Ever since the Reds began their ownership-mandated roster teardown ahead of struggling to a 3-22 record to start the season, they have been viewed as a club primed to make more moves ahead of the Trade Deadline.
The deadline is Aug. 2, and general manager Nick Krall has already been fielding and making calls.
“One way or another, we’ll talk to everybody," Krall said. "You’re going to see where everybody is and see what matches up and see what makes the most sense, and go from there.”
Especially in a thin market for starting pitching, few starting pitchers will likely draw as much interest as Reds starters Luis Castillo and Tyler Mahle. Among position players, third baseman Brandon Drury is having a breakout season and could also be an interesting trade chip.
The Reds’ rotation already has rookies Hunter Greene and Graham Ashcraft, and Nick Lodolo could return from a back injury at the end of the month. It added another prospect in the spring when the Reds acquired lefty prospect Brandon Williamson from the Mariners in the Jesse Winker-Eugenio Suárez trade. Williamson is currently at Double-A Chattanooga, along with another coveted lefty prospect in Andrew Abbott.
On the other hand, Cincinnati lacks Major League-ready talent for its lineup at Triple-A Louisville.
"It’s a systematic process," Krall said. "We’ll start having conversations about what makes the most sense for everybody and everybody’s club. Sometimes you call, sometimes they call you. I think it’s more of 'let’s figure out where everybody is,’ so that you know the lay of the land.”
After the club moved Winker, Suárez, Amir Garrett and Sonny Gray in March, Krall was not interested in dealing Castillo or Mahle.
But with so few viable starting pitchers on the market, a big offer from a contending club in need of arms could likely be enticing.
“I think we’re reassessing everything right now," Krall said. "We’re trying to figure out what makes the most sense for our roster -- short and long term.”