Despite shedding salary for much of the offseason, the Reds are known to be in the market for a shortstop, and MLB Network’s Jon Heyman tweets that they’re among the clubs who’ve shown some interest in Andrelton Simmons.
It’s a natural connection to be drawn, of course, as Simmons is one of the top three free-agent options at the position alongside Marcus Semien and Didi Gregorius. That trio of free-agent shortstops represents a rather across-the-board skill set from which interested parties can choose. Gregorius is the most consistent offensive performer of the bunch but has the weakest defensive ratings of the group. Simmons is a generational defender but, even at his best, only a slightly above-average bat. Semien is the most well-rounded of the three and offers the highest offensive ceiling (evidenced by his mammoth 2019 season), but his overall track record at the plate is more modest than that of Gregorius.
The Reds have plenty of options to pursue if they’re intent on adding a shortstop, as the trade market also presents a few options even after the Mets’ acquisition of Francisco Lindor. The extent to which owner Bob Castellini is willing to spend to fill the need remains to be seen, however.
The Reds effectively dumped Raisel Iglesias’ $9.125MM salary on the Angels earlier this winter, and they non-tendered Archie Bradley despite a projected arbitration salary in the $5-6MM range. Cincinnati also cut backup catcher Curt Casali on the heels of a productive trio of seasons, and the Reds have reportedly been open to trading Sonny Gray as well. (Luis Castillo’s name has surfaced in rumors, too, although GM Nick Krall strongly denied his availability and plainly stated he expects the right-hander to be in this year’s rotation.)
Cincinnati has also been linked to both Gregorius and Semien at various points this winter, just as they’ve been speculated as a potential fit if the Rockies ultimately look to move Trevor Story. There’s no indication that there’s any preference for Simmons over that trio and other shortstop targets, but given that he’s coming off a pair of injury-shortened seasons, he could be the most affordable option.
Simmons, 31, was out to a strong start in 2019 before a Grade 3 left ankle sprain sidelined him for more than a month. His offense cratered upon returning from the injured list, and he was placed back on the IL just weeks later. His already modest power was nowhere to be seen in 2020, and he missed time this past season with his third left-ankle injury in just over one calendar year. Beyond that, his typically brilliant defensive ratings have taken a slide as he’s navigated those ankle woes.
A healthy Simmons is arguably the best defensive player in baseball — perhaps the best defensive player of the current generation — but he’s also now in his 30s and has some notable injury question marks on his recent track record. It’s not at all out of the question that he could bounce back with the glove and/or at the plate if the ankle is healed up, but his free-agent stock has clearly taken a tumble since his outstanding 2017-18 performance.
All three of Semien, Gregorius and Simmons have another wrinkle to consider in free agency this winter, as the possibility of taking a one-year pact and returning to market next winter isn’t as appealing as it might be in a normal winter. Next year’s free-agent class will not only include the aforementioned Story and Lindor, but also Corey Seager, Javier Baez and Carlos Correa.
redsfan48
I still think, for the monetary and prospect cost, Willy Adames would be the best bang for their buck this offseason.
maxsportingstudio.com/reds-offseason-trade-target-…
DarkSide830
yeah I still dont see why there are so few rumors surrounding him with Franco on the horizon.
Cambio
Rays will likely hold onto Adames as he is the stop gap to Wander Franco.Oncw Franco is up there will likely be a deal to be had.
bot
Seems like it’ll cost a lot. They prob start wanting TySteve. If u can talk em out of that – then it would have to start w Hendrick.
Hendrick
India
Santillian
Seems like a lot to give up from an already depleted system that’s started to rebuild
redsfan48
I think you’re overrating his value. Could probably get a deal done with just one of Hendrick/India, and then 2-3 secondary pieces (possibly including Santillan)
DarkSide830
ill be annoyed if this happens. i thought he’d go to OAK as a buy low replacement for Semian. if he goes to a team needing a buy low SS that isn’t OAK I’ll be annoyed.
Hosmer for HOF
Oakland sniffs out buy vs. sell talent pretty well when they’re financially able to, he was in their division and they’re probably vibing that he can’t hit his weight over there. I would be more on Freddy Galvis or someone similar for short term if I were them
DarkSide830
my thought though is in a saturated SS market – especially with another even more saturated one on the horizon – they could get a good deal on Simmonds. id have to imagine he gets a lower AAV then the rest, and his defense should pique the interest of the A’s. imagine Chapman and Simmonds on the same side of an infield.
lolzmuts
Can you say annoyed again?
letmeclearmythroat74
ANOID lol
bot
Reds checking to see if price came down. Reds may luck out w Simmons. He may not have another decent offer and have to settle as a rebound candidate with cincy
jgreen2487
How would the reds be lucking out?? Simmon’s is injury prone and an average hitter. His good defense means nothing if he can’t get through 162 and we have no good backup option. Garcia isn’t close to ready.
stewartnbuck
i dont know who taught this guys to swing a bat ? 1 of the worst swings in the game, on his follow through, Simmons will always drop to 1 knee. horrible swing
Steve Adams
Aesthetics of his swing aside, he’s a .281 hitter with the lowest strikeout rate (8.9%) and the 10th-highest contact rate (87.6%) in all of MLB over a half decade with the Angels.
There may not be much power with it, and he could stand to take more walks, but it’s not like the swing doesn’t work at all for him.
schellis 2
The reds have a out of position 2b a guy that will likely be moving to 1b at 3b and a lineup of swing from heals hitters. I’d be thrilled if the signed Simmons
bkbk
Im not sure “stewartnbuck” was the runner up for any of the open hitting coach jobs in the MLB this year, probably best to nod your head politely and move along. He also seems to not have been a finalist for jobs that require understanding commas and periods.
its_happening
In Canada we called it the Ernie Whitt.
Halo11Fan
I hated Whitt with all the fervor an Angel fan can muster.
Man he killed us. That man was a ballplayer.
its_happening
Whitt hit like he was proposing for marriage but it worked for many years.
bestno5
Adrian Beltre taught him
danielb
Would be a nice signing for almost any team. The defense up the middle and decent bat is something Simmons brings everyday.
mlbnyyfan
Yankees could trade Voit and move Gleyber to second to sign Simmons. If I’m the Rays they should possibly trade Franco and others to Reds for Castillo. TB needs to replace Snell and Morton. TB may be one of the few teams who have the prospects to get Castillo
Old User Name
Voit is more valuable to the Yankees than he is as a trade candidate. The shredder just rated him as the third best first baseman in the league. Even if you don’t think he’s third best, it shows he’s really good. Add in a low salary and the Yankees would be stupid to move him unless there’s an overpay.
larkraxm
Agreed…Fans have been trying to trade Luke Voit all offseason, but it doesn’t make sense at all. Why would they be in a hurry to trade the AL homerun champ to make room for an aging SS that seemingly has few teams interested. The Yankees should play Torres at SS this year (he wasn’t as bad as people are trying to say. Don’t believe me check the stats) and wait until next year to move him off SS if they want to. Then they will have Lindor, Seager, Story, Correa, Baez, etc… available and not be over the luxury tax this year they will also have money available. Quit trying to trade Luke Voit GDI!!
its_happening
Voit is the key to bringing back whatever need the team must go get. Can’t trade Stanton. Can’t trade Sanchez. Can’t trade Judge. Can’t trade Hicks. Won’t trade Torres. That leaves Frazier, Voit and Urshela. It’s all about who can bring the best return. I do not think too many want to trade Voit but feel he’s the key to a solid return.
Old User Name
Those type of players don’t bring back big returns. All it amounts to is he’s a guy that people know and has some positive value. If the Yankees make a move it will involve prospects, not cost controlled proven MLBers.
vtadave
I guarantee you the Rays aren’t dealing Franco for Castillo.
Dbird777
Yeah, why trade a prospect who hasn’t done anything above A-ball for an All-star with top of the rotation stuff and 3 years of control?
ksoze
I agree, but not because the value is off. The Rays are super thrifty, and 3.8 years of league minimum on a top SS is too much for them to lose.
MoRivera 1999
mlbnyyfan
Yankees don’t need another injury-prone player.
prov356
Simmons has had an injury or two, but he can’t be characterized as injury prone. He will make any team better, even the Yankees.
Halo11Fan
Simmons doesn’t know how to run to first base, he leaps for the bag. If he stops this, he can stay healthy.
It doesn’t seem like a hard thing to stop.
justacubsfan
Why on earth would they trade for castillo? They just sent out Snell. It would be a very lateral move. The rays are content to rock who they have. If they acquire or sign, itll be a short term deal.
steelerbravenation
Yankees should sign him move Torres back to 2nd & let DJ play 1st.
Trade Voit and prospect for a SP
bot
Reds and Blue jays are a great trade fit. Blue jays should trade the farm for both Castillo and Gray. They have the pieces to even get Suarez too.
Dbird777
In before their fans think their 5th, 8th and 15th best prospects would get Castillo alone. They want Castillo, let alone Sonny and/or Geno, it’s going to hurt
rangers13
Rangers have several Minor league SS Reds could inquire about or we always would be willing to talk about Andrus.
Halo11Fan
Anyone know why he walked out on the Angels? Anyone think it will impact his contract?
The Angels didn’t trade him last year at the deadline and then he walks out. Go figure.
bot
It for sure will hurt him. Owners hate that.
Superstar Car Wash
He’s a quitter. Hopefully Bill James can invent a sabermetric or algorithm to subtract that from his UZR or WAR.
towinagain
Health and injuries maybe?
Rsox
He played the “Covid-19 concerns” card to quit on the Angels the last week of the season with the team having an outside (very outside?) Shot at the playoffs.
5toolMVP
@halo I think there was a MLB roster bubble deadline for rosters the day or two after he opted out. Due to covid and the fact the Angels were still 3-5 games out of a playoff spot, he chose to opt out. I think it was only with a week to play in the season.
Halo11Fan
I doubt any owner is buying the Covid excuse.
DarkSide830
it was an excuse tbh. As far as im concerned the others that opted out were validated, but opting out late was a jerk thing to do. I dont think it impacts his contract terribly though, unless players on a prospective team voice concerns over such to the GM.
bkbkbkbk
It should be noted but he’s a borderline conspiracy theory guy in Twitter
bravesfan
Kinda wish the braves would explore this and move him or Swanson to 3B. I know that wouldn’t allow for enough bat/pop in the lineup, but Simmons is a solid player
Mrtwotone
I have many great memories with him at shortstop
HalosHeavenJJ
He had no drive from his lower half after the ankle injury. He came back on the early side each time. Trying to be a gamer might have cost him.
Halo11Fan
You still just don’t walk out. If that’s the reason, I don’t think that helps him.
Superstar Car Wash
Hopefully the Reds pass. Not a fan of players who quit on their teams after all of a sudden being “concerned about COVID-19” just because they didn’t offer a contract extension. Let him and his declining metrics go somewhere else.
titanic struggle
Absolutely agree, I hope they pass. The last thing the Reds need is a 60 day DL, bad ankle guy waiting to happen. Can’t even wash cars with a bad ankle…
towinagain
Simmons to the Reds should happen. That’s a good fit. Get him on a two-year pact now while the market hasn’t been set but he’s only going to bolster Gray and Castillo’s numbers with his defensive prowess.
Rsox
If the Reds are interested it’s because they believe they can get him on a cheap one year pillow contract whereas Semien and Gregorious are still seeking multi-year deals.
redsorbust
Hi all. I don’t think I want Simmons. Reds IMO need a decent hitter who can get on base for all their home run hitters. I don’t know what his on base % is but does not sound good from the article. Reds don’t want a long term contract with Garcia tuning up in the minors. I would like Semien for two years if we could get that.
krillin89
This would make a lot of sense
joeshmoe11
Can everyone stop putting Casali in with guys they non tendered to save money? Tyler Stephenson is a highly rated prospect and has earned a spot
casey21
I agree. There just wasn’t room on the roster for him. It wasn’t about money because he didn’t make much.
Dbird777
I hope he enjoys playing for the San Francisco Reds, btw
titanic struggle
Absolutely…and Castalia had three decent seasons with the Reds and I hope he does well in SF. That was a move to bring the kid up for good hopefully. He definitely impressed me…
titanic struggle
Absolutely…and Cassali had three decent seasons with the Reds and I hope he does well in SF. That was a move to bring the kid up for good hopefully. He definitely impressed me…
doug c
nutting wallet could trade erik gonzalez keven newman ect for cheap more salary flexibility
Mario93
Angels are a joke… eat that 10 mill why don’t you ?
Vizionaire
then you eat your piece, dummy!
seamaholic 2
Andrelton’s apparently called his agent and expressed his nervousness about his position, and said agent called a friendly reporter to try and drum up an offer. I like him as a player and think he can help lots of teams, but with the epic SS class coming in 12 months and very few teams having an opening, it’s tough.
prov356
Simmons will make any team better. His defense is amazing. The common narrative is Simmons can’t hit. With the Angels, he was a decent hitter and got more than a few clutch hits over the years with us.
Dbird777
I don’t think anyone’s saying he can’t hit. But both his OBP and OPS are poor, relative.
prov356
Yeah, his OPS is average-ish. But pair that with his glove and he is a good piece for any team. And he’s just a nice guy to have in the clubhouse too.
Superstar Car Wash
He’s a quitter though. That divides his potential contract by well over half.
Kungfooshus
Simmons would be a perfect fit for Baltimore. Here’s hoping Cincinnati signs someone else.
Stingray16
Reds would not be in this situation if they did not make the boneheaded decision to keep Galvis over Jose Iglesias last year. Should have resigned Iglesias instead of spending on Akiyama when the outfield was already crowded. With all that said I hope they pass on Simmons. Would rather they sign Semien but knowing the Reds they will probably resign Galvis.
ekrog
Check Akiyama’s numbers after he adjusted. If he keeps that up he’s a bargain.
titanic struggle
I agree on both points. Should have kept Iggy and that adjustment by Akiyama was very, very good. Not everyone is a machine like Ichiro, it takes time to adjust and from what I understand he’s a student of the game. Maybe they’ve found that leadoff hitter.
redhaze1
Reds need to trade for Trevor Story. He will be a free agent in 2021. It shouldn’t cost a boatload. Moustakas, Aquino, Romano, and Santillian for Dtory and Hilliard. Move Senzel to second base.
Mrtwotone
I doubt the Rockies are gonna take on that Moustakes contract. They are trying to cut salary per reports.
Rsox
Why in the world would Rockies want Moustakas? He’s not replacing Story at SS, he’s not taking 3B from Arenado, they already have McMahon and Hampson at 2B and right now looks like Fuentes or Desmond at 1B. There is no place for him and the Rockies are not going to take on payroll in any trade
sportsfreak52
I don’t see Simmons, Semien or Gregarious taking a 1-year contract (because of next years FA’s) but, at the same time I could see them taking a 2 or maybe 3 year deal with an AAV or what a decent 1-year deal would net them; making that their best route.