Indians should inquire about Nick Senzel

After signing Nicholas Castellanos, the Cincinnati Reds could be looking to trade Nick Senzel and the Cleveland Indians should definitely be interested.

The Cleveland Indians should contact the Cincinnati Reds if they are truly looking to move Nick Senzel.

Senzel’s role and playing time in Cincinnati may have changed significantly due to the signing of Nicholas Castellanos. Their outfield now has a group that features Castellanos in addition to Phillip Ervin, Jesse Winker, and Aristides Aquino.

Cincinnati is clearly going for it this season, meaning they might look for immediate production rather than waiting for someone like Nick Senzel to develop. It is a bit shortsighted, but the National League Central looks prime for the taking. Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Louis are not necessarily the same caliber of team that they were during the previous three seasons. Cincinnati has clearly closed the gap and may even win the division.

Nick Senzel has experience in the infield, having spent the majority of his time in the minors at third base. The problem? Eugenio Suarez has that position on lockdown for the foreseeable future. Senzel also spent time at second base, but the team went out and signed Mike Moustakas to play second. It really seems like Nick Senzel could be the odd man out in Cincinnati.

While the Reds could also trade someone like Phillip Ervin or Jesse Winker, Nick Senzel could net the biggest return. A return which could make the immediate impact that Cincinnati is looking for.

How does Nick Senzel fit in with Cleveland?

When it comes to Cleveland, their outfield is a giant question mark outside of Oscar Mercado and Jordan Luplow’s platoon status. Franmil Reyes is also in the mix, but appears to be destined to be their designated hitter due to being a liability defensively. Jake Bauers, Greg Allen, Delino DeShields, and Bradley Zimmer are also outfield options for the Indians to consider. They are not necessarily all that exciting options, but they are options nonetheless.

Nick Senzel struggled at times with the Reds last season. Although, the 24-year old has produced at the minor league level and could be of interest of teams willing to wait for him to develop. The fact that Senzel is controllable through the 2025 season could be of interest to the Tribe. A trade for Senzel seems to mesh with the relatively risk-averse team building strategy. There is still risk when it comes to trading for a player, but less risk than offering a large contract to a player in free agency.