2026 Profile: Cincinnati Reds

Félix Forget
2026 Profile: Cincinnati Reds
Credit: CBS Sports

The 2026 Major League Baseball season will begin shortly. At Passion MLB, as has been the case for years, we are setting the stage for the season by introducing the 30 teams of Major League Baseball.

Today, the Reds are on the menu.

2025 Season

In 2025, the Reds found a way to qualify for the playoffs. The arrival of Terry Francona at the helm of the club and one of the best pitching staffs in the league allowed Cincinnati to play playoff baseball for the first time since 2020. But in the playoffs, the Reds' lack of offense caught up with them. Facing the Dodgers' war machine, Cincinnati ran out of steam and was swept in two games in the first round.

Additions and departures

Unsurprisingly, the Reds weren't the most aggressive buyers in the free agent market. But the club still made a nice move by bringing back an old friend: Eugenio Suarez.

On the strength of a 49-home run season last year, the Reds found a way to sign him for $15 million (for one year). He will bring offense to a group that needs it… but more importantly, comfort during rain delays.

The other acquisitions are much more minor: JJ Bleday and Dane Myers will bring depth to the outfield, while the bullpen will now rely on Brock Burke, Pierce Johnson, and Caleb Ferguson.

Nick Martinez, a key part of the rotation in 2025, has left for Tampa Bay. Austin Hays (White Sox) and Miguel Andujar (Padres) have also moved on.

Strengths and weaknesses

Cincinnati's biggest strength is its pitching staff. The rotation, featuring Hunter Greene, Andrew Abbott, Brady Singer, Nick Lodolo, and Chase Burns, is one of the best in MLB. And it's not crazy to think it's the best. After all, at least three of them are Cy Young contenders this year.

The bullpen isn't bad either. Emilio Pagan and Tony Santillan form a solid duo, and guys like Graham Ashcraft, Pierce Johnson, and Brock Burke aren't bad either.

Manager Terry Francona is also a big strength of this team.

The weakness is mainly on offense. Suarez will help, but the group isn't really any better than last year, when the Reds had one of the worst offenses in MLB.

Seeing Elly De La Cruz reach another level and become a true superstar would help.

Expectations for the 2026 season

Obviously, the Reds are hoping to return to the playoffs this season. The 2025 season was a great success, and not making the playoffs would be a step backward.

But in a National League with many good teams, the road could be more difficult than last year. Last year, the Braves and Diamondbacks were decimated by injuries, and the Mets greatly underperformed, among others.

Will the Reds be able to withstand a possible comeback by one (or even several) of these clubs? It will all depend on whether the pitching staff is as good as hoped… and on the club's offensive performance.

Hunter Greene's health, in any case, is not helping the team start the season strong.

Created by humans, assisted by AI.

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