The Reds are headed into an offseason that already feels loaded with decisions, and the first big question is which of their pending free agents actually fit into the plan for 2027. With Cincinnati’s 2026 season officially in the books - and officially a disappointment - the roster turnover conversation starts right away.
There’s also a bigger backdrop hanging over everything: impending Collective Bargaining negotiations that are likely to trigger a lockout effective December 1. Once the World Series ends, teams will have a little less than a month before free-agent talks shut down, which means any serious business the Reds want to do has to happen fast.
Here’s where the six Reds who are set to reach free agency stand.
Emilio Pagán is technically headed for the market, but his deal includes a $10 million player-option for 2027. At 35, and with so much uncertainty tied to the CBA situation, there’s a real question whether he’d find a better setup elsewhere. More likely than not, the Reds’ closer stays put and returns for another year in Cincinnati.
Eugenio Suárez is in a different spot. His contract includes a mutual-option for 2027 worth $16 million, and while his production finally caught up to the salary over the final two months, Cincinnati is unlikely to take its side of that option. Still, the market may not offer many impact bats this winter, so a reunion can’t be completely ruled out - just probably on a much cheaper number.
Pierce Johnson looks like a cleaner break. He signed for one year and $6.5 million, but the Reds haven’t gotten enough to justify another commitment, and there’s little chance they pick up their $8 million mutual-option. He should be on his way to free agency soon after the World Series ends.
Tyler Stephenson may be the toughest name in the group to picture elsewhere, simply because he’s been around forever by Reds standards. Drafted in 2015 and the only organization he’s ever known, Stephenson is now expected to hit free agency in the coming weeks.
If that happens, Cincinnati will move forward with Jose Trevino as its starting catcher. If this really is the end of Stephenson’s run in a Reds uniform, he leaves behind a career with plenty of memorable moments, including his walk-off single on July 2, 2021.
Brock Burke should be near the top of the Reds’ re-sign list. So far, there hasn’t been any indication that a deal is close, and the lone left-hander in the bullpen appears headed for the open market. He was one of Terry Francona’s most reliable relievers this season, and replacing that kind of production won’t be easy for Cincinnati heading into 2027.
Then there’s Brady Singer, who was the Reds’ second-highest paid player in 2026. If Cincinnati were to slap him with a qualifying offer this winter, he’d become the club’s highest-paid player in 2027, and that would be a hard number to justify. Singer is a durable middle-of-the-rotation starter, but he’s not a $23 million qualifying-offer player.
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For a team that needs more consistency, the challenge is figuring out which veterans still fit and which spots have to be turned over. Some of those calls will hinge on performance, others on potential free agency or contract options, and the Reds do not have the luxury of getting them wrong. The offseason should tell a lot about how aggressively Cincinnati plans to reshape a group that fell short of October and now has to decide which familiar faces are worth keeping around. [Read more 🡒]
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Stephenson, though, stands out as the tougher player to replace if he reaches free agency, especially because of what he brings offensively at a premium position. Singer is a different kind of call, one that hinges more on the price tag and how much payroll flexibility the Reds want to preserve. For a club that needs impact bats and still has to watch the bottom line, getting the balance right on these two could shape the rest of the winter. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Season Came Down To One Rotation Problem They Must Fix
For a team that expected to build on a strong 2025, the 2026 season unraveled in a hurry once the rotation stopped holding up its end. Cincinnati finished with a losing record and in last place in the division, and the biggest warning sign was on the mound, where the starting staff slid all the way to 28th in the majors in earned run average after ranking among the best a year earlier.
Injuries and thin depth were part of the problem, and they made every misstep harder to absorb over the long grind of the season. The Reds can point to plenty of reasons for the collapse, but the path back starts with one clear fix: finding a rotation that can stay healthy, take the ball consistently and keep the club from spending another summer chasing games from behind. [Read more 🡒]