The Reds don’t need a reminder about how badly they struggled to put the bat on the ball in 2026, but the numbers make the case loud and clear anyway. Cincinnati finished last in the majors with a .229 team batting average and paired that with the league’s worst strikeout rate at 25.5%. If the front office wants to change the shape of this lineup, more contact has to be part of the fix.
That’s why Luis Arraez stands out as such an appealing fit. On paper, he checks the box the Reds need most.
He’s a second baseman, which makes him a clean fit either as a direct answer for Matt McLain or as a way to slide McLain over to center field. And when it comes to pure bat-to-ball skill, there isn’t anyone better.
Arraez struck out only 4.3% of the time in 2026 and owns a career strikeout rate of 5.8%. Put him in the same lineup with Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart, and he would give Cincinnati another high-contact presence, especially with Stewart thriving with runners on base.
But the fit gets shakier once the conversation moves beyond the box score. Arraez brings a lot of offensive value, yet his profile comes with real baggage, and Cincinnati has enough trouble in the field already. The Reds ranked 27th in defensive runs saved in 2026 at minus-31, finished 16th in outs above average, 19th in fielding percentage at .984, and committed 89 errors, the 12th-most in baseball.
Arraez’s defense has been a problem for most of his career at second base, and even at first base his glove has usually been below standard. The position is less demanding there, but it still hasn’t been a strength.
His 2026 split only adds to the uncertainty. With the San Francisco Giants in the first half, he posted 11 OAA, a respectable -3 DRS, a .988 fielding percentage and just five errors in 103 games.
After the trade to the Philadelphia Phillies, the numbers slid: -1 DRS, -3 OAA, a .984 fielding percentage and three errors in 46 games.
That contrast makes it hard not to think about San Francisco’s infield coach Ron Washington, who has long been considered one of the best in the game at teaching infield defense. Without him, Arraez’s performance dipped, and that’s exactly the kind of concern Cincinnati can’t ignore given its own defensive issues. The Reds may be able to live with a weak glove if the offense is strong enough, but Arraez also brings two other drawbacks: he has no power and he never walks.
Then there’s the price tag. Former Reds GM Jim Bowden projects Arraez to land a three-year, $60 million deal.
Whether or not that exact figure proves right, the expectation is that he’ll command real money and multiple years. For a Reds team with plenty of other needs, that kind of commitment could force the offseason into one lane only.
And if Cincinnati spends that big on Arraez, it may not have enough left to address the rest of the roster.
In Other News...
Reds May Have Locked In Chase Burns At The Perfect Time
Chase Burns has already done enough in a Cincinnati uniform to make the front office feel good about betting on him early. After turning in a promising 2026 season with 154 innings, a 2.86 ERA and a 3.24 FIP, the right-hander has quickly gone from intriguing arm to a clear part of the Reds long-term plans, the kind of pitcher teams try to keep before the price climbs any higher.
The bigger question now is how the market around him will keep moving. Pitching extensions have a way of looking modest or massive depending on who signs next, and the Reds are already being measured against the next wave of NL Central arms, with the risk and reward of locking in a young starter always hanging in the background. For Cincinnati, the timing may end up looking sharp, but the true test of the contract will come as Burns keeps building on the foundation he laid last season. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Face One Fascinating 40-Man Decision Fans Will Debate
Even with the Rule 5 Draft likely headed for postponement because of a possible lockout and the cancellation of the Winter Meetings, the Reds still have to sort through an important 40-man roster decision this winter. The usual deadline pressure may be cloudier than normal, but the front office is still expected to shield several prospects from being exposed, with Carlos Sanchez, Jay Allen II, Cody Adcock and Bryce Hubbart all in the mix as candidates for protection.
Carter Graham looks like the safest bet to get the call, which only sharpens the conversation around the rest of the class. Cam Collier is the biggest question mark in the group, and his status makes this more than a routine paperwork exercise for Cincinnati. Even if the calendar shifts, the roster math does not, and the Reds will have to decide which young players are worth carrying forward now rather than risking them elsewhere. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Avoided A Risky Steven Kwan Decision They Couldn't Afford
Steven Kwan had looked like the kind of player the Reds could at least talk themselves into chasing, a steady All-Star bat who would have fit neatly into a roster that can always use more contact and reliability in the outfield. But with Clevelands president of baseball operations, Chris Antonetti, saying Kwan is staying put, the door has effectively closed on a name that made sense for Cincinnati only on paper. The Reds have enough outfielders already, and the challenge was never just finding room for Kwan on the roster.
The bigger issue was the price. Any serious run at a player of Kwans caliber would have meant parting with real future value, the kind of package that could start with top prospects and quickly get uncomfortable for a front office trying to protect its long-term plan. Even if Cincinnati had found a way to make the trade work, the budget picture made a follow-up extension feel unlikely, which is exactly why this was the sort of move the Reds could admire from a distance but probably not afford to make. [Read more 🡒]