The Cincinnati Reds’ trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates last month seemed promising at first, bringing Gold Glove third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes to the team. Hayes, known for his stellar defense, has lived up to expectations and more, providing elite fielding and unexpectedly better offensive production. After hitting just .236 with the Pirates, Hayes has posted a .238 average with a .307 on-base percentage and .400 slugging in 25 games with the Reds.
However, in acquiring Hayes, the Reds gave up more than just shortstop prospect Sammy Stafura. They also included left-handed pitcher Taylor Rogers in the deal, a decision that’s now looking like a big mistake. After the trade, Rogers never even suited up for Pittsburgh. The Pirates quickly traded him to another NL Central rival, the Chicago Cubs. Since joining Chicago, Rogers has been dominant, striking out 13 batters in 8⅔ innings. Despite a rough outing against the San Francisco Giants on August 27, where he allowed three runs, Rogers had posted an impressive 1.23 ERA before that.
Meanwhile, the Reds have struggled to replace Rogers. Left-handed relievers Sam Moll and Brent Suter have had a rough time, with Moll owning a 4.97 FIP over 10 appearances and Suter’s ERA climbing to 8.03 in August.
While it’s hard to fully blame Reds’ GM Nick Krall and the front office—after all, they did get a Gold Glove third baseman in Hayes—trading away Rogers to balance salaries may have been a misstep. Had the Reds kept him (and perhaps added another prospect), they would’ve had a solid left-handed reliever to aid in their playoff push. Now, their bullpen is missing a key left-handed arm, a gap that could prove costly as the season winds down.