The Reds are three games over .500 but 7.5 games out of first place in the NL Central. Their best path to the postseason is a Wild Card berth. They're 2.5 games back at the moment as they look for their first playoff bid since 2020 (just their second since 2013) and their first playoff win since back in 2012.
Record: 50-47 (Playoff odds 11.1%, per FanGraphs)
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Buy Mode
Potential needs: Corner outfield, first base, second base, reliever
The Reds' primary need, regardless of position, is simply another bat -- or multiple bats -- to bolster what has been a stagnant offense. Ideally, that'd come in the outfield corners. Austin Hays has been great when healthy but has only made it into 44 games due to a trio of IL stints. He and utilityman Gavin Lux lead the team in plate appearances as a left fielder. Jake Fraley, who just returned from a shoulder injury, leads the pack in terms of plate appearances as a right fielder. The Reds have used eight different players in right field and ten in left. No one has more plate appearances at either position than Fraley's 140 in right field.
Fraley and Lux are both hovering around league-average offensive output that's driven largely by plate discipline. Neither is slugging even .400. Fraley has a .152 ISO (slugging minus batting average) that's right in line with the .154 league average. Lux is down at .114. Neither is going to provide much power, and neither can hit left-handed pitching.
A righty-swinging corner outfield bat would fit the Reds nicely -- all the better if it's someone controlled beyond the current season. The Reds are fringe contenders in 2025 but have the rotation talent to make a stronger run in 2026 with better health.
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What if we see what we could get for Martinez since he’ll be on the move at season’s end? Then pick up an impact bat in the outfield for about the same price keeping payroll intact. A rotation of Abbott, Lodolo, Singer, Greene and Burns would be fine with me. Spiers could fill in where needed.
Not a bad idea assuming Greene can come back healthy
A creative thoughtful suggestion thinking about budget constraints. Great post. You’re a top 1% here.
MLBTR has jumped the Shark 🦈
The OF looks very thin after this season, only Friedl and Benson are sure to be part of the roster, with no prospects in sight.
Friedl is the only sure thing of that duo. They knew this for years now and did zip.
Cincy is pretty shrewd at acquiring talent, not so great at developing it, deploying it, or keeping it healthy. They probably need a veteran leader since Candelario didn’t work out. Carlos Santana might make more sense than it appears at first glance.
Thinking Outside the box would probably be trying to sell high on Abbott to get a better return on offense, assuming they are somewhat confident in the young arms to keep developing
The Reds have a Baker’s Dozen of good-to-excellent SS prospects in the minors. Maybe there’s an OF convert among the group.
Marte is interesting; he absolutely crushed it while juicing and still shows some promise; hopefully he can further develop into a lock-down, everyday 3B…
Lux is garbage. Does nothing well on either side of the diamond.