Once the unofficial second-half of the 2025 season begins, all eyes will quickly shift toward the upcoming MLB trade deadline. The Cincinnati Reds open the second-half on Friday with a series against the New York Mets, and it's imperative that Terry Francona's club begins to pile up wins almost immediately. If not, the Reds could turn from buyers into sellers rather quickly.
As such, there won't be much patience for some of those marginal players who are barely hanging on to a 40-man roster spot. Those players who are middling in the minor leagues and others who were mired in a slump heading into the All-Star break will need to start fast or they could be handed a pink slip in the coming days.