Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Buck Farmer. Photo by The Enquirer.
With the Cincinnati Reds destined to once again miss the postseason in 2023, expect there to be plenty of trade rumors surrounding the team. But which members of the Reds could be on the move at the MLB trade deadline?
Mired in the bottom of what has been a less-than-dominant National League Central, the Reds will likely once again be sellers at the upcoming MLB trade deadline. It’s a chance for Cincinnati to build toward the future and once again revamp a roster that will be centered around Hunter Greene and Jonathan India moving forward (unless the club decides to purchase Joey Votto’s $20 million option for next season, which could be a long shot with his recent injury history).
So who could be on the move from Cincinnati and where might they be going? Here are some ideas.
Trade idea: Cincinnati Reds send Buck Farmer to Texas Rangers
The 32-year-old Farmer has been solid this season, entering Wednesday’s play with an ERA+ of 161 and a 3.00 ERA/4.03 FIP/0.917 WHIP. The right-hander would be a boost for the Texas bullpen, which ranks 27th out of MLB’s 30 teams in bWAR at minus-1.6.
Texas has already spent to boost the rotation and lineup, but now it’s time for the Rangers to focus on the relief corps and see what can be done to lower the stress level in later innings. Farmer, who is a free agent next season, has limited opponents to just a .171 batting average against him this season in 24.0 innings over 21 games. He would be a nice fit in Texas, and will likely command some attention from multiple teams as the trade deadline draws ever nearer.