ORLANDO, Fla. -- If the 2025 Winter Meetings was a Friends episode, it would be called "The One Where the Reds Didn't Get Kyle Schwarber."
After several weeks of being wooed on the free-agent market, Schwarber ultimately chose to return to the Phillies on a five-year, $150 million contract. The Reds made a serious effort to land the left-handed-hitting designated hitter with his hometown team, but their offer ultimately fell short for the Middletown, Ohio, native.
“I was impressed," Schwarber said on Wednesday. "Me and [my wife] Paige went down to Cincinnati, and we were able to sit down and have that conversation with them and hear them out. I would say that they were not pulling chains, and that they were wanting to try to get me to Cincinnati. There are things that you have to cover your bases and every aspect of it. We had those conversations, and I appreciate every conversation I had with every team.”
Although president of baseball operations Nick Krall declined to detail the Reds’ offer, The Athletic reported it was in the range of five years for $125 million. There was a report that Cincinnati was willing to extend its budget to accommodate a Schwarber signing but not for other big-ticket free agents going forward.
Krall refuted that narrative. Deferred money was part of the effort to get Schwarber.
“I never said we were going to extend [payroll]," Krall said. "I’ve always told you guys that where our payroll was … we were trying to figure out how to be creative to get him to fit in. We were trying to be creative in year one to figure out how to continue to get him.”
Perhaps it could be possible for another player? We'll have to see.
As the Reds pivot their search for an alternative offensive bat to boost their lineup, it becomes a wide-open pool of names on both the free-agent and trade markets with two months remaining until Spring Training opens.
MLB.com has learned that Cincinnati held trade talks with the Rays about second baseman Brandon Lowe. Such a move would displace incumbent second baseman Matt McLain, who is capable of playing center field. Don't be surprised if other names are linked to Cincinnati this winter for players that play positions currently filled.
“Our flexibility allows us to do different things where some people have played different positions," Krall said. "That opens us up to be able to look at different positions to be able to add the most impact we could.”
BIGGEST REMAINING NEEDS
1. An impact bat
Even without getting Schwarber, there are hitters out there that are capable of protecting Elly De La Cruz in the middle of the order. While it would have been huge to have a prolific home run hitter like Schwarber, Cincinnati simply needs a guy that will force pitchers to throw more strikes to De La Cruz and lengthen the lineup.
2. Bullpen help
It was very important that Cincinnati re-signed closer Emilio Pagán to a two-year, $20 million contract last week ahead of the Winter Meetings -- before prices went up. Although they have Pagán and setup men Tony Santillan and Graham Ashcraft for the back end of the bullpen, the Reds still need more relievers for the middle-to-late innings and at least one more left-hander.
HE SAID IT
Manager Terry Francona wants to give De La Cruz more days off next season after the All-Star shortstop played all 162 regular-season games.
"I need to find ways to get him off his feet from time to time, and I didn't do a very good job of that, and I own up to that," Francona said.
DRAFT LOTTERY
The Reds weren't in the MLB Draft Lottery but still moved up a spot in the order to No. 18 overall after the Mets didn't win a lottery pick. New York, which would have picked 17th, was penalized 10 spots on their first pick for exceeding the second competitive balance tax threshold.
RULE 5 DRAFT
The Reds made no selections in the Major League phase of the Rule 5 Draft but lost right-handed pitcher Roddery Muñoz from their Triple-A roster.
MORE FROM THIS WEEK
• The Reds hosted Schwarber and his wife at Great American Ball Park during Thanksgiving week in their ultimately unsuccessful efforts to land him.
• Former Reds manager Dusty Baker was excited to helm Team Nicaragua at the upcoming World Baseball Classic.
PRESIDENT OF BASEBALL OPERATIONS’ BOTTOM LINE
“We’re doing everything we can to move this team forward to build on our playoff appearance from this year.” -- Krall