The free agent market is exploding this offseason. And while not every player is taking home the type of payday Juan Soto received, the spike in free agency has left a number of small-market ball clubs like the Cincinnati Reds sitting on the sidelines.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25278982/1856407040.jpg)
Reds President of Baseball Operations Nick Krall may well be biding his time, waiting for the free agent price tags to come down. However, when a player like Max Kepler is signing a one-year pact for $10 million, that shows just how brutal the market truly is.
If the Reds were serious about upgrading the outfield, fans would have already seen Cincinnati dole out a massive contract to Anthony Santander or Teoscar Hernández. Sadly, Reds fans know all too well that Krall and Co. will drag their feet and eventually settle for a mid-market deal similar to the likes of Tommy Pham (2022) and Wil Myers (2023).
Reds could be forced to pivot toward former Braves’ outfielder Ramón Laureano
With that in mind, the Reds may look to make a play for a former Atlanta Braves outfielder. No, not Adam Duvall, but his ex-teammate Ramón Laureano. The former Oakland Atheltics’ standout ended his 2024 campaign with the Braves and is currently a free agent.
Laureano endured a lot of struggles during the early-part of the 2024 season. The veteran outfielder got off to a horrible start with the Cleveland Guardians last season and was eventually released at the end of May after hitting .143/.265/.229 in just 31 games. The Braves took a flier on Laureano and signed him to a Minor League deal. His contract was selected in mid-June and Laureano became a solid contributor for Brian Snitker’s squad.
As the Braves’ part-time right fielder, he hit .296/.327/.505 with 10 home runs and 29 RBI in 216 at-bats. Laureano has always been regarded as a plus defender, and according to Fielding Bible, has been worth 13 defensive runs saved (DRS) the past two seasons combined.
Laureano posted a .305/.343/.526 slash line against southpaws in 2024, and could be the perfect compliment alongside Jake Fraley next season. Fraley endured a tumultuous year off the field in 2024, but had a .467 slugging percentage against righties in 2023. Fraley’s career-OPS against right-handers is over 250 points higher than when facing lefties. In other words, Fraley needs a platoon partner to take the field when the Reds are facing a left-handed pitcher.
Some Reds fans won’t like the idea, but the high-dollar free agents are likely out of Cincinnati’s price range. Rather than blowing up the budget for 2025 and beyond, Krall could settle for a short-term solution in right field with the combination of Laureano and Fraley. While not ideal, the Reds are running out of options.
