The Cincinnati Reds’ offseason has already started with three more names hitting free agency: catcher Tyler Stephenson, starting pitcher Brady Singer and reliever Brock Burke.
The World Series is finished, so the offseason is here in full, even if the free-agent market is still in its opening stages. Players who become free agents after the season can only re-sign with their previous club during the first five days after the season, which means they won’t be able to sign with other teams until November 2nd.
That same date carries a few other deadlines. Teams and players with options for a 2027 contract have to decide whether they’re going in or out, and clubs also need to determine whether to extend a qualifying offer to any of their free agents. Those calls can be made before then, but they have to be completed by 5pm ET on November 2nd.
There’s a chance the Reds’ list of departures grows. Emilio Pagan, Pierce Johnson and Eugenio Suarez all have options, and Cincinnati could wind up seeing its free-agent group double if those decisions go against the club.
Stephenson’s season turned around after a rough opening stretch. Through Cincinnati’s first 61 games, he was hitting .187/.287/.307.
Over the final 101 games, though, he finished at .272/.344/.460. In a catcher market that looks pretty thin, it would be surprising if he didn’t at least test what’s out there.
Burke came to Cincinnati in January as part of a three-team trade, and he gave the Reds exactly what they needed out of the bullpen. The left-hander appeared in a league-high 77 games, logged a 2.30 ERA, picked up two saves and threw 74.1 innings.
Singer’s 2026 season was one he’d probably rather bury. He made 30-plus starts for the third straight year, but he also led the National League with 15 losses, finished with a 5.85 ERA and threw his fewest innings in the last four seasons. Injuries were part of the picture, and after a midseason stretch that suggested he might have righted the ship, he unraveled again in the final two months with an 8.39 ERA in 10 starts.
And with a lockout expected to arrive in early December, November could get busy in a hurry. Teams are likely preparing for that possibility and expecting it to stretch into what would normally be spring training, which would squeeze the free-agent process and offseason trades into a shorter, more frantic window - the same kind of scramble that hit in 2022. Getting out in front of it may matter more than usual.
In Other News...
Reds Suddenly Face A Bullpen Reset With Big Money Decisions Ahead
The Reds spent the first week of the offseason making a clear financial statement, declining the 2027 contract options for Emilio Pagan, Eugenio Suarez and Pierce Johnson. It is the kind of move that instantly reshapes the pitching picture and trims future commitments, even if it leaves a few familiar names suddenly on the open market.
Pagans situation is the one that stands out most, since he has handled closing duties for Cincinnati over the past two seasons and is now positioned to test free agency after turning down his $10 million option. Suarez and Johnson are also free agents after the club passed on their mutual options, with Johnsons exit including a $1 million buyout, and the Reds now have a bullpen reset to manage while bigger money decisions loom ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Just Created Flexibility That Could Reopen A Familiar Question
The Reds spent the early part of the offseason clearing some immediate payroll and roster space, and the latest moves only sharpen that picture. Cincinnati declined the mutual contract options on right-hander Pierce Johnson and infielder Eugenio Suarez, while Emilio Pagan announced he will decline his $10 million option, leaving the club with a lighter 40-man roster and a little more financial breathing room heading toward 2027.
For a team that has spent plenty of time balancing present needs against future flexibility, that kind of maneuvering matters. It also reopens a familiar question about how aggressively the Reds want to pursue help in the infield and on the mound, even as two recognizable names now head into free agency and the front office keeps its options open. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Could Have A Cheaper Rotation Answer This Winter
The Reds were linked to Nick Martinez last winter before choosing to add Eugenio Surez instead, and the right-handers name is back in the conversation as another offseason arrives. Martinez is expected to hit free agency again after his run with the Rays, but the market projection around him suggests Cincinnati would be looking at a pricier rotation piece than it may want to chase this time around.
That is why Aaron Civale has surfaced as a more realistic fit for the Reds if they want to add a starter without pushing too far into the upper tier of the market. Civales recent performance and free-agent status make him an appealing alternative on paper, especially for a club that has shown interest in shoring up the rotation while keeping its spending flexible. [Read more 🡒]