Before the July 31 trade deadline, RHP Tanner Roark was connected to the Philadelphia Phillies and seemed to be a good fit considering that trading for him theoretically wouldn’t have been going all-in for a team that likely was just competing for one of the National League Wild Card spots. Still, the long-time National would have bolstered a rotation that badly needed it. Ultimately, though, the Phillies passed on trading for the 32-year-old, who eventually was acquired by the Oakland Athletics.
It turns out that while Roark wouldn’t have had the same type of impact as someone like Zack Greinke – the top pitcher traded before the trade deadline – the Reds weren’t valuing him as just an innings eater either.