Terry Francona didn’t hide the standard he wants the Reds to chase.
With Milwaukee closing in on a fourth straight division title and a fifth in six years, the Cincinnati manager had plenty to admire about the Brewers - and, maybe more importantly, plenty for his own club to study. Francona’s comments made it pretty clear that he sees a path forward for Cincinnati, one built less on flash and more on depth, athleticism and the small details that keep good teams winning.
“They catch everything in sight,” Francona said. “Everybody from 1-9, they don't have any base-cloggers. They complement each other very well.”
That kind of praise says a lot. The Brewers are not just piling up wins; they’re doing it by checking all the boxes Francona thinks matter most.
Even in a down defensive season, Milwaukee has still produced the third-most Defensive Runs Saved in the National League at +43. Cincinnati sits at the other end of the spectrum at -48 DRS.
The gap doesn’t stop there. Milwaukee ranks fifth in the NL with +7 baserunning runs above average, while the Reds are 11th at -0.3. Some of that comes down to coaching, but Francona’s bigger point is about the roster itself: the Brewers are built to avoid the little mistakes that swing games.
And they’re not just clean in the field and on the bases. Milwaukee also owns a 3.57 team ERA and a 108 team wRC+, which is why it has been able to separate itself from the pack. The Brewers are the best team in the league for a reason, and they rarely lose the margins.
That’s where Cincinnati has to catch up. The Reds do have real top-end talent, with Elly De La Cruz in the lineup and Chase Burns in the rotation. But Francona’s comments point toward a broader offseason need: add the kind of complementary players who make a roster harder to beat, and give the Reds more than one way to win games in 2027 and beyond.
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