Former Cincinnati Reds closer Alexis Díaz was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers for very little—just a player to be named later—after a disappointing season in both the majors and minors. Once a 13th-round draft pick, Díaz’s sharp decline in performance meant the Reds could only get a minimal return.
While many Reds fans are upset over the light trade return, the reality is the team was lucky to get anything at all. Díaz hasn’t been the same since the 2023 All-Star break, but the Reds overlooked the warning signs and now are left with just Mike Villani in return.
Díaz burst onto the scene in 2022, unexpectedly earning the closer role alongside Daniel Duarte. From his MLB debut in April 2022 until mid-2023, Díaz was dominant, posting a stellar 1.91 ERA, striking out batters at a high rate, and converting nearly 88% of his save chances.
However, since the 2023 All-Star Game, his numbers took a nosedive: his ERA jumped to 4.72, strikeouts dropped, walks increased, and his fastball velocity fell from 95.5 mph to 93.9 mph. These issues with control, command, and velocity contributed to his struggles.
Trade rumors surrounded Díaz in 2022 and 2023, with the Mets showing particular interest due to his brother’s role as their closer. In hindsight, the Reds might have been able to land a promising bat like Brett Baty or Mark Vientos.
Now, the Reds are left hoping for a lottery ticket in Mike Villani, Díaz’s replacement. Since Díaz himself was once a late-round pick, there’s hope Villani might develop similarly, but if not, the front office will have to rue what could have been.
