Jon Heyman — who is an inner-circle “jazz up hot stove rumors with metaphors for negotiation” guy — reports that the Reds are “all over” free agent starter Dallas Keuchel.
What that actually means is far less important than us imagining team president Dick Williams and GM Nick Krall at some club, constantly dancing up toward where Keuchel and his friends are, getting pushier and pushier. “I can buy my own drink,” Keuchel says, rolling his eyes. Williams and Krall try to act casual while, really, they’re sorta spazzing out. It’s a process.
Still, as far as rumors go this is a fun one to think about. The Reds have a hard time attracting pitchers because they play in a bandbox. They may really want someone like Keuchel, though, because of his soft-contact/groundball abilities, so maybe they’ll wildly overpay. Does that make it any more pleasant for Keuchel to pitch in Cincinnati? Not necessarily, but it certainly could make life more pleasant when he’s not pitching. The general consensus is that he’s not quite the ace he was a couple of years ago. But what if the Reds pay him like one? It may be hard to say no to a big, big offer if the Reds are prepared to bring one.
Keuchel, 30, posted a 3.74 ERA and 153/38 K/BB ratio over 204.2 innings this past season with the Astros. At the moment, he’s single and looking. Can’t fault the Reds for at least trying to dance.
