This doesn't make any sense. The AP reports:

Worried their rickety bullpen was dragging them out of playoff contention, the Cincinnati Reds swung an eight-player trade with the Washington Nationals on Thursday, getting relievers Gary Majewski and Bill Bray but giving up two everyday players.

The Reds parted with right fielder Austin Kearns and shortstop Felipe Lopez, hoping to shore up one of the majors' worst bullpens.

Lopez is a 26-year-old shortstop with 838 and 749 OPSs the past two seasons. Kearns is a 26-year-old rightfielder with a career 826 OPS.

Majewski and Bray are relief pitchers.

Couldn't the Cubs have come up with some relief pitchers to make this deal?

The Reds also received former Cub Brendan Harris.

Writes Keith Law at ESPN.com: "Do you think Jim Bowden took a little pleasure in thoroughly robbing the organization that fired him in 2003? If not, perhaps he should, because he just pushed the Reds to the back of the NL playoff queue, and in the process picked up three players who entered the Reds' organization while he was their GM."

Redleg Nation says: "I’m sick to my stomach."

The Reds are currently in second place in the NL Central, 3.5 games behind the Cardinals. But it appears that the Astros are the only real competition.

Brew Crew Ball writes: "This is crazy."