Shoutout to our friends over at FanGraphs—that’s the only way to kick off this piece, considering I’ve just spent the last hour diving into their stats and leaderboards. If you're a baseball analytics junkie, a subscription over there is well worth it.

A quick look at their team rankings for wRC+ against right-handed pitching (RHP) this season paints a concerning picture: only three teams in all of baseball have fared worse than the Cincinnati Reds. Sitting at a wRC+ of just 87, they find themselves tied with the Miami Marlins, with only the Pittsburgh Pirates (81), Chicago White Sox (78), and Colorado Rockies (76) performing worse. And that’s even after the Reds’ recent offensive surge. Not exactly the company you want to keep.

Fortunately, Cincinnati has been held afloat by its pitching, which has remained consistently strong. While their struggles against righties are glaring, their performance against left-handed pitching (LHP) isn’t much better. With a wRC+ of 98, they sit just below league average at 16th overall—not disastrous, but far from a strength.

If the Reds are serious about making a playoff push this season, targeting a bat that excels against right-handed pitching seems like the most logical move. The situation becomes even trickier with Noelvi Marte set to return in two weeks, as he has historically handled righties just as well—if not better—than lefties throughout his career.

With that in mind, here are two potential additions that could significantly boost the Reds’ offense against RHP and, in turn, help them become the best version of themselves.

1. LaMonte Wade Jr. (1B/OF - San Francisco Giants)

Let’s start with a player who’s currently sidelined—sounds odd, right? Wade landed on the IL about two weeks ago with a hamstring injury and could miss another couple of weeks. So why bring him up?

Well, the Giants currently sit at 33-35 with a -29 run differential. In today’s expanded playoff era, that’s somehow still good enough for the final NL Wild Card spot. But if San Francisco stumbles in Wade’s absence, they could become sellers at the deadline.

Among the 304 MLB hitters who have logged at least 80 plate appearances against RHP this season, Wade’s .400 wOBA ranks 13th. He’s crushed righties to the tune of a .333/.463/.427 slash line, good for a 166 wRC+ (12th best in MLB)—building on an already strong 125 wRC+ against righties in 2023. His 19.0% walk rate leads all 304 hitters in this sample, and his .463 OBP is the highest as well.

That’s exactly the kind of presence the Reds could use in their lineup against RHP. His ability to play first base and the outfield would allow Cincinnati to optimize their matchups while keeping their best bats in the lineup. With Christian Encarnacion-Strand potentially out for the year, Wade’s versatility becomes even more valuable.

Adding Wade would likely mean Jonathan India sees less time against righties, given his .299 wOBA vs. RHP ranks just ninth among Reds hitters this season. With Marte set to return, he could take over at second base while the team’s lefty bats hold down the outfield. Wade, Spencer Steer, and Jeimer Candelario would then rotate between first base, DH, and third base.

Wade is earning $3.5 million this season and is arbitration-eligible through 2025 before hitting free agency. That extra year of team control makes him a more valuable trade asset but also means the Reds would have to pay a bit more to acquire him.

2. Danny Jansen (C - Toronto Blue Jays)

Regardless of position, Jansen can flat-out hit. Since the start of the 2022 season, he’s posted a .247/.329/.489 slash line, good for a 128 OPS+. His .350 wOBA in that span ranks tied for 33rd in all of baseball (min. 650 PA)—on par with Brandon Nimmo and ahead of stars like Manny Machado (.349), Alex Bregman (.347), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (.346), Christian Yelich (.346), Nolan Arenado (.346), and Julio Rodríguez (.345).

For a catcher, those numbers are exceptional. Among backstops, his .348 wOBA since 2022 trails only Willson Contreras (.380) and Sean Murphy (.376).

Now, it’s worth noting that Tyler Stephenson has not been a liability this season. In fact, his .313 wOBA against RHP is slightly above league average, and prior to his injuries in 2022, he actually had a higher OPS vs. righties (.853) than against lefties (.852). So, acquiring Jansen wouldn’t mean benching Stephenson—it would mean finding ways to get both in the lineup more often.

With CES done for the year, the Reds could once again lean on Stephenson’s ability to play some first base and DH to keep his bat in the lineup. Meanwhile, Jansen’s presence would provide an offensive boost, especially against right-handed pitching.

This move would likely come at the expense of Luke Maile’s roster spot, or if the Reds decided to stick with three catchers, Santiago Espinal’s light-hitting bat could be the odd man out.Ryan Feltner Shirt

As for Toronto, they currently sit at 33-34 and in fourth place in the AL East. Despite having stars like Vlad Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette, the team has struggled to stay competitive. Neither Guerrero nor Bichette has signed a long-term extension, and Jansen himself is a free agent at season’s end. If the Blue Jays continue to slide, they could be motivated to sell, and Jansen might be one of the most realistic impact bats the Reds could target.

Final Thoughts

If Cincinnati truly wants to address its struggles against right-handed pitching, LaMonte Wade Jr. and Danny Jansen are two of the best options available. Wade’s elite on-base skills and positional versatility, combined with Jansen’s power and consistency at the plate, would provide the Reds with a much-needed boost.

The trade market remains unpredictable, but if either the Giants or Blue Jays stumble in the coming weeks, the Reds should be ready to pounce.