The way things are, the Cincinnati Reds are going to have to look at imperfect solutions for an offensive upgrade. It would be nice to splurge on a slugger like the Kyles (Schwarber and Tucker), but instead Nick Krall will likely need to make a calculated upside play.
One way to skin this cat is to find a distressed asset that also has a chance to bounce back. That means targeting an under-performing high-salary player and getting his current club to pay that down to a manageable level, like the St. Louis Cardinals did when they sent Sonny Gray to the Boston Red Sox.