and are eight and a half games out of first place right now entering the new week of play. This week they host the San Diego Padres for three games and then on Friday the Los Angeles Dodgers come to town for a three-game set. The Reds are two and five over their last seven games losing a three-game series to the Arizona Diamondbacks and over the weekend lost a four-game series one game to three against the Dodgers. The Reds are not out of it yet, but they need to find a way to give Elly De La Cruz some support, as of right now he is the lone bright spot in this Cincinnati Lineup right now. I have four potential moves to make along with two long shots that could help kickstart this offense, while TJ Friedl and Matt McLain are missing from the everyday lineup.

3B – Levi Jordan

Currently, he is playing for the Reds Triple-A affiliate team the Louisville Bats. Jordan is a 28-year-old right-handed bat. He has played in 27 games for Louisville Bats this year with 94 at-bats. He has 15 runs scored, 32 hits, two doubles, one triple, three home runs, 12 RBIs, 14 walks, 17 strikeouts, and four stolen bases. He is slashing .340/.436/.479 with a .915 OPS so far this year in Triple-A. The Reds need guys getting on base to set the table for De La Cruz. Right now he is providing all the spark for the Reds on a consistent basis and needs help. Jordan is a call up and why not give the guy a shot? You can call him up and still pull a move for one of the names below to ignite this offense.

1B/3B – Isaac Parades

Parades is currently playing for the Tampa Bay Rays on a one-year 3.4 million dollar deal. With the Rays eight games back in the American League East entering play today, they are not out of it but still are a team that isn’t afraid to move a one-year deal to gain control of a prospect or two. Parades can play anywhere in the infield but mainly third base this season. He has played in 44 games for the Rays this season with 1652 at-bats. He has 20 runs scored, 50 hits, seven doubles, nine home runs, 26 RBIs, 20 walks, and 33 strikeouts. He is currently slashing .309/.397/.519 with a .916 OPS on the season. Parades is a talented player and with a one-year deal in place he could be had for a middle-tier prospect and perhaps a lower-level prospect.

3B – Ryan McMahon

McMahon is the starting third baseman for the Colorado Rockies, who are 15.5 games out and in last place in the National League West right now. The tricky part with making a move for McMahon would be the fact that he has a very hefty salary. He is signed through 2027 and will make over 11 million dollars this season for the Rockies. The Rockies have a bunch of holes on their roster and in their farm system, so perhaps a deal could be worked out by sending a top 20 prospect and a prospect in the 30-40 range to the Rockies for the services of McMahon. I think Rhett Lowder and Chase Petty, both would be off the table for arms, but after those two I would be open to seeing what it might take to acquire McMahon. He has played in 46 games so far with 173 at-bats with 22 runs scored, 53 hits, 10 doubles, seven home runs, 25 RBIs, 24 walks, and 52 strikeouts. He is slashing .306/.387/.486 with a .873 OPS on the year. The Reds have some young talent that is logged jammed in the minors so perhaps they could try a combo of a top 20 Pitching prospect and a top 15 bat to pry McMahon away from the Rockies.

OF/INF – Taylor Ward

Taylor Ward is a Los Angeles Angels currently playing on a one-year 4.8 million dollar contract. Ward can play either corner outfield position as well as either corner infield position. He has played 46 games for the Angels a team going nowhere this year and could benefit from moving a player like Ward to boost their shallow prospect pool. He has 182 at-bats with 27 runs scored, 50 hits, nine doubles, 10 home runs, 28 RBIs, 13 walks, and 42 strikeouts this year. He is currently slashing .275/.318/.489 with a .807 OPS on the year. Ward could be a nice addition for the Reds with a low price tag. Ward’s flexibility in the field and the ability to bat anywhere in the lineup would provide the Reds manager David Bell flexibility as the team gets healthy later in the season.