2025 season: 83-79, third in NL Central, eliminated in wild card
With the Reds eliminated from the 2025 postseason — swept by the Dodgers in the wild-card round — let’s take a look at the season that was in Cincinnati, the questions the team must address this winter and the early outlook for next year.
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Read more: MLB offseason previews 2025: What’s next for the White Sox, Pirates, Twins and more?
Things that went right
Although the Reds deserve credit for making their first postseason appearance in a 162-game season since 2013, the reality is that the team mostly treaded water this year. After all, their win total of 83 was only one more than they recorded in 2023 and identical to their mark in 2021. They have finished with a winning percentage between .463 and .517 in five of the past six seasons. Their 2025 record consistently hovered around .500, which fit the description of a team that was average in run scoring and run prevention. Still, there were several positives.
The pitching staff was led by three starters who each logged an ERA below 3.35: Hunter Greene, Andrew Abbott and Nick Lodolo. Although Greene was limited to 19 starts by a nagging groin injury, he continued to build on his breakout 2024 season, producing one of the best K-BB ratios of any starter. He is clearly the ace of the staff, and Lodolo emerged as the No. 2 starter by taking his control skills from good to great. Abbott also took a major step forward in his third season, which included being named to the 2025 All-Star Game. He lacks dominant swing-and-miss skills but has managed to thrive at his hitter-friendly home park, despite allowing plenty of fly balls. And while these three arms were stealing all the headlines, Brady Singer led the team in starts and produced respectable results.
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There were successes in the bullpen as well. After the team entered the season without an established closer, Emilio Pagán quickly took hold of the job and fared well. He finished second in the NL in saves. Tony Santillan was ultra-reliable as the top setup man and finished second in baseball with 33 holds.
Although there were fewer notable performances at the plate, Noelvi Marte deserves credit for getting his career back on track after a disappointing 2024 season. He missed nearly two months during the first half due to an oblique injury, but he was consistently effective when healthy.
Things that went wrong
There were a few disappointments from an offense that had the potential to be better than average. Although Elly De La Cruz had a decent age-23 season, he didn’t take the anticipated step forward. Most notably, he experienced an ill-timed power outage. With the team hanging around in the postseason race and needing its best player to carry the offense, De La Cruz went 43 games without a homer from Aug. 1 to Sept. 18.
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And while De La Cruz slumped late, Matt McLain struggled early. Coming back from missing the entire 2024 season due to a torn labrum, McLain was hitting .178 with a .573 OPS when the calendar flipped to June. He made small strides after that but was still disappointing overall. Christian Encarnacion-Strand entered the season with much lower expectations, but he was still expected to be a contributor. Instead, he missed nearly two months in the first half due to a back injury and spent the majority of the season in the minors. Finally, catcher Tyler Stephenson experienced offensive regression from a solid 2024. He was also a below-average defensive player at arguably the most important position.
The biggest disappointment on the pitching side was the lack of contribution from high-end prospects. Chase Burns arrived in June with great fanfare. But he owned a 5.24 ERA when he was placed on the IL due to a flexor strain on Aug. 15. Chase Petty was overmatched in his brief trial, and after debuting in 2024, Rhett Lowder missed most of this season due to a forearm strain and didn’t contribute to the Reds at all.
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Offseason outlook
As one of the youngest teams in baseball, the Reds have most of their key players under contract for 2026. Stephenson and Jose Trevino will continue to form the catcher duo, with Stephenson hoping for a bounce-back year. De La Cruz and McLain will work together in the middle of the diamond, and Ke’Bryan Hayes, who is an outstanding defender, will be the third baseman. Hayes endured offensive struggles but showed signs of life at the plate after he was added from the Pirates at the trade deadline. First base is the infield position still to be decided. Spencer Steer could continue in that role, or the team could move Steer to the outfield and turn the position over to prospect Sal Stewart.
Two-thirds of the outfield is set for 2026. TJ Friedl will continue to work as the center fielder and leadoff hitter, and Marte will play right field. Left fielder Austin Hays has a mutual option on his contract, and those are rarely picked up by both sides. Steer has plenty of experience in left field, which might make him the replacement for Hays. Will Benson is unlikely to crack the regular lineup but will continue to bring value as a fourth outfielder.
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Fortunately, the Reds already have everything they need for a solid rotation. The leaders of the group — Greene, Lodolo and Abbott — will all return, as will Singer. Burns will likely grab the final rotation spot, and his immense skill set could make him one of the team’s best pitchers in a hurry. Petty and Lowder will be waiting in the wings for an opportunity to arise.
With Pagán heading to free agency, the bullpen needs an anchor. Scott Barlow is also set to depart after being a key part of the setup crew. Fortunately, the cupboard isn’t completely bare, as Santillan and Graham Ashcraft will continue to work high-leverage innings, and there’s a team option on the contract of lefty Brent Suter. There are also young pitchers in the mix, such as Zach Maxwell and Connor Phillips. The lack of a closer is the most glaring hole on the team right now.
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Prospects on the horizon
The future looks exciting for the Reds, who have a strong farm system despite the recent removal of Burns with his arrival in the majors.
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Stewart, the team’s top hitting prospect, got his feet wet in the majors in September. Although slow-footed, he is a capable fielder who can play first, second or third base. He has excellent contact skills, and at 21 years old, he has the time and body frame to make some strides with power that is already decent. Cincinnati has several other top position-player prospects, including Alfredo Duno, Tyson Lewis and Steele Hall. Unfortunately, they’re all teenagers who won’t arrive in the majors for a couple of years.
The other ascending contributors are pitchers, most notably Lowder and Petty. The seventh overall pick of the 2023 MLB Draft, Lowder could spend most of 2026 in the majors if he moves past the arm injuries that derailed his 2025. He certainly didn’t look overwhelmed when he posted a 1.17 ERA (3.17 FIP) in six starts with the Reds in 2024. Petty, another first-round pick (Twins, 2021), seemed to take a step back when he logged a 6.39 ERA and a 1.607 WHIP in Triple-A this year. Still just 22 years old, he has the time and the skills to take a second run at that level in 2026 and maybe earn a spot with the Reds by next summer.
Goals for 2026
After finally squeaking into the postseason, it’s time for the Reds to finally take the next step. With players such as De La Cruz and Greene, this roster has superstar potential. And there are plenty of other 20-somethings, including Lodolo, McLain and Marte, who can still take steps forward. Comfortably qualifying for a wild-card spot — and winning at least one game — should be the goal for 2026 at a minimum. Winning the NL Central might be an unreasonable request, given the Brewers’ and Cubs’ success in 2025.
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For the Reds to take the next step, the front office will need to make some roster improvements in the offseason. That includes finding an established closer, and it wouldn’t be a bad idea to add another setup man. Although most of the lineup spots are set, this club could really use a true power hitter, as no one on the team hit more than 22 home runs this year. If president Nick Krall and general manager Brad Meador can make those additions, the Reds could become a team that no one wants to face.
Fantasy focus
De La Cruz will be the first Cincinnati player to come off 2026 draft boards by a wide margin, as he’ll be a first-round pick in virtually every league. Greene will be the next Reds player selected, with some managers valuing him as a low-end fantasy ace. Lodolo is the only other Red who will be selected in the first half of drafts, and his name should be called in the range of Round 10.
There are plenty of Reds who will be selected in the second half of drafts, including McLain, Abbott, Steer, Friedl, Marte and Burns. Stewart could join that group if he creates some buzz in spring training. And it’s worth mentioning that Burns could rise up draft boards quickly if he looks dominant in March.
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