New York — The Cincinnati Reds just shook up the trade market. And the New York Yankees should be paying close attention. A familiar power bat returned to Great American Ball Park over the weekend. That signing has created a domino effect that could benefit the Bronx Bombers.
The Reds announced a one-year, $15 million deal with slugger Eugenio Suarez on Sunday. The contract includes a mutual option for 2027. This move addressed Cincinnati’s power shortage. It also created roster complications that the Yankees can exploit.
Suarez crushed 49 home runs in 2025. He split time between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Seattle Mariners. The 34-year-old will primarily serve as the designated hitter. He may also see time at first base and third base.
Roster logjam forms in Cincinnati
Here is where things get interesting for the Yankees. The Reds now have too many players for too few positions. Ke’Bryan Hayes owns third base. Suarez will handle DH duties. That leaves promising talent without a clear path to playing time.
Christian Encarnacion-Strand is the most obvious trade candidate. The 26-year-old first baseman was a highly touted prospect. He demolished Triple-A pitching in 2023 with a .331 average and 1.042 OPS. His MLB results have been mixed. He hit just .208 with six home runs in 2025.
Spencer Steer will move to a utility role. Top prospect Sal Stewart will share DH and corner infield duties with Suarez. Something has to give. The Reds cannot keep everyone happy.
A trade package takes shape
The Yankees have clear roster needs. They want right-handed power. They could use rotation depth. The Reds suddenly have players to move. The math is simple.
Imagine this deal: The Yankees send Jasson Dominguez, Carlos Lagrange, and Bryce Cunningham to Cincinnati. In return, they receive Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Nick Lodolo. This framework addresses needs on both sides.
Lodolo emerged as a legitimate MLB starter in 2025. The former seventh overall pick posted a 3.33 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in 28 starts. He struck out 156 batters in 156.2 innings. Injuries have plagued him throughout his career. But last season proved he can stay healthy and perform at a high level.
Solving the first base puzzle
The Yankees have a glaring hole at first base against left-handed pitching. Ben Rice holds down the position. He hit .255 with 26 home runs and an .836 OPS in 2025. Those numbers are solid. But Rice bats left-handed. He needs a platoon partner.
General manager Brian Cashman has explored options all winter. Paul Goldschmidt remains available in free agency. The Yankees have also looked at Ty France and Rhys Hoskins. None of those moves have materialized. Encarnacion-Strand offers a trade alternative.
The 26-year-old bats right-handed. He can play first base and third base. His raw power grades out in the 85th percentile according to Baseball Savant. He launched a 451-foot bomb in Milwaukee last April. That kind of pop plays perfectly at Yankee Stadium’s short right field porch.
Rice could use rest against tough southpaws. He can also catch when Austin Wells needs a breather. Encarnacion-Strand slots in seamlessly. The Yankees get their right-handed complement without sacrificing a roster spot to a one-dimensional bench bat.
Rotation depth becomes critical
The Yankees face a rotation crisis to start 2026. Gerrit Cole remains on the mend from Tommy John surgery. He underwent the procedure in March 2025. The team expects him back in late May or early June. That is not a guarantee.
Carlos Rodon had elbow surgery in October. He will miss at least the first month. Clarke Schmidt also had Tommy John. He might not return until the second half. Max Fried is the only proven frontline starter available on Opening Day.
The current rotation projection is alarming. Fried leads the group. Cam Schlittler impressed as a rookie but has never thrown a full MLB season. Will Warren and Luis Gil are coming off career-high workloads. Ryan Weathers arrived via trade but has never started more than 16 games in a season.
Nick Lodolo changes the equation entirely. The 6-foot-6 lefty would immediately become the second-best healthy starter on the staff. His 3.33 ERA topped every Yankees pitcher except Fried last season. His 4.8% walk rate ranked fourth among all MLB starters with 150 innings.
Lodolo also provides insurance. If Cole’s return gets delayed, the Yankees have coverage. If Rodon or Schmidt suffer setbacks, Lodolo absorbs those innings. The depth prevents another Marcus Stroman or Carlos Carrasco situation.
Balancing the lineup against southpaws
The Yankees lineup skews dangerously left-handed. Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton provide right-handed thunder. Everyone else tilts the other way. Austin Wells bats left. Jazz Chisholm Jr. is a switch-hitter who performs better from the left side. Cody Bellinger and Ben Rice both hit left-handed.
Jasson Dominguez was supposed to help with balance. The switch-hitter struggled mightily against left-handed pitching in 2025. He batted just .204 with a .279 on-base percentage against southpaws. His right-handed swing simply has not developed at the MLB level.
Trading Dominguez removes a problem. Adding Encarnacion-Strand provides a solution. The Yankees get a true right-handed bat who can start against lefties. Manager Aaron Boone gains lineup flexibility he currently lacks.
The prospect capital makes sense
The Yankees would sacrifice significant prospect capital. But the pieces fit Cincinnati’s timeline perfectly. Dominguez is only 22 years old. He possesses elite bat speed and raw power. His -9 outs above average in left field can be corrected with regular playing time.
Carlos Lagrange is one of the most exciting arms in the minor leagues. The 22-year-old right-hander touched 102 mph repeatedly in 2025. He struck out 168 batters in 120 innings across two levels. His strikeout total ranked third in all of minor league baseball.
The 6-foot-7 Dominican has electric stuff but still developing command. His walk rate improved but remains a concern. He profiles as a mid-rotation starter with reliever fallback potential. The ceiling is tantalizing for any acquiring team.
Bryce Cunningham rounds out the package. The Vanderbilt product impressed in his professional debut. He fanned seven batters in five innings for High-A Hudson Valley in April. His changeup grades as one of the best in the system. The 23-year-old features a mid-90s fastball that has touched 99 mph.
Risks and rewards for both clubs
The Yankees would take on significant risk with Encarnacion-Strand. He has struggled against major league pitching. His contact rates remain below average. The upside exists if the Yankees coaching staff can unlock his potential.
Lodolo carries injury concerns. He missed time with a blister last August. A groin issue limited him late in the season. The talent is undeniable. His July 23, 2025 complete-game shutout against Washington proved what he can do when healthy.
Cincinnati would bet on youth over experience. Dominguez has not lived up to the hype yet. But he posted 23 stolen bases in 2025. His bat speed grades in the 80th percentile. The tools remain tantalizing for a rebuilding club.
Timing favors the Yankees
The Suarez signing changes Cincinnati’s calculus. The Reds committed $15 million to address their power shortage. That money limits future flexibility. Something must be sacrificed to balance the books.
Lodolo would have been harder to pry away before the signing. Now the Reds have roster decisions to make. They cannot keep everyone. The Yankees should be on the phone with Cincinnati’s front office today.
The Brewers traded Freddy Peralta to the Mets. The Nationals sent MacKenzie Gore to the Rangers. Those options are off the board. Lodolo represents one of the last available starters who can make an impact. The Yankees cannot afford to miss again.
Is this exact trade realistic? Perhaps not entirely. But the framework makes sense. Both teams have assets the other needs. The Suarez signing just made these conversations much easier to start.
Spring training opens in three weeks. The clock is ticking. The Yankees have work to do. The Reds just provided a clear path forward.
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