CINCINNATI -- All of the recent trade rumors surrounding Reds right fielder Austin Kearns appear to be doused for the time being.
Kearns' name has run rampant in media reports all week since new owner/chief executive officer Robert Castellini dismissed general manager Dan O'Brien and named baseball operations director Brad Kullman the team's interim GM.
Kullman spent the past couple of days huddling with top advisors from the baseball operations staff, and the consensus of the group was that Kearns should stay unless there's an overwhelming offer.
"We have no active talks going on involving Austin Kearns, and we have no plans to trade him," Kullman said on Saturday afternoon.
Reports this week had both Cleveland and Boston interested in acquiring Kearns from Cincinnati, which is seeking an established starting pitcher and a closer before Spring Training.
On Friday, Cleveland added outfielder Jason Michaels from the Phillies in exchange for reliever Arthur Rhodes. The Indians also sent left fielder Coco Crisp to the Red Sox for three players in a separate deal.
Kearns has battled injuries that have limited his playing time the past few seasons, but he will get to play every day this season for the first time in his career. That became possible when Cincinnati moved Adam Dunn from the outfield to first base upon trading first baseman Sean Casey to Pittsburgh this winter.
During a Q&A session at a Reds Winter Caravan stop in Dayton on Saturday, a fan asked manager Jerry Narron about Kearns' status.
"Austin Kearns will be our right fielder this year," Narron told the crowd. "We're going to give him a chance to play."
"We feel that Kearns is going to be part of the solution here," Kullman said. "We want him to be in right field. He's a potential Gold Glove winner, and his bat can help this team win."
Meanwhile, Kullman said that he's continuing to talk with other clubs about making any potential deals.
"It's not a very active time right now," said Kullman, who is one of six candidates scheduled to interview for the permanent GM job next week. "A few teams are making deals, as people can see, but a lot of teams aren't really in that mode."
