Todd Frazier has already been traded from the Reds and Brandon Phillips could be next.
The Reds’ second baseman tweeted that he was on his way from Cincinnati to Washington D.C. on Thursday night amidst rumors that the Reds and Nationals have been talking about a trade for the three-time All-Star.
Because Phillips, 34, has 10 years of Major League service time, including at least the last five with the same team, he has full no-trade protection. Phillips is owed $27 million over the final two years of his contract.
FoxSports.com’s Ken Rosenthal reported the Reds had an agreement in place with the Nationals to trade Phillips.
Phillips would be reunited with former manager Dusty Baker, who was hired by the Nationals this offseason to replace Matt Williams.
On Wednesday, the Reds traded two-time All-Star third baseman Todd Frazier to the White Sox in a three-team deal that brought back three prospects from the Dodgers.
Phillips has been one of the most popular Reds players since arriving in Cincinnati from Cleveland in 2006. He has won four Gold Gloves and a Silver Slugger in his 10 years in Cincinnati.
Phillips had a bounce-back season, hitting .294 with a .328 on-base percentage and a .395 slugging percentage with 12 home runs, 70 RBI and 23 stolen bases. His performance, his best in two seasons, was one of the few bright spots in a difficult season.
If Phillips accepts a trade, something he has been reluctant to do in the past, it would leave right fielder Jay Bruce as the next in line to get traded in the rebuild of a team that lost 98 games in 2015 and is going through what management has referred to as a “transitional” year in 2016.
The Reds acquired second baseman Jose Peraza in the Frazier trade on Wednesday. Peraza, 21, plays second base and made his big-league debut last season for Los Angles. The Reds had been intent on landing Peraza, perhaps with just this move in mind.
Written By C. Trent Rosecrans