The Cincinnati Reds benefit from a nice mix of young players and veterans. They could surprise some people this year by making the playoffs. The Cincinnati Reds may compete well in the perennially weak National League Central. Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain, Noelvi Marte, and Christian Encarnacion-Strand all debuted in 2023, though some were injured last season.
Plus, the Cincinnati Reds have an ace in pitcher Hunter Greene. The Cincinnati Reds have several good veterans like Tyler Stephenson, Spencer Steer, and TJ Friedl. Do you think the Cincinnati Reds will make the playoffs this year?
Cincinnati Reds Starting Rotation
Greene is the ace of the Cincinnati Reds starting rotation and what an ace he is. Last season, he realized his immense potential. He had a 2.75 ERA and averaged 97.6 miles per hour (MPH) on his fastball. Nick Martinez is currently the second starting pitcher for the Reds. He is a veteran of seven major league baseball seasons and last year had just a 3.10 ERA for the Reds. He spent the most years of his career pitching for the Texas Rangers.
Nick Lodolo is currently slated to be the third starting pitcher for the Reds. He hopes for an injury-free 2025 campaign. He was on the Injured List four times last year. The rotation got a boost when Bradley Singer was acquired via trade with the Kansas City Royals. The Royals gave up on him despite Singer pitching to a 3.71 ERA last season. The fifth starter for the Reds, Lefty Andrew Abbott, is hurt and currently out. If he cannot start the season, look for Graham Ashcraft to fill the rotation spot.
Cincinnati Reds Bullpen
Alexis Diaz is in the closer for the Reds. He has gone backward over the last three years. Taylor Rogers will set him up after coming over from the San Francisco Giants. Emilio Pagan is just a one-inning specialist at this point in his career. Scott Barlow, Tony Santillan, and Sam Moll provide depth in the Cincinnati Reds bullpen.
Catcher
The primary catcher for the Cincinnati Reds is Tyler Stephenson. Stephenson has some pop. He blasted 19 home runs last year. However, he is a below-average defensive catcher. Not so for backup Jose Trevino. Trevino was acquired from the New York Yankees in December and is a weak hitter but an excellent defender. His defensive excellence may free Stephenson up to get some at-bats as the designated hitter.
Infield
In the infield, the Reds have a star at shortstop in De La Cruz. He is a defensive wizard. At second base the Cincinnati Reds have McLain. He is returning from a torn Labrum that cost him all of 2024 after posting a .864 OPS in 2023. The Reds signed Gavin Lux from the Los Angeles Dodgers to man third base. He produced a WAR of 2.1 last season. The first baseman for the Reds is Spencer Steer. The 27-year-old is in his third MLB season. He only batted .225 last year after batting .271 in 2023.
Outfield
The outfield for the Cincinnati Reds starts with Austin Hays. The former prospect played with the Baltimore Orioles for most of his career before playing with the Philadelphia Phillies for the second half of last season. Between Baltimore and Philadelphia, Hays hit only five home runs last year. The Reds hope he regains his power stroke. In center field, the Reds have TJ Friedel. Friedl has battled injuries but is an excellent defender who, when healthy, has some pop. Jake Fraley is the right fielder who hit .277 in 350 at-bats last year.
Designated Hitter
Jemier Candelario is the Reds DH right now. He is one of Cincinnati’s power bats, having hit 20 home runs last season. The Reds will want to keep him in the lineup. That said Marte and Christian Encarnacion-Strand may get some opportunities here. Everyone on the Reds infield may get partial days off as a designated hitter.
Management
The Reds manager is Terry Francona. In hiring the 65-year-old proven winner, the Reds showed a sense of urgency fans of the team have recently not been used to. The General Manager is Brad Meador. He has the unenviable task of trying to convince ownership they should increase their payroll.
Conclusion
The Reds have some nice young talent. Given that health is so important for every team, it is even more important for a low-payroll team. They cannot overcome mistakes made on the roster by spending more money. If everything goes right for the Reds, they could surprise some people and sneak into a playoff spot.
