​Former Cincinnati Reds general manager Jim Bowden told Foul Territory that the team should act as a seller at the upcoming trade deadline and proposed four players the Reds might move as they aim to contend in 2027. “If you’re the Reds, you should be planning for ’27,” Bowden told AJ Pierzynski. “How are we going to turn this around? Even if you catch a hot stretch, you’re not a contending team. You’re not good enough. You’re just not. But you do have a starting rotation to build from. You’ve got to figure out the position players. And to do that, take advantage of this deadline. There aren’t a lot of teams selling. … If you’re the Reds, you have a lot of pieces. Turn Spencer Steer into three players. Get a couple of guys for Brady Singer. And listen on Abbott or Lodolo to see if someone wants to overpay for left-handed starting pitching. This is a strong seller’s market. If I’m the Reds, let’s pivot quickly and plan for ’27 and beyond.”
The scene accompanying Bowden’s remarks included Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench participating in a presentation of the Johnny Bench Award before the first pitch of an MLB National League game between the Reds and the Philadelphia Phillies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, July 7, 2026. The Phillies led 3-0 after three innings, a moment captured by Sam Greene of The Enquirer. At that time, the Reds sat at the start of July 8 with a 41-49 record, occupying last place in the National League Central and trailing Milwaukee by 16.5 games. They were eight games out of the Wild Card race.
During that same period, Cincinnati right fielder Spencer Steer, wearing number 7, delivered a single in the second inning of a game against the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday, July 4, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati. This context appeared as part of coverage from the Cincinnati Enquirer. Bowden’s comments come as the Reds were in a challenging stretch, with the club seeking to evaluate its roster and future direction as trade rumors and speculation swirled around which veterans might be moved to maximize a rebuild while maintaining competitive long-term value.