Kuzul

The Cincinnati Reds are down to just three Opening Day starters in the lineup, and at five under .500 and 11.5 games back of the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central, it’s time for the Reds to look ahead.

Optimists could cite the 5.5 games the Reds are from the last wild-card spot, so long as they also name the seven teams that would have to be jumped just to get there.

If the Reds start their rebuild sooner rather than later, this already-impressive list of 15 prospects could be exponentially better, perhaps even the best farm in all of baseball. The list is comprised by me alone, using data and performance to arrange accordingly. Baseball America’s “2015 Cincinnati Reds Top 10 Prospects” article was used as a foundation.

15. Seth Mejias-Brean, 3B

This eighth-round draft pick flies under the radar like a drone. But he’s demonstrating potential in the minor leagues. He’s slashing .263/.376/.346, an OBP that would get a firm handshake from Joey Votto. 

But his career numbers in four minor league seasons are what got him on this list. .288/.376/.436 is good enough to let sit beneath a warm lamp for a few more seasons and look in on occasionally.

I still think Todd Frazier could be moved this season, and if he goes, the maturation of Mejias-Brean becomes a lot more important.

14. Kyle Waldrop 

In now his sixth minor league season and second in Double-A Pensacola, this outfielding first baseman is proving to be a useful asset in the organization. He’s hit at every level he’s played and is now slashing .284/.320/.451 in Double-A.

He has six home runs and 31 RBI. This 12th-round draft pick from 2010 could end the year in Triple-A playing this well. The Reds’ cupboard doesn’t include many big-hitting prospects right now, so Waldrop’s development becomes more notable as he continues to climb.

13. Antonio Santillan 

The Reds’ second-round pick of this year’s draft tops out at 98 mph. The 6’5″, 240-pound right-hander was the MVP of the Connie Mack World Series, per MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon. Sheldon wrote:

Santillan is a power pitcher with scouting reports showing him throwing his fastball from 93-95 mph with the ability to reach 98 mph. He also has a strong 12-to-6 curveball that comes to hitters in the mid-80s.

However, Santillan is far from a finished product and will need some work. He also lacks a changeup, but the organization will develop him as a starter.

With the young nucleus of Reds starting pitching talent, they could definitely afford to take a pitcher like this. The upside seems enormous with proper instruction. 

12. Aristides Aquino, OF 

The 21-year-old right-hander wasn’t hitting that well in Single-A Dayton, but he only played 16 games this season before breaking his wrist.  He’s slashing .226/.288/.321 in 53 at-bats. This right fielder is years away from ever contributing, and with Jesse Winker and Jay Bruce in front of him, he’s not likely to be in the picture any time soon.

11. Phil Ervin, OF

The 2013 first-round draft pick has gone largely unnoticed, like time during an episode of Game of Thrones. He didn’t make Baseball America’s Reds prospect list, just two seasons after being drafted in the first round.

He’s having a decent year in High-A, slashing .258/.336/.429 with nine home runs and 35 RBI. He’s just 22 years old, so he’s got time to make his way through the ranks and back into prospect notoriety. It’d be nice to see him end the year in Double-A Pensacola. 

10. Yorman Rodriguez, OF

The right-handed 22 year old “is a “five-tool player” according to John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer. He’s slashing .273/.309/.431 with five home runs and 22 RBI in Triple-A Louisville.

You might recall seeing Rodriguez with the Reds last year as a September call-up. He hit .222 in only 27 at-bats, which is nothing worth analyzing. Manager Bryan Price told Fay:

I don’t know that Yorman is quite to the same place developmentally because he hasn’t played any Triple-A yet. But this is a great opportunity for him to give us an idea of what he offers at this point in time in his development. He does provide us with a guy that we’re all organizationally excited about being an impact player in the near future.

9. Nick Howard, RHP

Nick Howard had a stretch of starts in late April and early May that ended with him returning to the bullpen. He gave up 10 earned runs in 8.2 innings over three starts and never made it out of the fourth. Since then, he’s been back in the bullpen and doing alright.

He’s 3-2 with a 6.67 ERA and a brutal 2.09 WHIP. FanGraphs.com expects Howard to arrive in the majors by 2017, but the capacity remains unknown. It doesn’t appear to be a starting role anymore, but considering the Reds’ bullpen, that might work out.

8. Nick Travieso, RHP

The Reds’ 2012 first-round draft pick is doing well as a starter for the High-A Daytona Tortugas.  He’s 3-5 with a 3.02 ERA in a little over 60 innings of work. His 55 strikeouts in 62.2 innings is good, and his 1.32 WHIP is more a reflection of the 65 hits in that span instead of 17 walks.

Travieso will hopefully make it to Double-A this year, though at age 21, there should be no rush.  

7. Amir Garrett, LHP

The 6’5″ former St. John’s University basketball player is still having a good year with the High-A Daytona Tortugas. In 12 starts, he’s 2-5 with a healthy 3.20 ERA. In 59 innings pitched, he has 66 strikeouts and 24 walks.

6. Anthony DeSclafani, RHP

Anthony DeSclafani has been so vital to the Reds this year, despite how bad the campaign is going. Without him and his 5-4 record and 3.53 ERA, things would be a lot worse.

“Disco,” as he’s referred to, is a vital part of the young nucleus of starting pitching that the Reds will depend upon when the rebuild finally gets started and Johnny Cueto leaves for greener pastures. But at over 71 innings pitched, you wonder how long the Reds will let the young right-hander throw this year before shutting him down. He’s never thrown more than 129 innings.

5. Tyler Stephenson, C

This year’s first-round draft pick was widely considered the best overall catcher in this year’s class. With Devin Mesoraco a few painful squats away from playing left field, it’s a wise choice. The young right-hander hit .425 in 65 at-bats with eight home runs and 25 RBI for his Atlanta high school.

His position on this list is high, but having nothing more than high school numbers to assess makes it difficult, so we’re going on hype. If he’s as good as scouts think he is, the Reds have added an enormous piece to the farm.

4. Michael Lorenzen, RHP

Almost as impressive as rookie teammate DeSclafani has been the kid who was pitching in Double-A just last year. Michael Lorenzen is still experiencing growing pains, but in large, he’s been stellar. He’s now 1-2 with a 4.01 ERA but is still showing great promise.

At Great American Ball Park, a hitter’s Valhalla, batters are hitting just .215 against Lorenzen. If not for the five home runs at Small Park, his home 4.10 ERA would be a lot more impressive.

3. Jesse Winker, OF

Winker is finally catching fire at Double-A Pensacola. He’s slashing .250/.356/.365 with three home runs and 16 RBI. While not jumping off this page, it’s a lot better than he was doing at the end of April and early May.

Winker’s development is pivotal to this organization. Ranked as MLB’s No. 22 prospect overall in the top-100 prospects list, he looks to be the heir to right field if and when the Reds move Jay Bruce.

It’s probably a stretch to see him in Triple-A by the end of this year. A wrist injury derailed his progress for a bit, but he looks to be back on track.

2. Raisel Iglesias, RHP

Raisel Iglesias is currently on the disabled list. He’s sitting on a 1-1 record and a 5.11 ERA, but that’s in just four starts. And he’s only allowed more than three runs once, in his last start against the Washington Nationals. He still had eight strikeouts that game in 5.2 innings of work.

Along with DeSclafani and Lorenzen, Iglesias is a vital part of the Reds’ plans post-rebuild.

1. Robert Stephenson, RHP

Don’t look now, but here comes the Reds’ No. 1 prospect with aggression. He’s now 3-5 with a 3.67 ERA and 71 strikeouts in just over 61 innings of work. That’s ace-like strikeout stuff, and he’s not ranked in MLB’s top 100 prospects for nothing.

At No. 20, the baseball world expects big things from this right-hander. He’s been struggling since getting to Double-A three years ago, but he’s hit a stride. Stephenson’s only allowed four runs in his last four starts. He’s struck out 36 batters in that time.

Can Stephenson be the hood ornament on the Reds’ future starting rotation? It’s looking more positive down on the Reds farm. And depending on what the Reds can secure in return for all the talent they have to move, don’t be surprised if they end the year with one of baseball’s best farm systems.

Stats courtesy of BaseballAmerica.com unless noted otherwise and are current as of June 12. Minor league game stats are from FanGraphs.com.

@GroteT for more.

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Cincinnati Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips left Tuesday’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies in the third inning after suffering a strained groin.    

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Phillips Leaves vs. Phillies

Tuesday, June 9

John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer noted Phillips’ injury happened when he slid into third base after a Todd Frazier lineout in the first inning. He initially stayed in the game but exited in the third inning, finishing 0-for-1 with a flyout and a walk.

Skip Schumaker replaced Phillips, moving over to left field. Ivan De Jesus took over at second in the field.

Phillips, 33, is hitting .308/.349/.385 with three home runs and 25 RBI this season. He’s added eight stolen bases and is on pace for his best all-around campaign since 2012. His re-emergence has unfortunately not helped Cincinnati in the standings, as the Reds sit 12 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals for first place in the NL Central.

De Jesus will likely receive a majority of the playing time at second if the injury forces Phillips to miss any extended time. The Reds host the Phillies at 12:35 p.m. ET on Wednesday, so it’s likely we’ll get a status update sooner rather than later. They then head out on the road for a six-game trip.

Follow Tyler Conway (@tylerconway22) on Twitter.

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The Cincinnati Reds received a major blow on Tuesday night, as outfielder Marlon Byrd suffered a fractured wrist in the team’s 5-4 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies.

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Byrd Fractures Wrist, Timetable for Return Unknown

Tuesday, June 2

Jim Day of Fox Sports Ohio has details of Byrd’s injury:    

Byrd has had his ups and downs this year, hitting just .212 but displaying solid power for the Reds with 10 home runs and 25 RBI in 47 games. Only Todd Frazier (16) has more home runs, and only Frazier (31) and Joey Votto (26) have more RBI. 

For a team that has started a disappointing 22-28 on the season and sits fourth in the Central Division, the loss of Byrd for the foreseeable future is significant. If the Reds aren’t able to turn their season around before the All-Star break, it’s very possible the team may start dealing some of its most valuable assets, including ace pitcher Johnny Cueto. 

A healthy Byrd might have helped to turn things around for the Reds and prevented a yard sale of their top players. With him facing a potentially lengthy absence with a fractured wrist, however, the Reds seem one step closer to moving some of their prized players and retooling for the future.

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Even if the Cincinnati Reds don’t get back into contention, they are going to be a team that has a big impact on the pennant race.

Why? Because the team has plenty of attractive trade chips.

The proverbial window appears to be closing on this Reds squad. Some of the key players are entering the final year(s) of their contracts, which will force the club to make some tough decisions. Keeping those players would certainly help the club stay relevant, but trading them would help the organization in the future.

The Castellini family has been determined to bring a championship to Cincinnati since buying the team nearly a decade ago. Ownership has done a great job of turning the franchise around, but now, it faces some crucial decisions that could affect the team for years to come.

With plenty of trade chips on the roster, Cincinnati has the ability to control the market come July. Keep reading to find out which players the Reds should deal and which they should keep.

Begin Slideshow

It’s what’s on the agenda when a team is eight games under .500 and 11.5 games out of first before June. Because a Reds rebuild seems all but certain with ace Johnny Cueto playing in the final year of his contract, it’s time to assess what’s worked and what’s in store.

What has Walt Jocketty assembled in the last seven seasons, and what did previous general manager Wayne Krivsky leave him with? The following is a list of the Reds’ first-round draft picks from the past decade:

2005: Jay Bruce, OF

Has time snuck up on you too? Jay Bruce was drafted 12th overall that year and was widely considered the future. He was called up to replace Corey Patterson in the early part of 2008 after hitting above .300 across three minor league levels in 2007.

Did he go on to become the Reds’ future? The term’s subjective—after all, it was Bruce’s looping swing that ended the playoff drought and brought the Reds back for the first time in a decade. It’s hard to argue that he became the face of this franchise—Joey Votto or Johnny Cueto may have thoughts on that matter—but there’s no denying he’s contributed in a big way.

His rookie season, he finished No. 5 overall in Rookie of the Year voting, he’s a three-time All-Star with two Silver Slugger awards, and he finished No. 10 in MVP voting two years straight (’12-’13).

He’s a career .250/.323/.486 but has 571 RBI and 189 home runs. In now his eighth year, Bruce has only hit fewer than 20 home runs once—last year, a year that featured arthroscopic knee surgery.

Despite a lengthy slump, there is no denying how prolific Bruce has been to a playoff roster. This was a successful pick by Krivsky. Considering his contract and the Reds’ oncoming fire sale, it’s likely we’ll see the end of the Bruce era here. He’s likely to fetch a good return, especially if his recent hot streak continues.

2006: Drew Stubbs, OF

Believe it or not, Stubbs was the eighth overall pick that year. He ended up debuting with the Reds in 2009 as the Reds were assembling their new product post-Griffey-Dunn Era, ripe with high draft picks.

In a lot of ways, Stubbs contributed—his defense in center was good, and averaging nearly 30 stolen bases and over 12 home runs a season was good. But power aside, Stubbs was not a good hitter. His OBP was never higher than .329; .255 was the highest average he’d have in four years—all of which are very forgettable, especially for a top-10 overall draft pick.

But Walt Jocketty turned Drew Stubbs into Shin-Soo Choo, a pivotal piece of the Reds’ 2013 playoff campaign. And for that, Stubbs proved even more useful.

2007: Devin Mesoraco C, Todd Frazier 3B, Kyle Lotzkar RHP

Can we universally agree the first two names from 2007 are successes? Both made the All-Star Game in 2014, and Frazier was a Home Run Derby for what it’s worth, the first Reds participant since Ken Griffey Jr.

But Frazier is currently No. 2 in NL home runs behind Bryce Harper. His career line in now his fourth season is .258/.328/.461, but there’s no denying the impact he’s had on the Reds offense. He’s had two good batting average years (.273 in ’12 and ’14) and two bad ones (.232 in ’11, .234 in ’13).

He’s one of the only notable acts happening at Great American Ball Park right now. Devin Mesoraco perhaps would be, but he can’t stay healthy. The young slugger has made it to the disabled list again after just 51 plate appearances.

For his career, he’s slashing an unimpressive .242/.313/.423. But Mesoraco has just two years since 2011 where he’s played in over 100 games. He was an All-Star last season, a season that featured a career-high 440 plate appearances.

Kyle Lotzkar came and went. This was a swing and miss of Jonny Gomes caliber. He never made it higher than Double-A, which is where he’s at now, within the Texas Rangers organization.

Thus ends the Krivsky portion of the re-evaluation. Time to see how Walt did.

2008: Yonder Alonso, 1B

Was Yonder Alonso a successful pick? Walt Jocketty turned him and two other first-round draft picks into Mat Latos, the key No. 2 in the rotation that earned the Reds the 2012 NL Central crown. He was also the pitcher who surrendered the deciding Buster Posey grand slam to end that season.

That was Latos’ most important pitch as a Red, but there’s no denying his three exceptional years in a Reds uniform, never finishing with an ERA above 3.48 and tossing over 200 innings twice.

2009: Mike Leake SP, Bradley Boxberger RHP

Despite Mike Leake’s recent struggles, this pick skipped the farm and went right to the pros after being drafted. He’s never been asked to be the ace, and prior to this season, he’s never had to play the role of a No. 2 guy. So his career 55-46 3.97 is a remarkable contribution.

Leake threw over 200 innings for the first time last year. He’s on pace to do it again this season. Should the Reds enter rebuild, Leake is a candidate for trade, but he’s also an extension candidate, especially if and when the Reds move Cueto and free themselves of enormous fiscal responsibility.

Bradley Boxberger was packaged with Alonso and one other to land Latos.

2010: Yasmani Grandal, C

Grandal was also moved in the package for Latos. Devin Mesoraco won the role of Reds future catcher in Cincinnati.

2011: Robert Stephenson, SP 

Baseball America‘s No. 1 Reds prospect and one of the Reds’ only two Top 100 MLB prospects (MLB.com), Stephenson has struggled mightily since reaching Double-A. In now his third Double-A season, the promising right-hander is 9-16 with a 4.87 ERA.

That’s not to say there isn’t serious potential here—there most assuredly is. In 39.1 innings pitched, Stephenson’s recorded 46 strikeouts. That’s serious. The problem is his control. He’s averaging 6.6 walks per nine innings. Command has plagued him since reaching Double-A, after he finished averaging seven walks per nine innings in 2013.

2012: Nick Travieso SP, Jesse Winker OF, Jeff Gelalich OF

Nick Travieso is developing fine as the Reds’ No. 8 prospect. He’s 2-4 with a 3.88 ERA and 7.9 strikeouts per nine innings. He’s just in High-A, so it’s unlikely we’ll see him anytime soon.

Jesse Winker is the other Top 100 MLB prospect the Reds are sitting on and the Reds’ No.3 prospect, according to Baseball America. Prior to his wrist injury last season, Winker was killing it. But since reaching Double-A last season, Winker is slashing .225/.341/.333.

That could be just due to a cold start—Winker did impress in the Arizona Fall League (hit .338). Still, there’s no reason to suggest he’s regressing or anything yet, not unless his averages remain like this for the whole season. 

Winker is considered by man to be the heir to Jay Bruce’s throne in left field. 

Jeff Gelalich is now in his fourth minor league season. He’s still hovering around High-A and is only slashing .240/.326/.332. This left-handed hitter is a working project, often displaying flashes of potential, but he lacks consistency. 

2013: Phillip Ervin OF, Michael Lorenzen SP

Ervin bats behind Gelalich for the High-A Daytona Tortugas. It’s the highest level of competition he’s seen, and thus far he is handling it fine, slashing .253/.338/.460 in 202 plate appearances. 

Ervin wasn’t listed as an organizational top prospect, but he’s coming off a poor season in Dayton, where he hit just .238.

Michael Lorenzen, the No. 4 organizational prospect, has been an incredible draft pick so far. Lorenzen was pitching in Double-A last season. He started this year in Triple-A, and following season-ending surgery for Bailey, he’s pitching in The Show and doing it well (1-1, 3.12).

2014: Nick Howard RHP, Alex Blandino SS

A closer in college, the Reds tried converting Howard to a starter, and prior to this season, it was looking like a good move. This season has been brutal for Howard, though, and following a bad stretch where he surrendered 10 earned runs in three starts and never made it out of the fourth inning, he was moved back to the bullpen.

After three scoreless appearances from the bullpen, Howard’s been roughed up. He’s sporting a 7.03 ERA and a WHIP over 2.00.

Alex Blandino, however, is performing well in the same lineup as Ervin and Gelalich. He’s slashing .319/.405/.448. Numbers like this make him an enticing heir to Zack Cozart’s throne.

Krisky’s last picks, minus Lotzkar, were all good. The jury is still out on Jocketty’s 12 picks. Three of the 12 became Latos, who ultimately became Anthony DeSclafani, so hard to knock those. Two of the 12 are currently in the Reds starting rotation. The other seven are in development, but none of them above Double-A.

Still, from a pitching stance, the pipeline seems stocked with future contributors, provided they make it.

Stats courtesy of Baseball-reference.com unless noted otherwise. Organizational rankings compliments of BaseballAmerica.com while Top-100 prospects come from MLB.com.

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Johnny Cueto was ruled out for his scheduled start May 24 due to soreness in his elbow and general stiffness he’s been experiencing since his start against the Kansas City Royals on May 19. Cueto remains day-to-day.

Continue for updates.

Cueto Out vs. Indians 

Saturday, May 23

The Cincinnati Reds announced that Raisel Iglesias will start against the Cleveland Indians in place of Cueto, who is battling “general stiffness.”

John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer reported Cueto has soreness in his elbow. Fay also reported Reds manager Brian Price said Cueto is day-to-day and could probably pitch Sunday, but the team wanted to allow him to rest.

Cueto is the anchor of the Reds rotation, but the team’s depth may be put to the test.

Cueto was a durable rock for the Reds in 2014 and finished the season with 243.2 innings pitched, a 20-9 record and a 2.25 ERA. Throw in a 0.96 WHIP, a 6.4 WAR, per ESPN.com, and 242 strikeouts, and it is clear why he was one of the leading Cy Young Award candidates in the National League.

The Reds are hoping for a similar season from their ace in 2015, but this latest setback could make that type of production difficult. Cueto dealt with injuries throughout the 2013 campaign and started only 11 games, so there is a history of health problems here.

Cincinnati fans certainly hope this latest one doesn’t linger.  

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At this juncture, the Cincinnati Reds have no idea what they’re going to do at the deadline.

They’re 18-17, 6.5 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central and just a half game behind the final wild card spot. That makes it particularly challenging for the Reds’ brass to decide what to do with this roster at such a pivotal fork in the road, one where the Reds and ace Johnny Cueto probably part ways.

Buy or sell? What the Reds do from now until the deadline will determine that. If the Reds are in a position to compete, it’s hard seeing them making any moves that deliver the MLB talent they need to finish the 2015 campaign. It’s about payroll, and if there’s a scenario where the Reds actually add to it, I’m interested in hearing it.

I think it’s fair to suggest if the Reds are participating at the deadline, it’s likely as sellers rather than buyers. And with Cueto in the final year of his contract, he’s probably the hottest name on the market. The Reds have other valuable assets: Aroldis Chapman, Brandon Phillips and even Jay Bruce as a sell-low candidate. 

But if the Reds fall out of contention, there is one name that is all but certain to move. And there’s one team in particular that is looking more and more like the most suitable partner.

Reds Johnny Cueto for Boston Red Sox Brock Holt, Henry Owens and Garin Cecchini

If you frequent Bleacher Report, you might have read about this trade suggestion last week. The response was underwhelming at best, as many people quickly dismissed this trade because the Reds were giving up everything for not enough in return.

However, I believe that to be inaccurate. First, consider what’s happening in the Reds’ right field. Bruce’s mind is somewhere out there with Voyager, passing planets, stars and baseballs. He’s slashing an unprecedented .162/.272/.333. Maybe it’s just a funk, but how long is management willing to apply the scientific method with Bruce during games that count?

If their hypothesis is that he’s just slumping—and it should be, unless you can point to any other season in eight years when Bruce has done this—then who knows, maybe he’s close to breaking out of it. But what if he’s not?

Bruce’s contract runs through 2016 with a team option for 2017. Even though Jesse Winker is known, Brock Holt is performing at an MLB level right now. He’s slashing .309/.382/.441. And it’s not just a good season he’s having.

His official rookie year was last season, and all he did was slash .281/.331/.381 with 126 hits in 106 games played, including four home runs. He’s making just $531,000.

Bruce is making $12 million this year. Holt helps in so many ways, from a performance and a money stance. The Reds have to prepare a replacement for Bruce. Winker is hitting .239 in Double-A.

Henry Owens is 22 years old and a first-round draft pick from 2011. He’s not having a great season thus far in Triple-A. He’s 2-2 with a 4.06 ERA in just over 30 innings pitched. But in four complete minor league seasons, he’s 42-18 with a 3.40 ERA.

MLB.com lists Owens as the No. 20 prospect in all of baseball. He also is a lefty, a luxury the Reds haven’t enjoyed in the rotation since Travis Wood.

Like most young pitchers, he struggles with command. He walked six batters in his last minor league start against the Columbus Clippers, a minor league squad that also roughed up Michael Lorenzen.

The Red Sox have a couple players the Reds could ask for in return to cement this deal. Garin Cecchini is a name that makes sense. He plays third base and outfield, making him another candidate to replace either Bruce or Marlon Byrd, who is just a temporary solution.

In five minor league seasons, he slashed .291/.386/.423. He’s now with the Boston Red Sox, slashing .258/.351/.452. He also bats left-handed, so the Reds would replace one left-handed slugging right fielder for another.

So for Cueto, the Reds would get a MLB top-100 prospect and two other solid contributing MLB players. Most of the Red Sox top prospects are other pitchers, so the Reds could even ask for one of them instead of the hitters listed above.

Yoan Moncada, who MLB.com lists at the No. 9 prospect in baseball, also could be had for Cueto. He’s drawing hype comparable to Jorge Soler as another Cuban hitting machine. From his info on MLB.com‘s list:

Moncada sparked a bidding war among teams that landed him a $31.5 million bonus from the Red Sox. That’s the largest bonus ever given to an amateur player, eclipsing the $16.25 million (deferred over 11 years) Aroldis Chapman got from the Reds in 2010.

Factor in the matching $31.5 million penalty that Boston had to pay for exceeding its international bonus pool, and the total outlay for his services was $63 million.

So maybe the Reds would have to deal Cueto for Moncada straight up? Regardless, the Reds need a replacement for the 33-year-old Phillips, whose contract is up after 2017, the year Moncada is expected to arrive.

Considering what the Reds have to deal and what the Red Sox need (worst rotation ERA in baseball), these two teams seem like obvious partners at the deadline…if the Reds are selling.

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com, unless noted otherwise.

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Cincinnati Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips left Tuesday’s game against the Atlanta Braves with a big toe injury.

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Phillips Leaves Tuesday’s Game

Tuesday, May 12

The team’s official Twitter account noted that Phillips left Tuesday’s game with a left big toe injury and “is in the process of being evaluated.”

After the Reds’ 4-3 win, manager Bryan Price didn’t have much of an update on Phillips, per Joe Danneman of Fox 19 in Cincinnati: 

If Phillips misses an extended period of time, Cincinnati’s lineup becomes much less formidable. He was hitting .311 with five stolen bases entering play Tuesday and is a critical cog in a group featuring Joey Votto, Todd Frazier and Jay Bruce. Phillips brings speed and the ability to hit for average to the table.

However, it is Phillips’ defense that Cincinnati will miss most. He is a four-time Gold Glove winner at second base and is generally accepted as one of the slickest players in the league with his glove. He regularly saves his pitching staff runs with fantastic diving plays in the hole and rapid-fire double-play turns in the middle of the infield.

Skip Schumaker came in for Phillips in Tuesday’s game and will likely be asked to play second base until Phillips is healthy again.

Schumaker doesn’t feature the same power or ability with the glove that Phillips does, but he is a proven veteran who played in numerous postseasons with the St. Louis Cardinals. The Reds could do worse in terms of backup options.

Still, if Cincinnati hopes to challenge for a wild-card spot in the National League, it needs Phillips healthy and making impressive plays with his glove.   

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When Cincinnati Reds star Joey Votto bumped umpire Chris Conroy during a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday, it was only a matter of time before Major League Baseball took action.

Now, according to the MLB public relations staff on Twitter, Votto‘s punishment will cost him one game. The Reds slugger will serve his suspension Friday against the Chicago White Sox:

The incident occurred after Votto struck out against Pirates right-hander Gerrit Cole. The 2010 National League MVP was unhappy with the first pitch that was called a strike. After the inning, he slammed his helmet to the ground and said something before Conroy ejected him.

Votto decided to get his money’s worth after being thrown out by getting in Conroy’s face, bumping his body against the veteran umpire.

The silver lining for Cincinnati is that Votto will sit out only one game. The Reds are off to an OK start, sporting a 14-14 record entering play Friday, and are seven games behind St. Louis in the National League Central.

Votto is healthy for the first time since 2013, and he is playing like his old self again. The 31-year-old has already surpassed his 2014 home run total (six), with seven in 28 games, and has a .986 OPS. The Reds will miss his bat against the White Sox, but at least it won’t be a prolonged absence.

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Based on your general disposition, you see the Cincinnati Reds in one of the two following lights: They’re a team at or floating around .500 with baseball’s worst OBP and worst bullpen ERA, or they’re a team at .500 and tied for the remaining wild-card slot.

History suggests Reds owner Bob Castellini will see the latter. He’s a competitive soul, so long as the Reds can sniff a playoff spot, don’t expect them to sell.

Still, given both scenarios, if the Reds make any deals this year, it is likely they’ll hit the market as sellers rather than buyers. They’d rather subtract payroll than add more. So if the Reds fall out of contention, the following is a short list of trades they should be thinking about.

Johnny Cueto, SP

If the Reds are selling, consider Johnny Cueto the Apple Watch. He’s the biggest trade chip the Reds have, and he’s guaranteed to bring a sizable return for any team willing to make itself an immediate World Series contender.

Any team trading for Cueto at the deadline is probably already good enough to be in contention. Cueto would make that team good enough to win it all.

His price tag is unclear. Last year, the Tampa Bay Rays were in a similar situation with ace David Price, who was near the final year of his contract. When they finally moved Price, they received Drew Smyly, a talented MLB-ready starter (now 19-14 with a 3.23 ERA in three years), infielder Willy Adames, rated the No. 77 prospect by MLB.com this year, and infielder Nick Franklin from the Seattle Mariners, a first-round draft pick from 2009.

That’s a sizable return for the Cy Young-winning Price. Cueto doesn’t have a Cy Young, but he finished No. 2 last year in National League voting, and he’s already off to a good start in 2015.

The Boston Red Sox are a suitable match. They have the second-worst rotation in baseball and the worst rotation in the American League. They do have Henry Owens, an impressive left-hander in Triple-A. They also have a good, young left-handed batting outfielder in Brock Holt, who’s hitting .278/.388/.450 this season at the major league level.

Marlon Byrd is only a temporary solution, and 2016 is rapidly approaching for Jay Bruce, so Holt would be a natural request. They also have Deven Marrero, a 2012 first-round draft pick who is now a Triple-A shortstop hitting .291/.368/.659.

Brandon Phillips, 2B

Remember, this is only if the Reds are selling. And if they’re selling, there’s no reason to keep Brandon Phillips and his contract on the payroll. He’s having a good season by every measure, slashing .316/.343/.357, and that’s why he must be moved if the Reds are selling.

His value will never be higher.

After the Reds failed to move Phillips last year during the offseason, expect them to try again. It may not be far-fetched to see Walt Jocketty package Cueto with Phillips, though, in fairness, Phillips should be performing well enough to require a decent return—maybe a top-10 prospect, depending on how persuasive Walt can be on the phone. 

It’s not just his bat. He’s healthy, and his defense is as good as ever. Phillips has become a valuable trade chip in a short time. If he can keep his production up, especially at this rate, the Reds should have no problem flipping him.

With the New York Mets‘ David Murphy hitting .210 in 100 games, the Mets could be potential suitors. Eric Sogard has been underwhelming in Oakland, so Phillips is also an option for Billy Beane, who won’t hesitate to fill a need at the deadline. 

In all likelihood, moving Phillips would be more about payroll reduction and less about return.

Jay Bruce, OF

Jay Bruce is a sell-low candidate, but considering his contract is up in 2016, the Reds have to consider getting something for him if they want to rebuild. 

Bruce is slashing a miserable .176/.290/.396—this following his worst career year, a year in which he underwent arthroscopic knee surgery. Neither his current slash line nor last year’s is remotely close to his career numbers.

If the Reds are trying to rebuild, Bruce won’t be a part of it. And he won’t bring much back—maybe a good prospect. Most people would have expected more for a talent as prized as Bruce.

Bruce is a good option to deal for on the cheap and stick in the middle of a lineup. Despite a poor slash line, he has 15 RBI, third on the team. 

How valuable is the RBI stat when measuring a player’s value? 

Bruce has been a memorable part of this team’s core for a long time, but with his contract nearly up, he makes for an easy trade candidate—unfortunately in the sell-low category. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.

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