C. Trent Rosecrans

crosecrans@enquirer.com

Brandon Phillips blocked a trade to his hometown Atlanta Braves in November, sources confirmed to The Enquirer on Thursday.

The blocked trade was initially reported by Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com.

Phillips, 35, is in the final year of a six-year, $72.5 million extension signed in 2012. He is scheduled to make $14 million this season.

Phillips has full no-trade protection. He earned full no-trade rights with 10 years of service time, including at least the last five years with the same team. Last offseason he blocked at least two trade attempts - to the Nationals and Diamondbacks - to return to the Reds.

Friday morning, former big-league second baseman Harold Reynolds said on MLB Network's "Hot Stove" show that he talked to Phillips, who said he wasn't approached about a possible trade to the Braves.

“He’s ticked. He doesn’t feel like he was ever asked that there was a deal on the table,” Reynolds said on the show.

Reynolds said Phillips was open to a trade to his hometown.

"You think I wouldn’t want to go to Atlanta?" Reynolds recalled Phillips saying.

Brandon Phillips: No one’s asked about trades

Before his 10-5 rights kicked in, the Reds had tried to trade him to the Yankees after the 2013 season, but he had a limited no-trade clause at the time that included the Yankees. That deal fell through.

The Reds acquired second baseman Dilson Herrera at the trade deadline in the deal that sent outfielder Jay Bruce to the Mets. The team also has Jose Peraza, who has played shortstop, second base and center field. Both Herrera and Peraza need playing time, but are blocked in the middle infield by the veteran Phillips and shortstop Zack Cozart.

The Reds have informed Phillips that his playing time could be cut this upcoming season, but he has expressed his desire to stay in Cincinnati.

Phillips, who was acquired in a trade with the Indians in 2006, has spent the last 11 seasons as the Reds’ second baseman, earning four Gold Gloves, a Silver Slugger and three All-Star nods. Last season, he hit .291/.320/.416, but advanced metrics rated his defense at second below average.

Reds' Brandon Phillips pulls fake hidden-ball trick on Juan Uribe