Terry Francona has built his reputation on something managers rarely do well: making players believe. In Cincinnati, that trait has already shown both sides of the coin. It can create the kind of trust and buy-in that turns a roster into a force, but it can also keep a manager tied too long to veterans who aren’t getting it done.
That’s where the Reds are now. What started the season as a push to build on last year’s playoff trip has shifted into something else entirely, and the focus has to move with it. The cleanest path forward is simple enough: give the younger players a real look and stop waiting for struggling veterans to sort themselves out.
Francona’s history says he’ll keep backing his guys. Back in May, he defended TJ Friedl after a rough stretch, saying, "I was telling TJ the other day, you’ve got to walk up to the plate with your chest out still. You’ve got to be strong enough mentally to look at the scoreboard and see your batting average and know that's not what you are.”
But Friedl’s season has only gotten tougher since then. A few months later, the 31-year-old is hitting .164/.250/.246, and that’s the kind of production that should open the door for Hector Rodriguez, Noelvi Marte, and maybe other young Reds outfielders such as Carlos Jorge to get meaningful big league time.
The same logic applies on the mound. Pierce Johnson shouldn’t be blocking younger arms from innings, and Luis Mey ought to get a chance to show whether he can work through his command problems and develop into a legitimate strikeout option. Chase Petty was just sent back to Louisville, but he should get another shot before the year is over to prove whether he can handle a bullpen role.
Then there’s the tougher call: Eugenio Suarez. Pulling back on a player like that is never easy, especially with the kind of standing he has. Still, it’s not a move that should be ruled out, even with Geno scorching the ball since the All-Star break.
The Reds have a chance to use these last weeks as something more than a finish line. They can turn them into an audition for 2027, a chance to see what needs fixing and what doesn’t before the offseason begins.
That only works if Francona is willing to loosen his grip on the veterans he trusts. If he does, Cincinnati can at least come out of this stretch with something useful. If he doesn’t, the cost could be real.
In Other News...
Reds September Call Up Battle Is Taking Shape Fast
Michael Toglias move to the active roster after a strong run in Triple-A Louisville gave the Reds an early look at how they may use September to reward production and add depth. With rosters set to expand next month, the club has several names in the mix, and the conversation has already turned to which players have done enough to put themselves on the radar for Cincinnatis final push.
Zach Maxwell, Connor Phillips, Chase Petty and Michael Chavis all have cases built on recent work, while Edwin Arroyos return would fit the kind of infield help teams often seek when the calendar flips. There is also a catching angle to watch with Will Banfield, as the Reds weigh whether more support behind the plate could be part of the late-season plan. For now, the picture is still taking shape, and the next round of decisions should say plenty about how the Reds want to handle September. [Read more 🡒]
Jay Allen II Is Forcing A Reds Decision This Offseason
Jay Allen II has spent this season at Double-A turning a once-promising name into a much tougher roster question for the Reds. The former first-round pick is showing the kind of offensive growth that has long been the missing piece in his profile, pairing better plate discipline with real power while still bringing the defensive value that made him such an intriguing prospect in the first place.
The progress has put Allen in position to finish the year with a late push toward Triple-A, and it has also sharpened the decision Cincinnati will have to make once the offseason arrives. With his bat trending in the right direction and his glove already a selling point, the Reds may have to decide whether he has done enough to earn the kind of roster treatment that protects a player from being left exposed. [Read more 🡒]
Eugenio Surez Just Made The Reds Next Decision A Lot Tougher
Eugenio Surez has made a strong case for staying in Cincinnati a little longer. After a slow start interrupted by injury, he has found his rhythm again in recent games, giving the Reds a jolt at the right time and turning himself back into a useful piece for a club trying to sort out its late-season roster picture.
Surez said he wants to remain with the Reds through the rest of this season and even into next year, pointing to the mutual option in his contract as a possible path forward. Terry Francona has noticed the turnaround, praising Surezs work ethic and the value he has brought lately, and now the question is whether Cincinnati is ready to match the players interest with a decision of its own. [Read more 🡒]