RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesCINCINNATI, OHIO - JULY 30: Nathaniel Lowe #31 of the Cincinnati Reds slides into second base in the second inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park on July 30, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
At the last gasp on MLB trade deadline day, the Cincinnati Reds finally struck a deal to move one of their seven players who’ll be free agents at season’s end.
As ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported, the Reds have shipped 1B/DH Nathaniel Lowe north to the Cleveland Guardians.
The Cleveland Guardians are acquiring Nathaniel Lowe in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds, sources tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 3, 2026
While the return is not yet known (and expected to be marginal), the concept of moving Lowe, in a vacuum, is a solid one. He’ll be a free agent at season’s end, the Reds are in last place, and getting something instead of nothing makes good sense. Plus, the DH at-bats Lowe has been getting against right-handed pitching can presumably go to prospect Hector Rodriguez, a fellow lefty swinger, down the stretch as he continues to scorch AAA pitching.
Of course, the Reds also opted to hold on to the other six guys who are set to be free agents at season’s end, so not keeping one of the ones who’s actually produced so far this season runs counter to the overall strategy, if there actually is one.
We’ll update when we find out what the Reds receive in return.
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