Cincinnati Reds

Cincinnati Reds: B-

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 7:05 p.m. ET

Sports Illustrated

Preliminary Grade (Jan. 12): Incomplete

Key moves since preliminary grade: Traded Brandon Phillips to Braves for LHP Andrew McKirahan and RHP Carlos Portuondo; traded RHP Dan Straily to Marlins for RHP Austin Brice, CF Isaiah White and RHP Luis Castillo; signed RHP Scott Feldman

The Phillips move was long overdue; the Reds made the best of a difficult situation and brought back a couple of arms by eating $13 million of his $14 million salary. Turning waiver-wire pickup Straily, who gave the team 191⅓ innings of above-average work in 2016, into a trio of prospects headed by 101-mph touching Castillo (the Marlins’ second-best prospect at the time he was dealt and now 94th on ESPN’s list) was a steal. Signing Feldman to a one-year, $2.3 million-plus-incentives deal was another solid move, as he can eat innings in the rotation, help out in the bullpen, and/or serve as a potential deadline trade chip.