As the 2025 trade deadline nears, the Cincinnati Reds eye Rockies' Ryan McMahon to fix their third base woes. Can they land him without gutting their farm?
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
The Cincinnati Reds find themselves in a familiar but frustrating position: hovering above .500 and firmly in the playoff hunt, yet held back by a glaring weakness. As the team prepares to face the Red Sox at Fenway Park, the biggest story isn't on the field, but in the front office, where the pressure is mounting to solve the black hole at third base before the trade deadline passes.
TJ Friedl is having a breakout year, ranking second in all of MLB for times on base as a leadoff hitter.
The struggles at the hot corner have plagued the Reds all season, with the team's third basemen ranking near the bottom of the league in OPS. The recent release of Jeimer Candelario, despite his sizable contract, was a clear admission that the internal options aren't working. Now, analysts are pointing to a solution in Colorado: Rockies third baseman Ryan McMahon. With reports suggesting the Reds are willing to absorb salary to make a deal happen, McMahon's solid glove and dependable bat make him an ideal target to solidify the lineup for a second-half push.
Acquiring a player of McMahon's caliber won't be cheap. The key to any potential deal lies in the Reds' well-regarded farm system, currently ranked 11th by MLB Pipeline. Infielders Sal Stewart, who recently earned high praise from Manny Machado, and Cam Collier, the reigning 2024 Minor League Player of the Year, are the exact type of high-ceiling prospects the Rockies would demand. The front office faces a classic contender's dilemma: mortgage a piece of the future for a chance to win now.
The urgency to make a move is amplified by the stellar play of the team's core stars. Shortstop Elly De La Cruz continues to electrify, putting himself among the top NL All-Star vote-getters while on pace for a 30-homer, 30-steal season (currently at 16 HR and 21 SB). Meanwhile, leadoff man TJ Friedl is having a career year, posting a .381 on-base percentage and setting the table better than almost anyone in baseball. Their performances prove the Reds have the top-end talent to compete, making the need to fix the roster's one major flaw all the more critical.
While trade talks swirl, there's a game to be played. The Reds will send Nick Martinez (4.12 ERA) to the mound tonight against Boston's Brayan Bello (3.41 ERA), hoping to avenge a tough 13-6 loss from earlier in the series. In other news, the team made a depth move by signing veteran reliever Buck Farmer to a minor league contract on July 1. The 11-year veteran will provide organizational depth as Cincinnati manages its bullpen through the summer grind.
As the calendar flips to July, all eyes are on the Reds' front office. The next few weeks leading up to the trade deadline will define this season. Will they pay the price for a player like Ryan McMahon and make a serious push for October, or will the glaring hole at third base ultimately be their undoing? Tonight's game at Fenway is just one battle, but the war for the NL Central will be won or lost by the moves made off the field.
