At the trade deadline this season, the Cincinnati Reds made a few trades, but they didn’t make all of the big deals that everybody expected. Players like Spencer Steer, Tyler Stephenson, and Brady Singer were discussed as potential trade chips, but they weren’t moved. Instead, the Reds moved on from players like Nathaniel Lowe in an attempt to stay competitive in the present while having a solid future in front of them.
But the fact that the Reds didn’t trade Stephenson was shocking. Stephenson was on an expiring contract, and it seemed like his time with the Reds was going to come to an end with a trade. But the fact that the Reds opted to keep him on the roster might indicate that they want to make a competitive offer to him in free agency this winter.
That will be much easier said than done, though. Spotrac recently projected that Stephenson would sign a 4-year, $46 million deal in free agency this winter, which would put him in the Reds’ budget, but it would be a big move compared to some of the moves in the past.
Stephenson plays a very valuable position of catcher, so his value is going to be spiked a bit compared to other players of his caliber at the plate. But that shouldn’t be taken as a knock on his value, as he has posted an OPS+ of 100 or higher in six of his seven big- league seasons. He’s a very valuable bat, and the Reds seem to have interest in bringing him back.
If the Reds wanted to part ways with Stephenson, they would have traded him at the trade deadline. Keeping him on the roster was a big move at the time and it would be a step in the right direction this offseason, too.
The Reds will certainly have some competition to sign Stephenson this winter. Teams like the New York Yankees could use a catcher with Stephenson’s consistency at the plate. The Yankees have the money to outbid the Reds if they want. That’s the issue that Cincinnati is going to run into with Stephenson. But that’s also a huge plus for Stephenson on the open market this offseason.
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