The Cincinnati Reds took a meaningful step forward last season under new manager Terry Francona, finishing third in the National League Central behind the Brewers and Cubs. While they didn’t make a deep playoff run, their 83-79 record and Wild Card berth signaled a team that’s starting to find its identity - and it’s a young, hungry one.
They ran into a buzzsaw in the postseason, falling in the Wild Card round to the eventual World Series champion Dodgers. But for a club that’s been rebuilding piece by piece, the loss wasn’t a setback - it was a taste of what’s possible. And Francona, a veteran skipper who’s seen just about everything this game has to offer, knows exactly where the next step needs to come from: the rotation.
The Reds’ future is anchored to a promising group of arms that could define the franchise for years to come. Hunter Greene, Andrew Abbott, Brady Singer, Nick Lodolo, and Chase Burns make up a rotation that’s young, talented, and still developing - but the tools are there. And Francona wants to see them take ownership of games.
In a recent appearance on MLB Network, Francona told former big-leaguer Ron Darling that he’s looking for more longevity from his starters. “You try to let your pitcher grow into that,” Francona said.
“I don't want to see our starters looking into the dugout after 5 innings wondering when I am going to take them out. I want them to get mad when I do come to take them out.”
That’s classic Francona - challenging his players to compete, to earn the ball deeper into games, and to take pride in being the guy who can carry the load. It’s a mentality that could serve this group well, especially with someone like Greene leading the charge.
Greene is already making noise as one of the most electric arms in either league. He finished the season 7-4 with a 2.76 ERA and 132 strikeouts in just over 107 innings. That kind of swing-and-miss stuff doesn’t come around often, and if he can stay healthy and stretch his outings, he has ace potential written all over him.
Behind him, Abbott and Singer bring their own strengths. Abbott has shown poise beyond his years, while Singer continues to evolve into a reliable presence on the mound. Lodolo, when healthy, offers a high-upside lefty option, and Burns adds even more depth to a rotation that could become a real strength in 2026.
Offensively, the Reds have some firepower to back up that pitching. Elly De La Cruz and Spencer Steer are right in the middle of the order, and they’ve both shown they can produce.
De La Cruz blasted 22 home runs and drove in 86 runs last season, and his athleticism gives the Reds a dynamic presence at shortstop. Steer added 21 homers and 75 RBI of his own, providing steady production from first base.
If the Reds are going to climb past the Brewers and Cubs in the Central - and that’s not out of the question - it’ll be because their young arms take the next step and their core hitters continue to mature. The pieces are there. Now it’s about growth, grit, and getting over the hump.
Francona’s message is clear: this isn’t a team content with being scrappy. This is a team that’s learning how to win - and how to expect more from itself. If the rotation can stretch deeper into games and the offense keeps pushing the pace, Cincinnati might just be ready to shake up the division in a big way.