2025-26 MLB Offseason Recap: Cincinnati Reds

The Reds made the playoffs in 2025, the first time the organization had made the playoffs since the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. Last season could be considered the first major step forward for the franchise since it embarked on a rebuild four years ago. And, to bolster the team for 2026, the focus was on adding veteran depth.

Additions

The Reds weren’t able to land Ohio native Kyle Schwarber in free agency but Cincinnati was able to get a formidable slugger to bolster the 2026 lineup: Eugenio Suarez.

Suarez, who will enter 2026 on a heater after helping Venezuela win the World Baseball Classic, was a force for the Reds in his first run with the team. He’s coming off a 49-home run campaign between the Diamondbacks and Mariners. However, you know what you’re going to get with him.

Over 44% of his plate appearances last season resulted in either a home run, a walk, or a strikeout. He’s aggressive but very few have the pure raw strength that Geno has at the plate. Suarez signed a one-year deal to return to the Reds.

Aside from Suarez, the two other notable additions made as far as position players went were outfielders JJ Bleday and Dane Myers.

Bleday can hit for pop but struggled mightily on non-fastballs. That, coupled with the rise of Tyler Soderstrom and Denzel Clarke in Sacramento, pushed Bleday out of the rotation for the A’s.

Myers, acquired via trade with the Marlins, has speed and range. And, he can hit left-handers pretty well.

Bullpen help was also a main focus for the Reds over the winter.

Cincinnati added two reliable left-handed relievers, Brock Burke and Caleb Ferguson. Both are different relievers. Burke throws harder, living in the mid-90s, and will work regularly with the slider. Ferguson, meanwhile, generates a lot of groundballs thanks to his breaking ball, cutter, and sinker.

Pierce Johnson, who spent parts of three seasons with the Braves, can make hitters look funny with a hard curveball.

Losses

Two of the Reds’ best outfielders from last year, Miguel Andujar (Padres) and Austin Hays (White Sox), both found new homes for 2026.

Andujar found lightning in a bottle last season, as he had his most productive offensive season since his rookie year. He was also a force against lefties, as Andujar hit almost .400 off opposite-sided pitchers.

He took a one-year deal with the Padres.

Hays, meanwhile, joined the White Sox after a nice bounce-back season with the Reds. The right-handed hitter did well in Great American Ballpark and hit against both lefties and righties.

Several other notables from the Reds’ last two seasons left via free agency. Funky left-hander Brent Suter joined the Angels, while Nick Martinez, who worked as a starter and reliever with the team, joined the Tampa Bay Rays.

Zack Littell, who was acquired from Tampa over the summer, signed with the Nationals in early March.

Overview

The Cincinnati organization has primarily been a reserved spender in free agency over the years, including in campaigns where the team is expected to compete for a playoff spot. Like, this past winter.

For the Reds to make it to the playoffs again, the team will need those reinforcements to provide the much-needed depth that any organization requires to make the playoffs. But realistically, how the Reds do in 2026 was always going to come down to how the young guns perform.

Chase Burns was a dynamite in the Minors and proved he can hang at the MLB level, although we’ve yet to see whether he can develop into that relied-upon starter (he worked out of the bullpen late in the year). Rookie Sal Stewart and Matt McLain, the latter of whom had a rough 2025, will also need to be contributors.

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