Biggest Losers: Reds Ripped for Free Agency Approach

After there were conflicting reports between ESPN's Jeff Passan and USA Today's Bob Nightengale about what the Reds actually were willing to offer Kyle Schwarber, Passan doubled down on his reporting on Thursday.

In fact, he called Cincinnati "the biggest loser" of the week.

"Free agents of Schwarber's ilk rarely entertain the idea of going to small-market teams, but the Reds had a built-in advantage: He was from there," Passan wrote.

"Considering the scarcity of such possibilities, the Reds -- one big bat away from being a real threat to win the NL Central -- needed to treat Schwarber's potential arrival with urgency and embrace their inner spendthrift. They had the money to place the largest bid. They chose not to. And they missed, a true shame considering the strength of their rotation and the likelihood that similar opportunities won't find them again anytime soon."

The Reds need offense desperately, and as Passan said above, Schwarber was the perfect fit in more ways than one.

ESPN.com's Jesse Rogers also called the Reds the biggest loser of the week.

"Conversely, even if it was a long shot, the Cincinnati Reds losing out on Schwarber has to hurt," Rogers wrote. "As important as he is to the Phillies, his impact in Cincinnati could have been even more meaningful. He instantly would have elevated the Reds on and off the field."

He's a great clubhouse presence and instantly becomes your best hitter on the team while providing protection in the lineup to guys like Elly De La Cruz and Spencer Steer.

If they weren't willing to spend the money it took to land the Middletown native, it's a fair question to ask if they ever will.

You can see all the winners and losers here.