If the Reds lose Brock Burke in free agency, they’ll have a glaring hole to fill in the bullpen: no left-handed relievers on the 40-man roster.
That’s a problem Terry Francona can’t really paper over. Cincinnati’s rotation already leans left-heavy, with Andrew Abbott, Nick Lodolo and Brandon Williamson making up 60% of the current starting five.
But that doesn’t solve the late-inning issue. The Reds still need someone who can come in and neutralize left-handed hitters when games tighten up.
The need was obvious even before the offseason began. In 2026, Cincinnati got only 170 innings from its left-handed relief group, the 11th-fewest in the league. Burke, Sam Moll and Caleb Ferguson accounted for 90% of that workload, and with Moll released in September and Ferguson dealt at the deadline, the path forward points straight to free agency and the trade market.
One name that fits the bill: Steven Okert.
The 35-year-old lefty has gone from a pitcher searching for traction to one of the more dependable left-handed relievers in the game. Over the last two seasons with the Astros, he’s made 136 appearances and posted a 2.58 ERA with a 2.99 FIP. He’s struck out 152 batters and walked just 33 in that stretch, and his 2.7 fWAR ranks 14th among all relievers and fourth among left-handed relievers.
That kind of production puts him in a pretty elite neighborhood, even if the save total doesn’t jump off the page. Okert has just two career saves, so he wouldn’t be a clean, one-for-one stand-in for Emilio Pagán.
But his value isn’t tied to a label. He’s the kind of high-leverage arm a contender can use in plenty of different spots.
There is one clear wrinkle in the fit: Okert is a fly-ball pitcher, and a pretty extreme one. Among qualified relievers this season, his 26.3% ground-ball rate was the third-worst in baseball, while his 55.7% fly-ball rate ranked second-highest. That naturally raises questions about how he’d play at Great American Ball Park, which has produced 13% more home runs than average since 2023, tied for fourth-most in the league.
Still, that concern isn’t as loud as it might seem at first glance. Okert’s breakout came in Houston, at Daikin Park, which carries the exact same 113 home-run park factor as GABP. The Crawford Boxes in left field didn’t stop him from taking a major step forward, and there’s reason to believe he could keep that same home-run suppression going in Cincinnati.
At a projected two-year, $14 million price tag from MLB Trade Rumors, Okert looks like a sensible addition with real impact potential. Unless the Reds are ready to chase someone bigger, like Adrian Morejon, they should have Okert near the top of their list.
In Other News...
Nick Krall Just Reignited Reds Frustration Over Ke'Bryan Hayes
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For the Reds, the dilemma is less about whether Hayes can still help defensively and more about what to do with a contract commitment tied to a bat that has lagged well behind expectations. His overall offensive track record remains below average, and while the front office is not planning to move him, that stance does not erase the awkward fit. Kralls remarks only underline how much Cincinnati is still waiting on a turnaround that has yet to arrive. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Can Easily Picture This Free Agent Fit But The Cost Changes Everything
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The problem is that the fit is not just about baseball. Happ is expected to land a multi-year deal, and Cincinnati is already juggling salary commitments while trying to address several roster needs at once. That leaves the Reds weighing whether a player who looks clean on paper is worth the kind of financial and roster flexibility they would have to give up to get him. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Face An Elly De La Cruz Decision Fans Will Hate
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That long runway gives the Reds time, but it also creates the same kind of pressure that surrounded Juan Soto before he was dealt. The front office has to weigh whether holding De La Cruz is the right call for a team trying to build around a star, or whether waiting too long could leave them with less leverage and a smaller return if the relationship ever shifts. [Read more 🡒]