Reds hold on to Chapman, Bruce at deadline

The 4 PM ET non-waiver trade deadline came and went on Friday afternoon, and despite several juicy rumors swirling around both Aroldis Chapman and Jay Bruce, the Cincinnati Reds apparently held on to both former All Stars.

Chapman had been connected with each of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Houston Astros, and New York Yankees as the deadline barreled closer on Friday, but ultimately the demands being asked for in return by GM Walt Jocketty proved to be unmatchable.  Dave Stewart and the Diamondbacks reportedly offered a package centered around top pitching prospect Braden Shipley - who was coincidentally drafted by current Reds front office exec Kevin Towers when Towers was GM of Arizona - but that wasn't enough to get the Reds to sign off on the deal.

As for Bruce, multiple rumors had him connected with the New York Mets in a trade that would've brought former top prospect (and current Tommy John surgery recoveree) Zack Wheeler back to Cincinnati, but those stalled mid-day as well.  The Mets eventually found the big OF bat they'd long sought when they nabbed Yoenis Cespedes from the Detroit Tigers in the last 10 minutes before 4 PM.

That means that the deals that sent Johnny Cueto to the Kansas City Royals and Mike Leake to the San Francisco Giants were the only ones pulled off prior to the non-waiver period ending, but those netted four solid pitching prospects and a positionless power bat in exchange for two near free agents.  Not bad work, Walt.

There's also the chance that other pieces could be moved between now and the end of the waiver trade period in a month, with the likes of Marlon Byrd likely figuring in somehow.  As for now, though, the Reds have done most of the in-season heavy lifting in their roster overhaul (which, by the way, includes calling up Kyle Waldrop from Louisville to take Leake's vacated roster spot).

Now back to the race for great draft position.