Cincinnati sits 2 1/2 games behind the San Diego Padres, the current holder of the final wild card slot and a game behind San Francisco.

With the MLB trade deadline only a week away, rumors about who will be sent where are flying every which way. The Cincinnati Reds aren't having the best season, but they still have time to turn it around and make the playoffs.

This story was excerpted from Mark Sheldon’s Reds Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

We are less than a week away from the July 31st MLB trade deadline. Whether you are a buyer or a seller, it’s go time. Entering play on Friday, June 25th, the Cincinnati Reds own a 53-50 record and are right in the thick of the Wild Card race in the National League.

This was not a playoff team in October. Or a contender in September. This was the bad-bullpen, meh-lineup Nationals playing for nothing in July.

Reds trade proposal sends top prospects to Braves for Marcell Ozuna. Explore trade details, analysis, and impact on both teams.

MLB analyst Jim Bowden gave his intel on what the Reds are looking for at the deadline.