Why The Reds Should Extend Yasiel Puig
The Cincinnati Reds are right in the middle of the NL Central race. Well, they’re actually in the bottom of it, placing fifth with a mildly respectable 41-46 record, as of this writing. However, since May, they’re a .500 team, with a 29-29 record, and sit only 4.5 games out of a NL Central where any one team refuses to pull away from the pack.
The biggest reason as to why the Reds are currently contenders has been their starting pitching. As a whole, their team stands third in league ERA, with a 3.77 mark that ranks better than teams like the Astros, Indians, and Twins. All-star ace Luis Castillo has led the charge, with fellow all-star Sonny Gray returning to form after finding a new home in Cincinnati.
Other starters like Tanner Roark, Tyler Mahle, and Anthony DeScalfani have also put together fine seasons. Their rotation’s success is a bit surprising, as Great American Ballpark has always been considered a hitter’s haven.
Additionally, while they did acquire pitchers like Roark and Alex Wood this offseason, the Reds also added a ton of pop to their team, with players like Matt Kemp (who they DFA’d), Derek Dietrich, Jose Iglesias, and Yasiel Puig. While Dietrich had enjoyed a breakout season and Iglesias has put together a solid 2019 campaign, Yasiel Puig may have forced his way into the Reds’ long term plans, something that seemed pretty unlikely as recently as late May when we wrote this.
Teams around the league have been handing out extensions to players they deem valuable to their long-term plans, and players have been accepting these offers to avoid the purgatory of free agency. With this in mind, the Reds and Puig are a perfect match for an extension, for more than just divulging into a trendy contractual strategy.
Puig’s Getting Hot
No, I’m not talking about the sleeveless uniforms the Reds used in their final game of the first half. Puig got off to a terrible start this year, batting .203/.235/.380 through April. However, since then Puig has been scorching hot, and has only gotten better with each month.
| Month | Batting Avg. | On Base % | Slugging % | OPS |
| May | .245 | .308 | .429 | .737 |
| June | .287 | .340 | .609 | .950 |
| July | .500 | .500 | 1.000 | 1.500 |
Obviously July is only a small sample size, but he’s definitely trending upward with each month. He’s also hit 20 homeruns, which puts him on pace to break his previous career high of 28. He’s also hitting ground balls at a career low percentage of 32%, which is well below the league average of 43%.
Despite their stellar offensive additions, the Reds still rank 28th in the league in runs scored. They’ve had their share of under-performers, like Jose Peraza and Tucker Barnhart, as well as inconsistent play from Joey Votto.
Puig may have needed some time to get settled with his new team after spending seven seasons with the Dodgers. But now, he appears to be right at home in Cincinnati. Puig is still just 28 years old, and with the Reds on the rise in a division that’s in a flux, it may be worth keeping Puig around for the long-haul.
Puig is a Star
The Reds rank 20th in attendance this year, while they ranked 24th last year and 26th in 2017. Granted, the main cause of this increase in attendance has been because they are a more competitive team overall, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to have one of the most entertaining players in baseball on your team, someone that helped catapult the Reds up our MLB.tv watchability rankings coming into the year.
The Reds have garnered consistent national attention this year, in large part to Puig and teammate Derek Dietrich. Both players have boisterous personalities and are some of the most fun players to watch. Add the snarky Joey Votto into that mix, and you have one of the most interesting trios in baseball.
If you need proof of the Reds’ commitment to Puig as a player to build their team around, they currently have a Yasiel Puig-Wild Horse giveaway planned for July 18. Why would they plan a bobblehead for a supposedly tradeable player so close to the July 31 trade deadline?
The Reds’ Uncertain Outfield Future
One other aspect to consider is the Reds’ outfield depth, specifically when it comes to their prospects and young players. Their number one prospect is Taylor Trammell, who has displayed blazing speed, stellar defense, and terrific on-base skills in the minors so far. You may have seen him go 1-2 with an attempted steal of home during Sunday’s Futures Game.
After Trammell, however, there appears to be a pretty large gap in quality between him and the rest of the Reds’ outfield prospects. At the major league level, Nick Senzel has proven himself as a solid MLB center fielder, while Jesse Winkler and Phillip Ervin have solidified themselves as a steady platoon in left field. Puig’s ability to hit both lefties and righties in 2019 at a consistently equal clip makes him a valuable mainstay in right field.
| Pitcher Type | Batting Avg. | On Base % | Slugging | OPS |
| RHP | .256 | .299 | .496 | .795 |
| LHP | .257 | .321 | .486 | .806 |
What Kind of Extension Could Puig Get?
Unless the Reds do offer Puig an extension, will hit free agency for the first time at the end of this season. There are certainly a range of recent contract extensions we can look at to try and gauge a potential extension for Puig.
Charlie Blackmon‘s six year $108 million extension seems much bigger than what Puig could get. Teammate Eugenio Suarez secured a team friendly seven year $66 million deal, but Puig would likely want a higher AAV than what Suarez settled for.
Since Puig, 29, is older than Suarez, 27, it stands to reason he could get less years. Perhaps a five year $75 million deal could work in favor of both Puig and the Reds.
Regardless, Puig and the Reds have been a great match so far. With an exciting young core, the Reds would be wise to add another veteran to the mix in Puig, who may help them claim a division up for grabs as soon as this year.
More than anything, the Reds should attempt to keep Puig signed as to keep him united with hitting coach Turner Ward. The world is a better place when those two are together.
