According to Spotrac’s payroll list, Reds have the 17th highest payroll this season. And currently the 15th best W-L record. There’s an argument Reds have mid-pack payroll, mid-pack performance, all fair given market size.
Which is why my concern is about getting more for the money rather than too much focus on the total.
You can’t lop off $20 million without some restructuring to make the pieces work. You can’t have a fairly expensive set of position players and a bullpen topping out at $1.5 million (Lorenzen, potential starter, excluded).
Agree with Roy Tucker that money is at the root of most of Reds’ trades; but question for Reds should go beyond is budget balanced. The question should also be is that payroll allocated to maximize the team’s chances.