3 moves the Reds still need to make now that the MLB Winter Meetings are over
The MLB Winter Meetings are in the books, but the Reds still have work to do.
The MLB Winter Meetings were rather boring this year. Of course, once everyone cleared out of the Opryland Resort on Wednesday afternoon, several deals were finally made.
The New York Yankees traded for Juan Soto, Eduardo Rodriguez will be moving across the country after signing with the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the Cincinnati Reds signed one of the top position players on the market in Jeimer Candelario.
And while Reds fans are still trying to wrap their minds around how everyone in Cincinnati’s lineup is going to see the field in 2024, president of baseball operations Nick Krall still has some business to take care of. What three moves do the Reds still need to make now that the MLB Winter Meetings are over?
1. The Reds still need to add a right-handed hitting outfielder
It was rumored just as the MLB Winter Meetings were coming to a close that the Cincinnati Reds were interested in signing free agent outfielder Michael A. Taylor. This would be a signiifcant upgrade over Stuart Fairchild and also bolster the Reds lineup against left-handed pitching.
When Cincinnati is slated to face a right-hander in 2024, the club should line up rather well. With Elly De La Cruz, Jake Fraley, Will Benson, TJ Friedl, and the newly signed Jeimer Candelario all able to swing the bat from the left side, the Reds could have a very balanced lineup against opposing right-handed pitchers.
But when a southpaw toes the rubber, that same potency may dissipate quite a bit. De La Cruz struggled mightily against lefties in 2023, as did Fraley and Benson. Friedl was able to hold his own, and Candelario had relatively equal splits as a switch-hitter.
But the Reds are going to need a right-handed bat to fill in for the now departed Nick Senzel. A player like Michael A. Taylor would be a good choice.
Others include Randal Grichuk, Adam Duvall, and even Harrison Bader. If the Cincinnati Reds are ready to compete for the NL Central Division crown, they need an upgrade over Stuart Fairchild.
