The Cincinnati Reds, fresh off their series win against the New York Mets, head to our nation’s capital to take on the Washington Nationals. The Nats are clearly sellers with the MLB trade deadline approaching, and the Reds will have an up-close and personal view of some of Washington’s top assets.
Though the Nationals are not looking to trade from their core of young players, there is an outfielder on Washington’s roster who would fit the Reds’ lineup perfectly. Alex Call, who’s taken on a reserve role of late, could be a fantastic upgrade for the Reds as they search for some additional help in the outfield.
Call is hitting .275/.375/.379 on the season with just two home runs and 21 RBI. After posting a .950 OPS in 30 games with the Nats last season, the 30-year-old has been forced to take a backseat in recent weeks with the quartet of James Wood, Daylen Lile, Jacob Young, and Dylan Crews getting the lion’s share of playing time in Washington’s outfield.
Reds have chance to scout Nationals outfielder Alex Call with the MLB trade deadline looming
Call fits exactly what Cincinnati is looking for at the MLB trade deadline. While some fans would love to see the Reds’ front office hit a home run and trade for a player like Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran, it’s much more likely that Cincinnati make some smaller upgrades to the bench and bullpen.
Call, who was a third-round pick of the Chicago White Sox in 2016, is still pre-arbitration eligible and won’t reach free agency until after the 2029 season. Call has seen plenty of success against left-handed pitching — something the Reds have struggled with this season. Call owns a .349/.394/.492 slash line against lefties this season with a career .769 OPS against southpaws.
The Reds recently began to experiment deploying Noelvi Marte in right field over the weekend — the third baseman received his first start in the outfield on Sunday against the Mets. Adding Call would allow Reds manager Terry Francona to platoon him in right field alongside Jake Fraley and Will Benson, which would eliminate the need for Marte to play out of position against left-handed pitchers.
Reds fans may want to keep an eye on Call during the upcoming series against the Nats. He could be wearing a Reds uniform before the end of the month.
