When that happens, GMs and front office executives cannot afford to be passive. Krall sat on his hands last summer, and the Reds straddled the fence choosing not to buy or sell. If the Reds fall further out of contention this season, which five players could be on the trade block?

Martinez occupies that odd, but necessary, role of a swingman. However, Cincinnati may have a terrific in-house option already in one of Carson Spiers or Brandon Williamson. Adding Martinez was supposed to bolster the Reds bullpen while also giving them a serviceable starter so that players like Randy Wynne and Brett Kennedy didn’t appear on the mound in 2024.

If the Reds are out of contention later this season and they were able to get back a mid-tier prospect for Martinez while also shedding payroll, it’s a win-win for Cincinnati. Martinez represents the type of player that many contending teams would definitely take a look at.

Jonathan India, Reds 2B

The rumblings have been there since last offseason, and were it not for an early-season injury to Matt McLain, it’s quite possible that Jonathan India would have already been traded this season. India’s bat, not his defense, is his calling card. The former first-round draft pick has a tremendous knowledge of the strike zone, and could be of great benefit to a number of ball clubs in need of a bat at the MLB trade deadline.

The Reds signed India to a two-year, $8.8 million deal, but the infielder is still under team control through 2026. India hasn’t done anything to really help his trade value so far this season, but he also hasn’t done anything to hurt it.

The Reds kept India around this past offseason in order to maintain quality depth. Seeing so many players hit the IL, the move appeared to work out. But moving forward, if Cincinnati is out of the playoff chase by the end of July, India should be on the trade block.