The Cincinnati Reds seemingly have a good problem. After starting shortstop Zack Cosart was lost for the season due to torn ligaments and tendons in his knee, second-year shortstop Eugenio Suarez has filled in nicely for the Reds. Is it possible Cincinnati looks to trade one of them this offseason?
Suarez was acquired last winter when the Reds shipped starting pitcher Alfredo Simon to the Detroit Tigers while Cozart has been the team's starting shortstop since 2012. Cozart, 30, kicked off his first 53 games of the season batting .258/.310/.459 with 28 runs scored, 9 home runs and 28 RBIs, but rumors could begin to surface about his potential departure in the offseason.
Suarez, 24, is batting .284/.322/.458 with 33 runs scored, 11 home runs and 44 RBIs in 80 games since taking over for Cozart, and he'll be much cheaper than the veteran in 2016. Additionally, regardless of what manager Bryan Price says, there's not enough room in the infield to accommodate both players and moving Suarez to the outfield doesn't seem to be a prudent decision.
"Despite Suarez's willingness to play anywhere, his greatest value is at shortstop. Cozart will be arbitration-eligible for the second time after this season," writes Jon Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer. "He's making $2.35 million this year. He'll likely get at least $4 million in '16 and would be due to make up to $8 million in '17, depending on his numbers."
Fay also added that if both players were to be regulars on the Reds' roster next year, it would likely mean Suarez would be moved to left field, which is a position he has never played in his professional career. In the minors he mostly played shortstop and had some experience at second and third base.
As of right now, Cozart is definitely the better defender, but Suarez doesn't even have a full MLB season under his belt yet. While Suarez's bat has been a pleasant surprise, he'll have to continue to work on his defense if he wants a better shot at supplanting Cozart - if that's at all in the Reds' plans.
And while Price said both players can be regulars next year, he may not have a say at all because it's possible the Reds fire him after 2015.
With first baseman Joey Votto, second baseman Brandon Phillips and third baseman Todd Frazier under contract for the foreseeable future, the only logical spot for Suarez and Cozart is at shortstop, unless the team opts to move Phillips - and the $27 million total he's owed in 2016 and 2017 - in the offseason.
Many changes could be on the way in Cincinnati this offseason, so they'll be worth keeping an eye on.
