Cincinnati’s spent this entire offseason staring at the same question: Is this finally the winter the Reds go big-game hunting for a true lefty hammer? Folks have made it pretty loud and clear: they want Kyle Schwarber. The same Schwarber who got snubbed by Dave Roberts over MVP race with Shohei Ohtani.

Anyway, fans want a statement, not another bargain-bin experiment. But in Reds country, hope always comes with a side of caution. Every time the front office hints at aggression, fans brace for a “value play” instead. That’s why Ryan O’Hearn’s name landing back in the rumor mill has Queen City abuzz again, and not in the way Cincinnati hoped.

On November 24, multiple outlets pointed to O’Hearn as a cheaper alternative the Reds could realistically pursue, with his market expected to land a

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