ST LOUIS, MO – SEPTEMBER 11: Eugenio Suarez #7 of the Cincinnati Reds throws to first base for an out against the St. Louis Cardinals in the sixth inning at Busch Stadium on September 11, 2020 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
The Reds have a clear starting point in mind for any Eugenio Suarez trade talks.
The Cincinnati Reds acquired Trevor Bauer in 2019 and he went on to win the National League Cy Young Award in 2020. Now he is in Los Angeles and the team has to determine their plan for 2021.
If the goal is to rebuild, Eugenio Suarez stands out as a top trade option. The Reds are listening to offers and a recent report has made it clear what they are looking for in the trade talks.
Reds eyeing a top catcher
This report indicates the Reds have their eyes on Francisco Alvarez. He is the No. 2 overall prospect in the Mets system and is still only 19 years old. The teenage catcher signed in 2018 as an international prospect and is clearly coveted by teams around the league.
A trade for Suarez should bring a great haul of prospects back to Cincinnati. He is under contract through 2024 with a club option in 2025. Not only that, but his maximum earnings are $11 million per year.
That is quite the team-friendly deal and he serves as a great consolation if a team can’t land Kris Bryant. Suarez may even be more appealing if Bryant won’t commit to a long-term deal right away.
The Reds are in a weird spot. They did finally make it back to the postseason in 2020, only to get swept out in two games. That came after six losing seasons and the projections aren’t great for 2021, especially with Bauer gone.
Landing someone like Alvarez as the centerpiece of a Suarez deal can allow the team to commit to rebuilding the farm system while hoping veterans like Joey Votto and Nicholas Castellanos can keep the winning ways going in 2021. Fans won’t be happy with losing talent, but the Reds need to find some way to break out of this stretch of mediocrity dating back to 1970s.