Reds don't expect to trade Senzel, see him as part of 'championship team'
Monday's signing of Nick Castellanos added yet another body to the Cincinnati Reds' extremely crowded outfield, but the club won't be trading Nick Senzel to alleviate that problem.
It was reported following the Castellanos deal that Cincinnati was considering trading Senzel ahead of his sophomore season. But Reds president of baseball operations Dick Williams shot down that possibility Wednesday, saying he expects the 2016 second overall pick will be on the team come Opening Day.
"I like what he brings to our club. He's one of our own," Williams told Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer. "He's an impact, young offensive player. They don't come along very often. The flexibility he brings to the club, attitude he brings. At this point, we see him as very much a part of a winning, championship team here."
Although a trade now appears unlikely, the Reds will still listen to offers for Senzel and he's not considered completely off limits, according to Nightengale. The Cleveland Indians were reportedly eyeing him in talks with Cincinnati about a possible trade for All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor, though that deal never came to fruition.
There will potentially be seven outfielders on the Reds' roster in 2020. Besides adding Castellanos, they also picked up free-agent center fielder Shogo Akiyama from Japan earlier this winter, and the team needs room for young slugger Aristides Aquino.
Senzel, a natural third baseman, shifted to the outfield last spring and made his major-league debut in May. The 24-year-old was the Reds' primary center fielder in 2019, slashing .256/.315/.427 with 12 homers, 42 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases in 104 games before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery in September.
General manager Nick Krall told Nightengale the team is hopeful Senzel, who resumed throwing two weeks ago, will be recovered when the season opens in late March. Krall added that because of the shoulder injury, Senzel won't be moved to either third base - where Eugenio Suarez is expected to miss time following a swimming-pool mishap - or shortstop in 2020.