Following an 82-win campaign in 2023 that saw the Cincinnati Reds just lose out on a postseason berth, the team aimed to turn things around in 2024 and enter the playoffs for the first time (not counting the COVID year) since 2013. A young Reds team hasn’t been able to build on its achievements from the previous season thus far. With a record of 38-43, the Reds are 3.5 games behind in the National League Wild Card race and 10 games down in the NL Central. At the trade deadline, Cincinnati finds itself torn between pushing for a postseason berth or exercising patience with its youthful team and waiting until the next season. Here are four Reds players who could be traded before the 2024 MLB trade deadline, given the abundance of factors to take into account.
Jeimer Candelario, a trade deadline acquisition for the Chicago Cubs the previous season, signed a free agent contract with the Cincinnati Reds, a division foe, and has since continued to swing the bat well. The corner infielder ties the team record with 14 home runs and leads the squad in slugging percentage (.480).
Regretfully, Candelario’s at-bat performance hasn’t contributed much to the Reds’ success this season. Candelario has a club option for a fourth year during the first three years of a $45 million contract. Jeimer Candelario will be a valuable addition for a side that is unlikely to qualify for the playoffs in 2024, but the Reds will be hesitant to move him.
Frankie Montas (SP) Similar to Candelario, Frankie Montas was expected to transform the Reds into a playoff contender. He signed a one-year contract worth $16 million with a $20 million option for a second season. Over the past two years, Montas has only thrown 41 Major League innings and has found it difficult to get going in 2024. With a 4.48 ERA, the 31-year-old is among the league’s lowest walk and strikeout rates. Although he is a past Cy Young candidate and a reliable fourth starter for a team in need of an arm, Frankie Montas would not be a spectacular addition for a contending team.
Brent Suter (RP) Following a strong seven-year stay in the Milwaukee Brewers bullpen, Brent Suter has continued to be a trustworthy left-handed option. Suter had the best ERA on the team last season with the Rockies, 3.38, and he will still have a sub-4.00 ERA in 2024 with the Reds. The lefty has ended the season with an ERA above 4.00 just once in his nine-year career, which is a crucial degree of consistency in the bullpen. Suter isn’t striking out a lot of batters, but he is walking less often after COVID-19 and is one of the league’s best at preventing hard contact. At the MLB trade deadline, Brent Suter might be a surprise addition.
Nick Martinez (RP/SP) Do you require a lockdown reliever whose impressive achievements belie his lackluster stats? You only need to look at Nick Martinez. Early in the season, Cincy tried starting Martinez, but it did not work out. With a 7.36 ERA in five starts, the right-hander went 0–3 against opponents. Martinz has taken the stage ever since moving into a relieving capacity. In 33.2 innings as a reliever, the 33-year-old has a 1.87 ERA, with 12 appearances of four outs or more. Although Martinez’s 4.25 ERA is a little concerning, his 2.93 projected ERA points to further improvement in the second half of the season. Teams could look to trade for Martinez, landing him at a discount and moving him back into a starting role. It is more likely clubs will look at him as a flexible reliever who can piggyback openers or start to handle more high-leverage situations. Either way, Nick Martinez is a valuable arm that the Reds will likely try to trade ahead of the deadline.
