Cardinals intra-division trade with Brewers might have Reds asking what if

The Cincinnati Reds made minimal moves at the 2026 trade deadline, trading only Nathaniel Lowe and Caleb Ferguson for a low-level prospect and international bonus pool money despite having tradable assets and playoff odds below 1%. Meanwhile, the St. Louis Cardinals acquired outfield prospects Alexander Frias and Carson Ragsdale from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for pitchers Dustin May and JoJo Romero, with both prospects ranking in the Brewers' top 15 before the deal. The Reds could have potentially obtained a similar prospect package by trading Brady Singer and Ferguson to Milwaukee, as Singer and May have comparable statistics and contract situations. By choosing to hold onto their expiring contracts for a playoff push that failed to materialize, Cincinnati missed an opportunity to acquire high-level prospects.

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