The Cincinnati Reds are starting to look like a team that’s finally ready to turn the page on a decade of disappointment. After years of rebuilding, retooling, and, at times, just plain struggling, 2025 offered a glimpse of what this franchise might become - and it’s a future worth watching.
From 2014 through 2019, the Reds were stuck at the bottom of the NL Central, finishing fourth or fifth every year. Even their 2020 playoff appearance came with an asterisk - they got in during the shortened, expanded postseason with a losing record, and the excitement was short-lived. Between 2021 and 2024, Cincinnati returned to the shadows, missing the playoffs each year and leaving fans wondering when - or if - the rebuild would ever bear fruit.
Then came 2025. Under the leadership of Terry Francona, one of the most respected managers in the game, the Reds’ young core finally came together. In a National League loaded with powerhouses - the Phillies, Braves, and Mets in the East, the Dodgers, Padres, Giants, and Diamondbacks out West - Cincinnati quietly carved out a playoff spot, grabbing the final Wild Card berth despite playing in a division that housed the best team in baseball.
Their postseason stay was brief, as the Reds ran into the buzzsaw that is the Los Angeles Dodgers - now back-to-back World Series champs - and bowed out in the Wild Card round. But make no mistake, this wasn’t a fluke.
It was a statement. For a franchise that’s been on the outside looking in for most of the past 12 years, just getting back to October was a significant step forward.
At the heart of this resurgence is a young, electric core that’s showing real staying power - especially on the mound. The rotation, which will return largely intact in 2026, was a bright spot. Hunter Greene, Andrew Abbott, and Nick Lodolo all took meaningful steps forward under Francona’s guidance, and with top prospects Chase Burns and Rhett Lowder knocking on the door, the Reds are building a pitching foundation that could carry them for years.
But if there’s one name that defines this Reds team right now, it’s Elly De La Cruz.
The 24-year-old shortstop is a walking highlight reel - a rare blend of speed, power, and flair that makes him one of the most captivating players in the league. De La Cruz has already made two All-Star teams and received MVP votes, and he’s just getting started. He’s the kind of player you build around, and the Reds clearly see him that way.
How clear? According to a recent report, Cincinnati offered De La Cruz a contract extension last offseason that would’ve eclipsed Joey Votto’s franchise-record 10-year, $225 million deal from 2012. That’s a massive commitment - and De La Cruz turned it down.
It’s a bold move, but it makes sense. De La Cruz is betting on himself, and given the current market, it’s hard to argue with the logic.
This offseason alone, we’ve seen players like Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette land huge deals. If De La Cruz continues on his current trajectory, he’s positioning himself for an even bigger payday once he hits free agency - which, by the way, won’t be until he’s 27.
That gives him time to keep building his value without rushing into a long-term deal that might undersell his ceiling.
He’s currently set to make $820,000 in 2026, a pre-arbitration number that looks like a steal when you consider what he brings to the table. Sure, there are areas to clean up - he led the majors with 26 errors last season and posted a 31.7% whiff rate with a 25.9% strikeout rate - but those are the kinds of growing pains you expect from a young player still refining his game.
What you can’t teach is the raw talent. De La Cruz has crushed 47 homers over the last two seasons and might be the most dangerous base-stealer in the league.
He’s not just fast - he’s disruptive. He changes the game the moment he gets on base, and he’s already made a habit of tormenting division rivals like the Milwaukee Brewers.
In just 35 games against the Crew, he’s swiped 10 bags and even pulled off the rare feat of stealing second, third, and home in the same sequence back in 2023.
So, did the Reds make the right call offering him that kind of extension? Absolutely.
You don’t let a player like this walk without trying to lock him in. Even with the defensive miscues and strikeouts, De La Cruz is a franchise cornerstone.
And the fact that Cincinnati was willing to commit that kind of money shows they’re serious about contending - not just in 2025, but for the long haul.
For Reds fans, that’s a refreshing change of pace. For Brewers fans and the rest of the NL Central, it’s a sign that the days of penciling in Cincinnati as an easy series win might be over.
Whether or not De La Cruz eventually signs long-term remains to be seen. But one thing’s clear: the Reds are no longer rebuilding. They’re building - and they’ve got the pieces to make some serious noise.