The Cincinnati Reds keep saying they don’t want to trade Hunter Greene.
Meanwhile, the Boston Red Sox seem pretty open to moving Jarren Duran.
What if there’s a deal here?
The Athletic’s Jim Bowden floated a trade that could work for both clubs involving these two stars:
“The Reds trade Hunter Greene to the Red Sox for outfielder Jarren Duran and pitchers Payton Tolle and Jedixson Paez.”
Here’s Bowden’s thinking:
“Boston continues to add to their starting rotation cabinet, giving them an intimidating top three with Garrett Crochet, Sonny Gray and Greene. The Reds get a dynamic table-setter for the top of their lineup, one pitcher who can step into the rotation immediately and another for the development group to work with.”
It’s not crazy when you think about it. Cincinnati desperately needs more offense, and they’ve got pitching depth to burn. Greene’s their ace, sure, but he’s also their most valuable trade chip.
The piece that might intrigue the Reds is Payton Tolle. He’s not just organizational filler – the guy already made it to the majors last season and has legit potential. Won’t turn into Greene, but he’s got upside.
From Cincinnati’s perspective, you’re getting a proven middle-of-the-order bat in Duran plus a pitcher who could contribute immediately. That’s not nothing when your offense was as anemic as theirs was last year.
For Boston, it’s pretty straightforward. They clear their outfield logjam and land a frontline starter to pair with Garrett Crochet and Sonny Gray. That rotation would be legit.
The Red Sox have been aggressive this winter, and adding Greene would signal they’re serious about contending. The Reds, meanwhile, might finally address their offensive issues without completely gutting their pitching staff.
It’s the kind of deal that makes sense on paper. Whether either team would actually pull the trigger is another story entirely.
