The Cincinnati Reds have already made a significant offseason move by acquiring right-handed starting pitcher Brady Singer from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for Jonathan India and minor league outfielder Joey Wiemer. This trade addresses potential pitching concerns for 2025. However, in 2024, the Reds’ struggles were more about an underperforming offense than pitching issues. While injuries played a role, adding a strong bat to the lineup remains a priority. One player frequently mentioned in trade discussions is Brent Rooker.
Athletics General Manager David Forst has publicly stated that the team doesn’t intend to trade Rooker, but such declarations are often strategic. ESPN’s David Schoenfield, in his article exploring one major move for each team, suggested that Cincinnati target the Athletics outfielder.
Rooker’s career trajectory has been remarkable. Debuting in 2020, he appeared in just seven games. Over the next two seasons, he played 74 combined games for three teams, batting .190. But in 2023, he broke out with Oakland, earning an All-Star nod while hitting 30 home runs and posting an .817 OPS (127 OPS+). He followed that up in 2024 with an even better performance, hitting 39 home runs with a .927 OPS (165 OPS+). Rooker has transformed from a replacement-level player to a middle-of-the-order slugger, making him an attractive trade target.
As Schoenfield noted, Oakland could capitalize on Rooker’s peak value following his 2024 season. He will be arbitration-eligible in 2025, with an estimated salary of $5.1 million, per MLB Trade Rumors. Adding a player with 30+ home run potential could significantly bolster Cincinnati’s lineup. In 2024, the Reds had only three players reach 20 home runs: Elly De La Cruz (25), Spencer Steer (20), and Jeimer Candelario (20). At times, TJ Friedl—a solid hitter but not a typical cleanup bat—was hitting in the middle of the order.
Trading for Rooker, who is affordable and under team control for three more seasons, would likely come at a steep price. Schoenfield suggests that the Reds might need to part with Rhett Lowder to make the deal happen. Lowder, the team’s 2023 first-round pick, ascended rapidly through the minors in 2024, finishing the season with a 1.02 ERA over his final 13 starts, split between the minors and the big leagues. His performance established him as a top prospect and future rotation staple.
Even without Lowder, the Reds’ rotation remains strong with Hunter Greene, Nick Martinez, Brady Singer, and several other options, including Andrew Abbott, Nick Lodolo, Graham Ashcraft, Chase Petty, and top prospect Chase Burns.
For Oakland, a trade could provide a promising young pitcher to strengthen their staff, especially as they navigate uncertain years ahead while playing in a temporary stadium in Sacramento. For Cincinnati, this move could address a critical need, trading from a position of depth to significantly enhance their offensive production.
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