While the Cincinnati Reds haven't been able to land a top player this winter, Kyle Schwarber turned down more money from the Reds to return to the Philadelphia Phillies.
Elly De La Cruz also turned down the Reds' extension offer, leaving the Reds still seeking a major offensive addition. While additions might be hard to come by, Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, and Andrew Abbott have all popped up in trade rumors lately.
According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Reds are fielding interest in all three starters and could move on from them this winter. Rosenthal also revealed the Reds' expected trade demands, and they're not cheap by any means.
Reds set lofty trade demand for top pitchers
"To trade one of those starters," Rosenthal writes, "... The Reds almost certainly would need a major-league-ready starter in return. And they still want more offense, too."
Shipping off one of Green, Abbott, Lodolo, or even Brady Singer would cost a lot for the acquiring team.
Adding someone as good as one of these starters would never be cheap, but in the Reds talks, they're reportedly asking for a Major League pitcher and an offensive upgrade.
This means that an acquiring team would need to give up an MLB-ready starting pitcher, plus a batter, to land one of these starting pitchers.
While adding one of these frontline starters from the Reds would be ideal, it's not cheap. There aren't many teams that would have the means to make this trade work.
For example, the Boston Red Sox might be the best fit, with their crop of 10 MLB-quality starters and outfielder Jarren Duran on the trade block.
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But, even if it meant adding Greene, Abbott, or Lodolo, the Red Sox likely won't give up Duran plus one of their starters.
Getting a big upgrade in the rotation is good in theory, but the cost of an MLB-ready starter plus an offensive piece might be far too much for a team to give up in trade talks with the Reds.
Rosenthal reports that rival clubs don't believe the Reds are actually entertaining trade talks on these starters, and this lofty asking price might reveal the Reds' plans.
They won't move on from one of these top starters, but if a team offers them a deal that's hard to refuse, as in an MLB-starter and an offensive piece, then the Reds might be open to shipping off a starter like Greene, Abbott, or Lodolo.
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