The Cincinnati Reds have begun to share how they plan to approach the July 30 trade deadline.
Speaking to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Inquirer, Reds general manager Brad Meador gave an honest assessment of where he sees his team.
“We have to wait and see how we finish off this road trip and the homestand coming up, and then we’ll see,” Meador said. “We’re talking about it. We’d love to be able to add.”
“But realistically, we’ll probably just have to see how it goes,” Meador continued.
The Reds are currently four games out of the third National League Wild Card spot but are still behind the Pittsburgh Pirates, Arizona Diamondbacks, San Francisco Giants, and New York Mets.
As Meador mentioned, the Reds have a critical homestand leading up to the All-Star break coming up with 10 straight games against three of the worst teams in baseball: the Detroit Tigers, Colorado Rockies, and Miami Marlins. After that, the Reds could easily leapfrog the four teams currently ahead of them in the NL Wild Card race.
However, if the Reds are not able to capitalize on the easier stretch of games, it will make Meador's decision on whether or not to sell at the trade deadline much easier.
If the Reds do intend to sell, their young core of shortstop Elly De La Cruz, utility man Spencer Steer, pitchers Hunter Greene and Andrew Abbott and first baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand and infielder Matt McLain, both of whom are on the 60-day IL, are almost certainly safe.
One of the players who could be traded is second baseman and former Rookie of the Year Jonathan India. India has been involved in trade talks for the past season, and would be a welcome addition to teams in contention looking for an upgrade at second base.
Jonathan India speaks out ahead of trade deadline
“From the business side, it makes more sense for me to go to a winning team and help a team out. At the end of the day, I’ve been through this last year. And it’s a business,” India said to Wittenmyer. “Whatever happens, happens. All I can do is control my play.”
“If I go, I go. It’s just part of it. It would suck. Hopefully, I would go to a winning team and help my career and be better for it at the end of the day,” India continued. “But I never want to leave this place. I love it here. I love the organization.”
India was subject to numerous trade rumors during last season's trade deadline but didn't end up being dealt. However, with McLain expected to return in August or September and De La Cruz establishing himself as one of the best players in baseball, there isn't a ton of room for India going forward in the middle of the Reds infield.
The New York Yankees could be a team that pursues India if the Reds make him available. Jim Bowden of the Athletic listed India as one of the top targets for the Yankees, who he said are looking for upgrades at second base over Gleyber Torres.
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