With a little more than a month left in the 2026 season, the Reds are running out of time to figure out who still fits into their future. Several players on the 40-man roster have slipped in the wrong direction, and if they don’t turn things around in September, Cincinnati could be looking at some hard roster decisions before 2027.
TJ Friedl is the most jarring name on the list. He’s still a favorite in the clubhouse and with the fanbase, and he was the emotional center of last year’s playoff push.
But 2026 has gone off the rails for him, and it’s hard to imagine the Reds paying what he’ll be due in his second year of arbitration. A return on a minor-league deal would still be possible.
Ke’Bryan Hayes brings a different kind of problem. His glove remains elite, but the bat has made him difficult to play. The Reds are staring at nearly $25 million owed through 2029, and the question is whether ownership would be willing to absorb that kind of money if they decide to move on.
Sam Moll’s situation is less cut and dried. He was one of Cincinnati’s best relievers in the first half, but his reliability has dropped since the All-Star break. His future could also be tied to what the Reds do with Brock Burke, the fellow left-hander and impending free agent.
Michael Toglia got his chance earlier this month, but the results haven’t matched the promise he showed at Triple-A. He hit well there this season, yet hasn’t carried that over to the majors. Because he’s out of minor-league options, a strong finish may be the only thing that keeps him from being released when the season ends.
Noelvi Marte remains the most complicated case. The Reds keep waiting for him to become the player his prospect status suggested he could be, but the same questions keep hanging around. Terry Francona’s blunt comments about Marte’s work ethic only added another layer to the uncertainty about whether he still has a place in Cincinnati.
Connor Phillips appears to be heading toward the most predictable outcome of all. His stuff is plenty loud, but the strike zone has been a mess.
He did seem to have something figured out in 2025, yet this year he has walked 50 batters in 50⅓ innings between Triple-A and the majors. That kind of control simply won’t hold up.
Brandon Williamson, part of the same trade that brought Phillips to Cincinnati in 2022, is also fighting for his future. He looked sharp in spring training, then his season unraveled almost immediately.
He has only 28 innings this year and has been on the IL since April with a shoulder injury. September is his last real chance to show the Reds he can still be part of the plan.
In Other News...
Reds Face A Costly Infield Problem They Can't Easily Fix
The Reds infield has become one of the clearest reasons their offense has stalled in 2026, with both KeBryan Hayes and Matt McLain leaving too much to be desired at the plate. Hayes, in particular, is in the midst of the worst season of his career, and the contract that runs through 2029 makes him a tough player to move even if Cincinnati wanted to shake up third base. McLain has still offered value with the glove, but the bat has not carried enough weight to make second base feel settled.
For a club trying to build a more reliable lineup, that creates a winter problem without an easy solution. The Reds need more production from the left side of the infield and better overall balance, yet the two spots that need the most attention are tied to players who are either expensive to trade or would not bring much back in return. It leaves Cincinnati weighing how much of the current group can be repaired internally and how much will have to be addressed in ways that are not as simple as a swap. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Suddenly Face Another Lineup Concern With Michael Toglia
Michael Toglias brief run with Cincinnati hit another snag this week when the Reds put him on the injured list retroactive to Aug. 22 after he dislocated his right shoulder in a game. The move forced the club to turn to Triple-A Louisville for depth, with infielder/outfielder Ivan Johnson coming up to fill the roster spot.
Terry Francona said there is some optimism around Toglias recovery, though the next round of testing will help determine how soon he can move forward. For a Reds team trying to keep its lineup intact down the stretch, any absence in the middle of the order or on the bench can complicate the day-to-day mix, and this one now leaves Cincinnati waiting on a clearer timetable. [Read more 🡒]
Hunter Greenes Injury Just Changed The Reds KeBryan Hayes Reality
Hunter Greenes Tommy John surgery leaves the Reds staring at a rotation problem that stretches well beyond this season. Cincinnati knew it would need answers on the mound, but losing Greene for the rest of 2026 and likely 2027 changes the timetable in a major way, especially with payroll still carrying his salary and more financial decisions looming around other key players.
That context also helps explain why KeBryan Hayes now looks far more likely to stay in Cincinnati in 2027. The Reds have to balance innings, commitments and roster flexibility, and with Greene sidelined, the path of least resistance may be keeping Hayes in place rather than creating another need they do not have to address. [Read more 🡒]