Report: Nats moving on from Brandon Phillips

Brandon Phillips reportedly is staying put — at least for now.

The Enquirer has confirmed a report via Twitter from FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal, and Phillips will not be traded at this time from the Reds to the Washington Nationals.

The Reds had an agreement to trade Phillips to the Nationals in place as early as Thursday, but reportedly had to convince Phillips to accept the deal. Phillips had full no-trade protection because he has at least 10 years service time, with at least the last five seasons with the same team. While it is unclear whether Phillips had decided to join the Nationals or not, the Nationals apparently tired of waiting for Phillips to decide whether to join the National League East favorites or stay with the rebuilding Reds.

It may have been the team’s last chance to jettison the two years and $27 million he is owed on the 2012 contract extension. In 2013, Phillips called his six-year, $72.5 million contract a “slap in the face.” It is not uncommon for players to waive no-trade rights in exchange for an extension or more money, but Phillips will earn $13 million in 2016 and $14 million in 2017. Phillips is 34 and will be 36 when his contract ends.

The Reds had hoped to move Phillips as part of the team's rebuilding effort. The Reds acquired 21-year-old second baseman Jose Peraza in the trade that sent Todd Frazier to the White Sox. Peraza made his big-league debut with the Dodgers last season and was considered the key to the Reds' trade of Frazier. The team had also targeted the second baseman in a proposed trade with Aroldis Chapman, but then moved to get him with Todd Frazier instead following reports of Chapman's alleged domestic violence incident.

Phillips has been one of the most popular players during his 10 years with the team for his efforts on and off the field. On the field, he was a three-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove winner - and the team’s first player with at least 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in a single season since Barry Larkin when he hit 30 home runs and stole 32 bases in 2007. Off the field, Phillips was known for his interaction with fans on Twitter and Instagram, as well as his willingness to pose for photos and sign autographs.

Last season, he played in 148 games, hitting .294/.328/.395 with 12 home runs and 70 RBI. His .294 batting average was the second-best of his career, trailing only his .300 season in 2011. He also stole 23 bases, the most he’d swiped since 2009. He was a finalist for the National League Gold Glove at second base this past season, but fell to first-time winner Dee Gordon of the Marlins.

The deal with Washington would have reunited Phillips with his former manager, Dusty Baker, as well as the organization that drafted him. The Montreal Expos, who later became the Nationals, took Phillips in the second round of the 1999 draft. In 2002, Phillips was traded along with Grady Sizemore, Cliff Lee and Lee Stevens to the Indians in exchange for Bartolo Colon and Tim Drew.

Four years later, then-general manager Wayne Krivsky pulled off one of the great trades in Reds history, acquiring Phillips in exchange for a player to be named later. Eventually the Reds sent right-hander Jeff Stevens to Cleveland, but it didn’t take long for the Reds to be the clear winner in that deal.

Phillips is the Reds’ all-time leader among second basemen in hits (1,614), doubles (277), home runs (186) and RBI (825).

In Washington, Phillips would have filled a hole at second base. Washington lost out on the bidding for Ben Zobrist to the Cubs and were unable to work out a deal for the Pirates’ Neil Walker, who went to the Mets. Now the Nationals will go to their fourth choice, after Phillips’ rejection. Earlier this offseason, Washington traded Yunel Escobar to the Angels, which opened the way for Anthony Rendon to return to third base. Washington could move veteran Danny Espinosa to second and put rookie Trea Turner at shortstop. The team is reportedly moving on to consider free agents Howie Kendrick or David Murphy, or perhaps another infielder via trade.