One Trade That Would Make the Reds NL Central Favorites

The Cincinnati Reds entered this offseason with the goal of improving the pitching staff. 

They've added a few arms, but Nick Krall has admitted that they're still looking to bolster their staff. 

They can accomplish their goal in one move: by making a trade with the Cleveland Guardians.

The Guardians could be looking to beef up the potential return in a Shane Bieber trade by adding closer Emmanuel Clase to the deal. 

The Reds should jump at this. Not only would it give them a reliable starter in Bieber, but it would make the Reds bullpen one of the best in the big leagues.

Even before Clase was mentioned in a potential Bieber deal, I thought he made the most sense for the Reds. 

Adding Clase will bump up the expected asking price for the Guardians, but it would be worth the cost. 

Shane Bieber

A reliable starting pitcher that has eclipsed 200 innings twice in his six years in MLB. He will turn 29 this year and though he's seen a downturn in his performance, he has the talent to make a bounce back with Reds pitching coach Derek Johnson. He's in the final year of arbitration and will be a free agent after this season.

Emmanuel Clase

He's one of the three best closers in baseball. Clase also has a very favorable contract that keeps him under team control from anywhere between two and four seasons. He has a team option for $10 million in 2026 and 2027.

Hypothetical Trade Proposal

Reds Receive: Shane Bieber, Emmanuel Clase

Guardians Receive: RHP Chase Petty, SS Edwin Arroyo, 3B Cam Collier, RHP Lyon Richardson, OF Rece Hinds

This is a heavy price for the Reds, but the return is immaculate. Cincinnati would instantly become the team to beat in the National League Central. The Guardians' farm system would get a major boost. Teams look for one of two things in trades: reliability or potential. The Reds part ways with a ton of potential in exchange for high-end reliability. 

According to Baseball Trade Values, this is an equal trade in value. The Reds could give up fewer prospects, but they’d have to dip into their MLB talent pool to do so. Krall has made it clear that he doesn't want to do that. The return that the Reds are getting more than justifies the high price tag.

For more on what a trade could look like, check out the Locked on Reds podcast below: