The Cincinnati Reds are heading into a winter with too many holes to count, and MLB.com’s latest roster rankings made that reality impossible to ignore.
Cincinnati finished last season with 75 wins, and the list of offseason needs is long. Emilio Pagan’s decision to opt out of his $10 million player option leaves the club searching for a closer.
The infield still needs clarity, with the Reds having to decide whether they’re comfortable with Matt McLain and Ke’Bryan Hayes. Tyler Stephenson is a free agent, which means the team will likely need a starting catcher unless it believes Jose Trevino can handle that job.
On the mound, the Reds need more depth after Hunter Greene was ruled out for the season and Brady Singer is set to become a free agent. And they still need more offensive punch in the outfield.
In short, the roster has a lot of unfinished business.
That’s reflected in Mike Petriello’s offseason rankings, where the Reds landed 29th out of 30 teams. Only the Colorado Rockies were placed lower.
“The trio of shortstop Elly De La Cruz (25 next season), starter Chase Burns (24) and first baseman Sal Stewart (23) is a youthful, talented group that’s the envy of almost any other team in baseball,” Petriello wrote. “De La Cruz, in particular, made The Leap to being a true superstar.
The problem is everything else. Cincinnati had the weakest-hitting outfield in baseball, and no pitching staff walked more batters.
And to add injury to insult, ace Hunter Greene is likely to miss all of 2027. Three young stars is a great place to start, but there’s so much work to do elsewhere.”
That’s the blunt truth facing the Reds. The top-end talent is there, but the support around it is thin.
Last week, the team hired pitching coach Joe Torres, who previously worked with Reds manager Terry Francona in Cleveland. Francona talked up Torres on the Reds Hot Stove, and his praise was strong.
“What really impressed me was the growth I felt as we were interviewing him, listening to the comfort level of him talking about how he would like to run things,” Francona told MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon. “You could really see the growth.
And that really pleased me because I liked him already. So, much like Carl, he’s a calming influence.
He has a delivery. He understands analytics.
He understands using his eyes, and he understands using a pitching team. I just think he’s going to be phenomenal.”
Pitching was supposed to be the Reds’ strength heading into 2026, but that didn’t happen. Now the challenge is finding a way to get it right in 2027.
In Other News...
Reds May Have Found An Affordable Rotation Answer Fans Will Debate
The Reds are heading into an offseason where the rotation still needs some sorting out, with Chase Burns, Andrew Abbott and Nick Lodolo the only arms viewed as sure things right now. That has naturally pushed the front office toward the market for help, and one name that fits the kind of practical, budget-conscious search Cincinnati may have to make is David Peterson, the left-hander who is set to reach free agency after a strong stretch with the Cubs.
Peterson is the sort of mid-rotation option that can make sense on paper because his profile lines up with what the Reds often need from a starter at Great American Ball Park. He also comes with a recent step forward that makes him more than just a depth flier, which is why he is likely to draw real consideration as Cincinnati weighs how aggressive to be in filling out the staff around its young core. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Could Get Pushed Out Of A Crucial Outfield Chase
The Reds have been looking for help in the outfield, and Jarren Duran has emerged as the kind of offseason target that would fit the conversation. Boston is reportedly weighing whether to move the outfielder, which has put Cincinnati in the mix as a potential landing spot for a club that could use another impact bat and some lineup flexibility. For a Reds team trying to sharpen its roster around the edges, Duran is the sort of name that naturally draws attention.
But Cincinnati is unlikely to have a clear path if the market heats up the way it appears it might. San Diego has been tied to Duran as well, and the Red Sox also have their own angle in any broader talks because of their interest in Elly De La Cruz. That gives this chase a layered feel, with the Reds needing the right deal structure and the right timing if they want to stay in position as the offseason unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Face A Big Tyler Stephenson Decision This Offseason
The Reds have a few offseason questions to sort through, but Tyler Stephenson sits near the top of the list. The veteran catcher is headed for free agency, and there is a growing sense around the club that his steady production and familiarity with the pitching staff make him a logical candidate to stay in Cincinnati.
Sports Illustrateds analysts expect the sides to find common ground on a short-term deal, which would keep the catching situation stable for at least another season. For the Reds, the appeal goes beyond the present tense, since Stephensons presence would help bridge the gap while the organization waits for its next wave of talent behind the plate to develop. [Read more 🡒]