When Arte Moreno sold controlling interest in the Los Angeles Angels to Stan Kroenke earlier this week, it naturally kicked off the same old daydream for Reds fans: what if that kind of ownership shakeup happened in Cincinnati?
It’s an easy fantasy to understand. The Angels are widely expected to leave behind their penny-pinching habits, open up the wallet and chase expensive free agents with Kroenke now set to steer the ship. Any time that kind of change lands in baseball, Reds fans start looking at Bob and Phil Castellini and wondering whether a sale might finally be the answer.
But the uncomfortable truth is that a new owner alone would not magically turn the Reds into a big spender.
The Reds sit in the same reality as several other small-market clubs, and that reality is financial. Major League Baseball’s three smallest markets belong to the Reds, Brewers and Royals, with the Pirates and Guardians not far behind.
Those teams routinely land near the bottom of the payroll rankings because they bring in less television money and less gate revenue. Less money comes in, so less money goes out.
There are always exceptions worth arguing about. You can make the case that not every small-market team has to behave the same way, and the Padres are usually the first example people reach for.
That argument has some teeth. But if it were easy, every small-market club would already be doing it.
The Cardinals have shown how a club can live outside that label for stretches, though even they have felt the squeeze lately. St.
Louis spent $156 million on player salaries in 2022, then saw that number fall to $91 million this season. The reason is right there in the stands.
Busch Stadium drew 3,320,551 in 2022 when the Cardinals won 93 games, but with the team sliding and interest fading, attendance has dropped to just under 1,968,413 with nearly a month left in 2026.
That’s the part Reds fans have to wrestle with. Ownership wants a return on its investment, and that kind of return depends on Great American Ball Park being full night after night. Without that, the spending won’t change much, no matter whose name is on the deed.
None of that erases how badly the Castellinis have worn out the fanbase’s patience. Phil Castellini’s “Where you gonna go?”
line in 2022 said plenty about how out of touch the group has looked. And with Phil Castellini officially taking over as controlling owner and CEO last February, there’s little reason to expect a wholesale shift from the top.
So if a sale isn’t the cure, what is?
A change in baseball operations.
Nick Krall is the one who could pay the price after another failed season, and plenty of Reds fans are already looking at him as the man on the hot seat. If he’s out after the 2026 campaign, that would be the change this organization actually needs.
The lesson from the other small-market clubs is simple enough: you can compete without a massive payroll. The Reds don’t need to chase a new owner to learn that. They need better management, and the fanbase needs to accept that division titles are still possible even on a small-market budget.
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Reds Add Veteran Infield Depth After Orlando Arcias Uneven Season
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It is a low-risk move for Cincinnati, but one that could matter if the club needs another steady glove or some roster flexibility down the road. Arcias path to the organization has already included time with the Twins and a stop in the Mexican League before landing in the Reds system, and his 2023 All-Star season with Atlanta is a reminder of the ceiling he has shown at his best. [Read more 🡒]