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Trade Targets: The Reds took a step back in 2024

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The Cincinnati Reds just can’t seem to get over the hump.

It looked as if the 2024 season would be the year they finally made the leap and made the postseason. Aside from an expanded playoff in 2020, the team hasn’t made the postseason since 2013 and hasn’t won a National League Championship Series game since 1990 when they won the World Series.

It’s a young core and it will only be a matter of time before they make the postseason in a regular year, but after finishing above .500 in 2023 for the third time in four seasons, the Reds put up a stinker of a season in 2024.

There are a handful of Reds the Toronto Blue Jays could be interested in this off-season, but first, we’ll look at the 2024 season and how it treated the Ohioan team.

A brief overview of the 2024 season for the Reds

The 2022 season was rough for the Reds, as they finished with a 62-100 record, their first 100-loss season since 1982. With the emergence of top prospect Elly De La Cruz in 2023, they finished with an 82-80 record, 10 games back of the National League Central division lead, and just two games back of the final Wild Card spot. If not for a 3-7 record down the stretch, perhaps this article wouldn’t have been written.

However, the 2024 season was another step back for the Reds. It wasn’t quite as bad as 2022, but their 77-85 record wasn’t a good sign as they finished 16 games back of the division lead and 12 games behind the final Wild Card.

Collectively, the team had an 87 wRC+, the fifth-worst in the league. Their pitching wasn’t great either, as they finished with a 4.09 ERA, 18th-best in the league, and a 4.25 FIP, seventh-worst in the league.

Still, there are some intriguing players the Reds could trade for MLB-ready prospects.

Jonathan India

Last off-season, Canadian Baseball Network’s Bob Elliot reported that the Blue Jays had an interest in second baseman Jonathan India.

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Sure, the Blue Jays have a ton of second basemen on their team, including one of the best American League rookies of 2024, Spencer Horwitz. But could they look to add one more who has four years of experience in the big leagues?

India had a career year in 2021, his rookie season, as he slashed .269/.376/.459 with 21 home runs in 631 plate appearances, with an 11.3 B%B and a 22.3 K% for a 122 wRC+ and a 3.4. After two mediocre seasons, India had a successful 2024 campaign, slashing .248/.357/.392 with 15 home runs in 637 plate appearances, with a 12.6 BB% and a 19.6 K%. This gave him a 108 wRC+ and a 2.8 fWAR for the season.

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Defensively, India isn’t great at the keystone position. Last season, he had -10 Defensive Runs Saved and 1 Outs Above Average in 1137 innings played. For his career, he has -31 DRS and a -23 OAA in 1137 innings.

The Reds bought out his second year of arbitration and he’ll make $5.45 million in 2025, before another off-season of arbitration after next season.

Tyler Stephenson

Out of all the Blue Jays’ needs, acquiring a catcher either through free agency or trade isn’t a pressing one. Still, it’d be nice to add a bit of power from the spot as they currently have Alejandro Kirk and Tyler Heineman at the position.

Tyler Stephenson is a catcher who may intrigue the Blue Jays. The 28-year-old had a career year, slashing .258/.338/.444 with 19 home runs in 515 plate appearances, along with a 9.3 BB% and a 22.7 K% for a 112 wRC+ and a 3 fWAR.

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Defensively, Stephenson isn’t great as he had -8 Defensive Runs Saved and -3 Fielding Run Value in 1001 innings behind the plate. For his career, Stephenson has -19 DRS and a -18 FRV in 2663 innings. Realistically, he’s a great comparison to Danny Jansen.

This off-season will be the catcher’s second off-season of arbitration, as he’ll become a free agent at the end of the 2026 season. MLB Trade Rumors predicts he’ll make $5.2 million.

Alexis Díaz

On the opposite end of the spectrum, the biggest need this off-season for the Blue Jays (aside from re-signing Vladimir Guerrero Jr.) is overhauling their bullpen. Closer Alexis Díaz can help with that.

Last season for the Reds, the 28-year-old finished the year with a 3.99 ERA and a 4.57 FIP in 56.1 innings pitched, along with a 22.7 K% and a 12.8 BB% for 28 saves in 32 opportunities. In 2023, Díaz had a 3.07 ERA and a 3.52 FIP in 67.1 innings pitched, with a 30.1 K% and a 12.6 BB% in 67.1 innings pitched.

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However, the best season of the right-handed pitcher’s career came in 2022, where he finished with a 1.84 ERA and a 3.32 FIP in 63.2 innings pitched, with a 32.5 K% and a 12.9 BB%. As a whole, Díaz has a 2.93 ERA and a 3.77 FIP in 187.1 career innings pitched, with a 28.6 K% and a 12.8 BB%. Moreover, he has 75 saves in 86 opportunities.

This is the first off-season of arbitration eligibility for the Puerto Rican righty. MLB Trade Rumors predicts he’ll earn $4.2 million this off-season and he won’t become a free agent until the end of the 2026 season.

As always, you can follow me on Twitter @Ryley_L_D.