Juan Brito is turning September into a loud audition, and the Reds have every reason to pay attention.
He went deep again Wednesday night against the Atlanta Braves, adding another jolt to a stretch that has pushed his name into the conversation for Cincinnati’s 2027 Opening Day roster. Since his call-up on September 1, Brito has hit .341/.362/.591 with three home runs, 11 RBI, and a 155 wRC+.
That kind of production gets noticed fast. But the small print matters, and it’s impossible to ignore the split that still hangs over his bat: he’s hitting just .147 with a .461 OPS and 22 wRC+ against right-handed pitching.
That’s the part he has to clean up if he wants a real shot at an everyday job in 2027.
The Reds have already seen enough to know Brito can handle the moment. A career middle infielder, he’s moved around since arriving in Cincinnati and has even made three appearances in the outfield. Still, second base looks like the spot that fits him best, and that’s where the roster picture gets interesting.
Matt McLain has not bounced back from his breakout rookie season in 2023, and Edwin Arroyo’s big-league run has been rough. McLain is hitting .187/.276/.340 with 15 homers, 39 RBI, and a 69 wRC+. His glove at second base is helping keep him in the mix, but without it, he could be in the same conversation as Arroyo and Noelvi Marte in Triple-A.
Arroyo’s first 50 big-league games have offered little encouragement. He posted a .223/.266/.264 line with a 46 wRC+, and the source material makes clear just how bleak that start has been. That leaves the Reds with a real question about what comes next for him.
Brito’s value isn’t limited to what he can do at second. He also gives Cincinnati some cover if Spencer Steer’s recovery from offseason wrist surgery slows things down. The Reds said earlier this week that Steer will have surgery to repair a partial tear of the tendon sheath in his right wrist.
Steer and manager Terry Francona both expect him to be ready for spring training, but wrist injuries can drag out. That’s where Brito’s versatility becomes more than a bonus. It becomes insurance.
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Edwin Arroyo's Reds Future Suddenly Feels Far Less Certain
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The roster picture around him has only gotten tighter. With Juan Brito and Oswaldo Cabrera now added to the mix, the competition for middle infield spots looks even more crowded, and that matters for a club trying to balance present needs with future upside. If the Reds decide they need to move a young player to fill another hole, Arroyo could be one of the names they weigh as they look for bullpen help and other offseason fixes. [Read more 🡒]