𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

CINCINNATI — Sometime between 5:58 p.m. and 6:05 p.m. on Monday, Cincinnati Reds right-hander Brady Singer and catcher Tyler Stephenson received phone calls.

When Stephenson, who is a free agent at the end of the season, saw manager Terry Francona’s name pop up on his screen around the 6 p.m. trade deadline, he got nervous for a second.

Stephenson was relieved to hear he was not being moved.

Francona wanted to mess with Stephenson, but ultimately just told him that he was happy the catcher would finish the season in Cincinnati. General manager Brad Meador had a similar discussion with Singer, who started Tuesday’s game against the Athletics.

“It was a big relief, and I’m just happy to be here and be a part of this organization and this team,” Stephenson said Tuesday afternoon, following a much better night of sleep than he had Sunday night.

The Reds had all the makings of a seller at the deadline — a 53-58 record, five teams between them and the final wild card spot and players who seemed to fit the categories rumored to be in demand at the trade deadline: right-handed-hitting catcher, rotation depth and bullpen depth.

The Reds entered Monday’s trade deadline with seven players on expiring contracts, but moved just two players from the current roster.

Deals for first baseman/DH Nathaniel Lowe and left-handed reliever Caleb Ferguson were finalized in the last moments before the trade deadline. The Reds acquired a right-handed pitching prospect from the Cleveland Guardians for Lowe and cap space for the international signing bonus pool for Ferguson.

The Reds kept some of their highest-paid players and didn’t add any impact bats for this year or next, nor top-rated prospects for the future.

It was a disappointing deadline for many, with The Athletic’s assessment perhaps being the most generous, lumping the Reds in the “snoozers” category. Yahoo gave the team an “F+” for its deadline moves — or lack thereof.

Because the Reds were off on Monday, Francona was in the team’s offices most of the day, observing trade discussions. While Francona said it was mostly “boring” (though it did become a “mad dash” at the end), he said he was glad he was in the room.

“I sat in the room, and I sat in the room until the end,” Francona said when asked if he was disappointed the team didn’t make any obvious moves to improve the club’s immediate or future rosters. “I listened, so my answer would be no. You always hope to get better, but I heard all the discussions.”

Francona said the only time he could remember having an off day on trade deadline day was during his tenure with the Boston Red Sox. That year, he had to pick one of his kids up at the airport, so he didn’t sit in on the team’s meetings like he did Monday.

“At the end, when things were happening, I’m glad I was there,” Francona said. “When we started putting the names on the board — seeing how these guys fit, where they fit … I was kind of glad I was there.”

On deadline day, Stephenson said he and his wife made a couple of trips to places they’ve enjoyed during their time in Cincinnati. They started at BLOC Coffee Company on the city’s west side, then went to Kentucky for breakfast at Press on Monmouth across the river from Great American Ball Park, then down a couple of blocks to the Newport Aquarium. They also visited one of their favorite parks in town to take in what the couple thought might be his last day as a Red.

“I’ve been a part of this (organization) for 11 years, and I’ve grown up in this city and the city’s welcomed me with open arms,” Stephenson said. “It’s all me and my wife know. It’s the city that my daughter was — she wasn’t born here, but she’s spent a lot of her time here. It’s always going to have a special place in our heart.”

Singer, who celebrated his 30th birthday Tuesday, broke the tradition of reporters not talking to pitchers before a start to accept well-wishes upon his return, noting he was happy to stay with the team as well.

Nick Krall, the Reds’ president of baseball operations, said Monday that the team is considering making Singer a qualifying offer at the end of the season and was happy to keep him and Stephenson as part of a veteran presence to finish out the season.

The Reds entered Tuesday 10-6 since the All-Star break. Sitting 5 1/2 games back of the final wild card spot, Stephenson and other teammates noted there is still a chance to get back into playoff contention.

As the Reds prepared for their three-game series against the visiting Athletics, the parallel to last September wasn’t lost on some in the clubhouse. Last September, the Reds were under .500 and behind a pair of teams for the final wild card spot after getting swept by the Athletics in Sacramento, Calif. The Reds still made the playoffs.

“I still believe in everybody in this clubhouse,” said Stephenson, who admitted he was “teary-eyed” while catching in the ninth inning of Sunday’s victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. “We’re in a similar situation as what we were last year, and that’s what Tito (Francona) was saying on the phone — get everybody healthy and have everyone back.”

The more immediate impact for players like Stephenson, Singer, lefty Brock Burke, third baseman Eugenio Suárez and right-hander Pierce Johnson — and the rest of the roster and their families — is some certainty about what lies ahead over the next 51 games.

“It’s a process everyone has to go through and I’m glad it’s over,” Stephenson said, noting he and his wife did some house cleaning to prepare for the possibility of a trade. “I live out of a suitcase throughout the year, so I had one suitcase that I had packed the whole time.

“I wasn’t really ready, so I’m glad I didn’t jinx it by having it packed.”