Reds GM: 'At This Point, We've Lost Trevor Bauer'

Reigning NL Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer is everyone's top pitching target in free agency and has already been linked to at least half a dozen teams -- many by Bauer himself.

But what about a return to the Cincinnati Reds?

Well, it's not looking great, according to the Reds general manager himself.

"We haven't really had substantial conversations with where we are this offseason," Reds GM Nick Krall told Cincinnati radio station 700-WLW. "Who knows? Anything could happen. I wouldn't rule anything out. It just depends on what Trevor wants to do and where he wants to go."

Bauer was fantastic in baseball's shortened season, finishing with an NL-best 1.73 ERA. He recorded 100 strikeouts, compared to just 17 walks, and two shutouts. That won't be easy to replace.

But Krall appears ready to give it a shot.

He already swung a trade earlier this week to land Jeff Hoffman, a four-team deal that also involved the Colorado Rockies. Hoffman was once a hot prospect, back when the Toronto Blue Jays made him the ninth overall pick in 2014. So far though, the high expectations have yet to be met.

So Krall will keep trying because a Bauer return is looking more and more unlikely.

"For us, at this point, we've lost Trevor Bauer and are trying to figure out how to fill that fifth starter spot," Krall said. "Can we create some competition if we don't fill it another way?"