Reds GM Nick Krall spoke with reporters recently during the club’s end-of-season press conference, including Mark Sheldon of MLB.com and Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer. The presser covered a wide array of topics from the club’s offseason plans and budget, to a retrospective on Cincinnati’s inaction at the trade deadline this year, to the club’s impending club option decision on future Hall of Famer Joey Votto.
Regarding the trade deadline, Krall stood firm on his decision to largely stand pat this summer, only adding left-handed reliever Sam Moll to a club that was in first place in the NL Central on deadline day but wound up with a record of just 82-80 on the season after going just 23-31 after the calendar flipped to August. Starting pitching was by far the club’s biggest unfilled need, as they sported an MLB-worst rotation ERA of 5.91 following the trade deadline.
When asked about the club’s inaction, Krall noted that rival teams set exorbitant asking prices involving players who contributed to the major league roster this season. As relayed by Sheldon, Krall indicated that right-hander Connor Phillips, infielders Matt McLain and Spencer Steer, first baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand and left-hander Andrew Abbott were all checked in upon by rival clubs this past summer, with Abbott in particular being the requested return for a rental player.
Looking ahead to the offseason, the Reds have a glut of position players between which they’ll need to sort through, to say nothing of potential external additions or the looming decision on Votto. On the infield, the club sports McLain, Steer, Encarnacion-Strand, Noelvi Marte, Elly De La Cruz, and Jonathan India all in need of regular at-bats. Meanwhile, the outfield picture features Jake Fraley, TJ Friedl, Stuart Fairchild, and Will Benson. Nick Senzel is another piece of the puzzle with experience in both the infield and the outfield, but he appears to be a candidate for a trade or non-tender after another weak offensive season where he slashed just .236/.297/.399 in 330 trips to the plate.
Krall made clear that the club hasn’t discussed moving either India or De La Cruz to the outfield as a potential way to clear the infield logjam. He did note, however, that Steer played well in the outfield corners across 38 starts at the positions this season, leaving the door open to more time spent on the grass in 2024. Of course, installing Steer as a regular outfielder would cut into the playing time available for Friedl, Fraley, Fairchild, and Benson. That’s particularly true of Fraley and Benson, both of whom were largely limited to the outfield corners and DH this season with little to no reps in center. However the club ultimately sorts out playing time for their wealth of young players, Krall made clear that manager David Bell will return in 2024- hardly a surprise after the club extended him earlier this year- and that he’ll retain his entire coaching staff for next season, as well.
Regarding Votto, Krall indicated that the club hasn’t yet discussed whether or not to pick up his $20MM club option for 2024. The option is effectively a $13MM decision given the $7MM buyout Votto stands to be paid if the option is declined. The decision on Votto is due five days after the World Series. In discussing Votto’s option, Krall revealed that the organization has yet to determine the club’s baseball operations budget for 2024, with meetings regarding the topic scheduled for next week. That said, the club’s unsettled budget situation hasn’t stopped the Reds from broaching the topic of extensions with some of their young players, as Krall noting that more pre-arbitration extensions in the vein of the one right-hander Hunter Greene inked earlier this year were a “possibility.”
The Cincinnati Enquirer’s Gordon Wittenmyer adds that a major stumbling block for the sides is how much playing time will be available to Votto next year. Even in moving Steer to the outfield full-time, the Reds would have five infielders in need of regular playing time next season on top of the crowded outfield mix. Offseason trades could help clear the positional logjam, of course, but the sort of trades available to the Reds this offseason, much like their impending decision on Votto, would be impacted by the club’s budget for next season. Wittenmyer adds that Brandon Belt’s impending departure for Votto’s hometown Blue Jays could add another wrinkle for the sides, as he describes Toronto as “the one franchise besides the Reds that would benefit from significant marquee name value from Votto beyond baseball performance.”
Reds have McClain, India, Marte and DeLaCruz, Dodgers have Rushing, Cartaya, Pepiot and Stone. Assuming the Dodgers sign a couple of FA starting pitchers, there is a logical trade between Reds and Dodgers involving one Reds middle infielder for one Dodgers catching prospect and one Dodgers pitching prospect.
Could possibly do something around India-Pepiot. We may even throw in Ty Steve for free
@MBMVP; I would trade Cartaya & Stone. Noway Pepiot and Rushing.
I would rather see a trade with St. Louis, Cartaya, Stone, River Ryan & Victor Gonzalez for Arenado & T. Edman.
Could try to make this a 3 team deal, say with the Guardians and the Cardinals getting Shane Bieber as 1 of the players? This all hinges on the Dodgers signing F.A. Snell along with one of either Jordan Montgomery or Yamamoto.
The Cards would be more interested in another pitcher rather than Cartaya, but I agree on the principal. I think Arenado probably regrets not asking the Cardinals to trade him to the Dodgers at the deadline.
Dalton Rushing is legit!
Pass.
Mariners have a log jam of starting pitching too. Rather go get 1 of theirs. Or 2.
Mariners need bats. Reds need pitching
1 of Kirby or Gilbert
1 of Woo or Miller
Still leaves the Mariners with
Castillo
Gilbert or Kirby
Miller or Woo
Robbie Ray coming back
Marco Gonzalez if they exercise his 15 mill option
Hancock
So roughly 6 options next year. Assuming they don’t go out and sign someone.
i could live with a Williamson, India and Ty Steve for Kirby, Miller and Raleigh trade. Could even throw in a minor leaguer on our end
Reds don’t need another pitching prospect. Each one of the following has shown more than enough promise to break camp with a spot in the rotation:
Andrea Abbott
Graham Ashcraft
Nick Lodolo
Hunter Greene
Brandon Williamson
…and all of them are under control through at least 2028
We sure af better not trade any young guys so Votto can get PT.. Enjoy that 7 mil check, Joey. And Fairchild shouldn’t even be mentioned as getting in the way of Steer lol
Hot Stove can’t come fast enough, though
Absolutely. As much as Reds fans don’t want to see Votto in another uniform, we can’t let sentiment get in the way of the team’s success. If he isn’t willing to take a bench/platoon role with CES at 1B/DH, then we gotta let him go.
Not gonna happen. If reports that Votto isn’t interested on a part time role are true (and reports aren’t always), then it will be retirement or another team if he is offered full time elsewhere.
I’ll note that Dave Concepcion, Tony Perez and even Pete Rose were platoon players toward the end of their careers.
Votto will be wearing a Pirates jersey come spring.
It is time to let Votto walk. He stands in the way of the young guys with much less production.
Spencer Steer is much better against LHP compared to Fraley and Benson (both atrocious). At the very least, I can see Steer starting over one of them against LHP.
The cost was too high, if he what he says is true. No way could you pay that for a rental. I wouldn’t pay that even if I was a very serious contender.
IMO Steer is an everyday player, not just against lefties. Also, only trade a “surplus” infielder for a knock-your-socks off trade for a Starting Pitcher. Bell can use days off, DH to keep everyone fresh. One injury and that infielder isn’t surplus anymore.
I know Spencer Steer should play everyday. I’m saying that Fraley and Benson should not play against LHP. It’s not a logjam in the OF (against LHP at least). I’m simply saying Steer has a clear spot to play against LHP. He should still play against RHP also. Fraley, Benson, and Steer should be the corners and DH against RHP.
What teams ask for in the beginning, otherwise known as the moon, and what is eventually settled on are miles apart. That’s why it is called negotiations. If he shut trade talks down because of that, he should no longer have a job. I have known guys fired for less.
You could see? They did literally this pretty much the entire second half of the season
Stuart Fairchild is very much expendable, I don’t even know why he would be mentioned as needing playing time.
And it sounds to me like Votto is going to want more playing time than he probably deserves at this point, so as much as it pains me, we need to let him go if he isn’t willing to be bench/mentor guy.
Ideal lineup, in my opinion
C Stephenson
1B Encarnacion-Strand
2B McLain
3B Marte
SS De La Cruz
CF Friedl
LF Steer
RF Benson
DH India
I’d love to bring Soler in even if to DH lol
Yeah I’m just operating with who we have right now in that. I think the offensive potential is even greater than last year, especially with full years of CES, Elly and Marte, so I don’t necessarily feel that they need to bring anyone else in. I’d rather spend on pitching. And, while I am ready to move on from Votto, I’m not ready to move on from India, who is probably the odd man out if we bring someone in. Haha
Fraley will get plenty of ABs against RHPs, with Steer sometimes at 1B and rotating others through DH. And one of either Senzel or Fairchild probably makes the cut as a weak-side OF platoon and because they need at least one capable CF backup for Friedl.
Fraley is a guy I’d be willing to trade for some form of pitching.
I might switch positions for Elly and Marte, but otherwise position players are set. Elly seems to play better defense at 3B and Marte was smooth at SS. Maybe some versatile bench guys for injuries. Fraley always seems to get one.
What they really need is a veteran starter and better setup bullpen guys until you get to Diaz. They might want to think about long men in the bullpen too as Lodolo and Greene in particular have to learn to be more pitch efficient. They can’t keep burning out the bullpen two or three times every turn in the rotation. I think Lively would have been a good candidate for that, but maybe whoever doesn’t make the rotation slips in that kind of role.
Pitching pitching pitching and more pitching. Open up the pocketbook and get an established competitor who isn’t going to tax your bullpen like virtually every starter on this team did from august on. Now is the time. Heck, July 31 was the time with the reds in 1st but that ship has sailed. Step up and let’s get these guys in the playoffs
I can’t see the Reds picking up Votto’s option. The future looks bright for the Red Legs.
Bob wouldn’t pick up a check let alone a $20 million option.
Hopefully the writers wore hip boots for all the bovine excrement they had to listen to.
Reds still need some pitching, but we know Bob’s and his check book.
The position players’ roster is already set for next season: Stephenson, Maile, CES, McLain, Marte, EDLC, India, Steer, Benson, Friedl, Fraley, with the last two bench spots open for competition among several candidates.
Not everyone is suited to being a role player. Sometimes it is beneficial to roster a less talented player who is accustomed to coming off the bench. It allows your starters to settle into consistent roles and get regular at bats without feeling the need to find playing time for everyone.
The Reds should identify the guys they feel strongest about, lock them into extensions, and prioritize their continued development by giving them defined roles and consistent playing time.
Long article, but it basically came down to Krall saying, “I don’t know WTF I’m going to do!”.
Hardly earth-shattering news since every GM in baseball is probably preparing to deliver the same thoughts when they face the press.
Votto should voluntarily retire. Father Time has come to call, or at minimum, is hanging around Votto’s front door waiting to knock.
Then the Reds hire him for a FO position at $7 million for one year. The cheese is the same if the Reds bought him out. However, Votto and the FO avoid the unpleasant words, “Votto’s option was declined and he’s now a FA.”.
You get the feeling now that it is the time to build it back up, Po Boy don’t have a clue WTF he is going to do.
Or it basically came down to Krall saying “as little as possible” because he isn’t sharing his plans with the whole wide world. As you went on to say, every GM in baseball is not going to share much, if anything at all, with the press.
How many fantasy managers share their strategies with the rest of the league before the start of (or at any point) a season?
What I get from this is that Krall and his staff are secure and confident in their performance this year and certainly aren’t second guessing going into the offseason. I can’t imagine Joketty conducting a post season press conference as well as Krall has. Nick believes in what he and his staff are doing and isn’t afraid to let the press know. Kudos.
And why not? I would venture that Krall has received interest in about every position player and pitcher that would make the 2024 active roster, currently in the Reds organization- plus money to spend. Lots of options to consider.
Because they have lots of money to spend doesn’t mean they will spend it. In fact, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where the Reds 2024 payroll is not in the bottom five of baseball.
They may not need to. Most on this site equate size of payroll with ability to compete. There is no direct relationship.
They need to…on pitching. But Po Boy won’t, just like last offseason and at the trade deadline, and the Reds will again be on the outside looking in and the kids will be a year closer to leaving the premises.
We have seen this act before.
Not trying to be a buggaboo here… but “future HOFer Votto”???
2100 hits, 300-something homers, maybe 1200 RBI…
Sorry, not seeing “it”.
He’s a lock. Sorry if it bothers you! I know there are a ton of deserving people left out but he belongs.
Doesn’t bother me one bit, but I’d spend my votes on lots of others first. No worries!
His OBP numbers are off the chart for a large chunk of his career. Plus for most of it he was good to above average defensively. A lot of voters also think subjectively was he ever the best player at his position overall for multiple years, which he also was. He’ll get in.
You can be a reds fan and also realistic. I know some of you guys here have that problem.
Reality is that some of these kids we are excited about are due for regression. Sophomore slump if you will. I wouldn’t count on them all being productive. If you have an extra body, keep him and play the hot hands. Hopefully you have a problem keeping all the hot hands in the lineup!
Oh, and India is the odd man out. Reds have been trying to trade him since they drafted him (almost literally weeks after the drafted him)
The $13 million dollar decision on Votto must be made within five days after the World Series. I find it hard to believe the decision hasn’t already been made, let alone discussed. Look for the Reds to decline the option on Votto and not re-invest a dime of it back into the team.
Unfortunately history has shown you to be correct with that last statement. I still do not trust them to spend what is needed to shore up the team either.