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Seattle acquires Sonny Gray in exchange for 2 unexpected trade pieces and a top prospect
As the Reds are set to lose 2020 Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer in free agency, you would think that they expect to head into 2021 with a still dominant top of the rotation of Luis Castillo and Sonny Gray. However, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports that the Reds will listen to offers for Sonny Gray.
Part of the reason for this has to be that the Reds have a major need for a contact bat, along with a shortstop and more pitching depth. The Reds made the playoffs last year but finished dead last in the MLB with a .212 team batting average and didn’t score a single run in their first-round playoff series vs. the Braves.
This is a perfect trade for both sides. For the Mariners, they acquire an excellent front of the rotation pitcher and only have to give up Ty France, who could have trouble finding a spot in Seattle, Yusei Kikuchi, who has been disappointing, and their third-best pitching prospect George Kirby.
France is just what the Reds need as he had a .305 batting average in 155 plate appearances last year and can fill their need for another infielder. Kikuchi offers the Reds flexibility of having a solid replacement for Gray that they could keep around and accept his 3-year contract option, or if his poor performance continues they can let him go after 2 years.
As for Kirby, he could end up being the odd man out in the future in Seattle with Marco Gonzales, Justus Sheffield, Justin Dunn, Emerson Hancock, and Logan Gilbert all ahead of him. Sending him in this deal to Cincinnati gives the Reds a quality potential top of the rotation pitcher, and does not really burn the Mariners despite him being ranked the 95th best prospect in the MLB.