Hunter Greene: Cincinnati Reds players 'discussed' trade deadline after Tigers swept them

ARLINGTON, Texas – Even at the All-Star Game players can’t escape the inevitable questions and buzz surrounding the next big event on the baseball calendar: the July 30 MLB trade deadline.

And it’s not just media creating the conversations, as Cincinnati Reds All-Star Hunter Greene pointed out.

“We discussed that over the last week between our Detroit and Colorado series,” Greene said. “Some guys are – not stressing – but obviously in certain situations where they are on the (potential) trading block.

“It comes with the game,” he added. “It’s the business side. It’s stuff that we can’t stress about and really think about, We’ve just got to go out and play.”

Cincinnati Reds teammate Jonathan India on MLB trade deadline

Teammate Jonathan India said two weeks ago said the trade deadline “is definitely on a lot of our minds, for sure.”

That was just ahead of an impressive three-game sweep at Yankee Stadium that seemed to point the Reds in the direction of being buyers at the deadline – until they followed that by going home and getting swept by Detroit.

Cincinnati Reds GM Brad Meador on MLB trade deadline

Reds general manager Brad Meador said before the Yankees series team officials would evaluate their deadline direction during the All-Star break.

The only thing that has clarified their position since then is, well, roughly nothing. Their 8-5 finish to the first half wasn’t so much a closing kick as it was a kick in the pants for all the fits and starts during those two weeks.

And it might even mean kicking the can down the road for another series or two before anything decisive is determined.

What will Reds do at MLB trade deadline?

The Reds say that selling isn’t going to look like a fire sale no matter what, with maybe a short-term veteran pitcher or two getting shopped if that’s the direction they go. And if they were to be buyers, it’s not even clear what the targeted area would be.

A reliever maybe? Contending teams can always use bullpen depth. On the other hand, they obviously feel good enough about their depth there that they dealt journeyman lefty Alex Young for outfielder Austin Slater earlier this month.

A bat? Sure. But at what position and what price? And how many impact bats will even be firmly on the block. Reports from Toronto say the Blue Jays aren’t trading Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Pete Alonso appears to be staying with the Mets for now after New York finished the first half strong enough to be sitting in playoff position at the break.

Where would Greene add if given the chance?

“I think everybody in that clubhouse is capable of performing well and getting to where we need to be in the postseason, so I’ll say that first,” Greene said. “Because I truly believe that.

“But I don’t really play GM,” he added. “Obviously, a big bat always helps. And good pitching. You could do both. They say that pitching wins championships and World Series. But so does hitting. Could be both sides of the ball.”

Yeah, good thing he’s not into that GM thing.

Meanwhile, as Greene talked Tuesday in the NL All-Star clubhouse about the Reds and the deadline, Alonso was getting similar questions a few locker stalls away.

“I hope I get to see things through,” he said, “And I hope that we continue to play well.”