The Reds have a pair of offseason calls that could shape how they attack the winter, and the two names at the center of it are Tyler Stephenson and Brady Singer.
Cincinnati can make a case for keeping both, but the harder choice is pretty clear: the Reds should be far more motivated to bring back Stephenson than to stretch for Singer.
Stephenson’s value starts with what happens if he’s gone. The Reds already have enough areas to fix, and losing their starting catcher would only create another one. Finding a catcher who can help at the plate is no small task, and if Stephenson leaves, Cincinnati would be shopping for exactly that kind of player.
Jose Trevino is under contract through 2027, but if he were pushed into the starting role, the offense at catcher would take a major hit.
Stephenson isn’t perfect. The Reds would like more steadiness from him, and a return wouldn’t suddenly clean up all of their lineup issues.
Still, replacing him is the real problem. Unless Cincinnati has a clear upgrade lined up, moving on would be a tough move to justify for a club trying to build a stronger offense.
That said, re-signing him shouldn’t mean emptying the wallet. Other teams could easily see the appeal of an offense-minded catcher, and that might drive the price higher than the Reds want to go.
Stephenson hit .241/.323/.404 with 37 extra-base hits this season.
Even so, Cincinnati should make a real push to keep him. If he walks and the club settles for a cheaper option, the pressure on the rest of the lineup only gets heavier.
Singer is a different conversation. For him, it comes down to cost and what else the Reds could do with that money.
There’s obvious value in a starter who can take the ball and pile up innings. But that alone shouldn’t force Cincinnati into keeping him.
If Singer’s return means a significant multi-year commitment, the Reds ought to be ready to move on. They can’t tie up a big chunk of their available money just to keep a roster that finished 75-87 together.
Of course, letting Singer go wouldn’t solve everything. The Reds would still need a plan for his innings, and banking on every other starter staying healthy would be a bad bet. Singer also allowed a league-leading 102 earned runs in 2026.
After another disappointing season, Cincinnati needs to be willing to make changes. Keeping Stephenson would help avoid another hole in the offense, while moving on from Singer could free up more room to attack other needs.
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