The Reds virtually made the playoffs final 12 months as they promoted a number of thrilling prospects and appeared to firmly finish their rebuilding interval. They added to that basis this offseason by spreading cash round to a number of free brokers.
Main League Signings
2024 spending: $61.75MMTotal spending: $111.75MM
Possibility Selections
Trades And Claims
Notable Minor League Signings
Tony Santillan, P.J. Higgins, Reiver Sanmartin, Alex Blandino, Connor Overton, Mark Mathias, Erik González, Brooks Kriske, Hernán Pérez, Conner Capel, Brett Kennedy, Justin Bruihl, Alan Busenitz, Tyler Gilbert, Josh Harrison, Tony Kemp, Mike Ford
Extensions
Notable Losses
Joey Votto, Harrison Bader, Curt Casali, Nick Senzel (non-tendered), Derek Regulation (non-tendered), Justin Dunn, Ben Full of life, TJ Hopkins, Daniel Duarte, Levi Stoudt, José Barrero
Although the Reds got here up simply shy of a postseason berth in 2023, it was nonetheless an encouraging marketing campaign. Thrilling prospects like Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Andrew Abbott and Noelvi Marté all debuted, including to a roster of younger expertise that already included TJ Friedl, Spencer Steer, Will Benson, Jonathan India, Tyler Stephenson, Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo and others.
It was a turning level second for the franchise in one other manner as nicely. Along with that infusion of younger expertise, 2023 was the ultimate assured 12 months of Joey Votto’s long-running contract. Signed manner again in 2012, he had many glorious seasons for the Reds. However as is so typically the case with prolonged contracts, the ultimate years weren’t particularly nice. Votto missed time in every of the previous two years because of shoulder surgical procedure. He might have been retained through a membership possibility however the Reds understandably needed to provide extra enjoying time to youthful gamers.
It’s a bittersweet pivot for the membership, as Votto is a franchise legend and was one of many few causes to observe throughout some difficult years. However he was making $25MM yearly within the closing years of his contract, a sizeable chunk of change for a membership that doesn’t typically run excessive payrolls. He lingered in free company for some time however not too long ago signed with the Blue Jays on a minor league deal which comes with a modest $2MM base wage if he makes the membership.
With Votto’s contract off the books, the Reds had been in a position to have one among their busiest offseasons in latest reminiscence. Their enormous provide of place gamers appeared to not solely squeeze out Votto, but in addition led to loads of hypothesis a couple of commerce. Because the membership had an on-paper infield of Marté, De La Cruz, McLain and Encarnacion-Strand, it appeared that Steer was going to be pushed to the outfield and India onto the buying and selling block.
Regardless of persistent rumors, the membership was constant in sustaining that India wasn’t going anyplace. The 2021 Nationwide League Rookie of the 12 months is coming off two injury-marred campaigns however the Reds appeared to consider in a bounceback and in addition to worth his clubhouse presence. Not solely was he not traded, he bought a two-year deal to keep away from arbitration, locking in a wage for 2025.
The membership not making a commerce was one shock, nevertheless it was much more shocking once they added one other infielder. They signed Jeimer Candelario to a three-year, $45MM take care of a membership possibility for 2027. His presence additional crowded the infield image, however the Reds don’t have a strict DH, so they might use that spot to rotate their many infielders by means of. Candelario additionally gave them a little bit of insurance coverage if any of their younger infielders suffered an harm or a sophomore droop and wanted to return to the minors for a spell.
In hindsight, it now seems sensible that they added to their infield, as Marté was not too long ago hit with an 80-game suspension for a optimistic PED take a look at. As he’ll sit out the primary half of the season, the infield all of a sudden seems far much less crowded. Candelario can play each nook spots however will now doubtless change Marté because the common third baseman.
Elsewhere within the place participant combine, the membership was going through a slight catching scarcity. Final 12 months, that they had three backstops, with Luke Maile and Curt Casali within the combine. That allowed Tyler Stephenson to function the designated hitter and sometimes play first base. He had a little bit of a down 12 months however no less than the smaller workload behind the plate saved him off the injured listing. Every of Maile and Casili turned free brokers however the Reds re-signed Maile. Since Casali signed elsewhere, it appears they’ll pivot to a extra conventional two-catcher setup this 12 months.
However the primary goal of the offseason was pitching. The pitchers on the 2023 membership had been pretty inexperienced and so they additionally handled various accidents. The pitching workers as an entire had a 4.83 earned run common final 12 months, higher than simply 5 different golf equipment within the majors. The rotation was even worse, with the Cincy starters posting a 5.43 ERA, higher than simply the Athletics and Rockies.
They might have anticipated some enchancment simply with their incumbent choices. Every of Greene, Lodolo and Graham Ashcraft frolicked on the injured listing final 12 months, whereas Abbott was solely in a position to log 109 1/3 innings because of his midseason promotion. However the membership wasn’t content material to rely solely on enhancements from that group and went on to forged a large internet this winter in on the lookout for upgrades. Their curiosity prolonged to notable free brokers and commerce targets, together with Sonny Grey, Tyler Glasnow, Dylan Stop, Shane Bieber, Yariel Rodríguez and Wade Miley.
They didn’t appear to seek out a lot traction in these pursuits. The talks with the White Sox about Stop stalled when the Sox seemingly requested for 4 or 5 notable prospects, a worth that the Reds had been understandably unwilling to pay.
As a substitute, their massive rotation addition got here from free company. The membership took a bounceback flier on Frankie Montas, who has been battling shoulder points for fairly a while. He missed a while late in 2022 because of his shoulder and was shaky when on the mound, then required surgical procedure going into 2023 which worn out most of that season.
There’s definitely threat in giving $16MM to a pitcher with these well being issues, nevertheless it’s just for one 12 months and might be a cut price if Montas can get again to his earlier self. He made 32 begins with the A’s in 2021 with a 3.37 ERA, 26.6% strikeout price, 7.3% stroll price and 42.8% floor ball price.
The membership additionally bolstered their workers by signing swingman Nick Martínez, who will doubtless be within the rotation however might finally find yourself within the bullpen relying on how issues play out. He has labored each roles with the Padres over the previous two years, giving Cincy some flexibility to evaluate the well being and efficiency of Greene, Abbott, Lodolo, Ashcraft and others.
In case Martinez is required within the rotation, the membership additionally strengthened their bullpen in different methods. They took a bet on Emilio Pagán, signing him to a two-year deal. He’s coming off a powerful season, having posted a 2.99 ERA with the Twins in 2023. However he’s a flyball pitcher who noticed his residence run to flyball price drop to five.3% on the season. The earlier three seasons noticed that price fall within the 13-19% vary as his ERA completed between 4.43 and 4.83 in these years. Cincinnati’s Nice American Ball Park was essentially the most homer-friendly venue within the league final 12 months, per Statcast, so the transfer is a bit eyebrow-raising.
However, their signing of Brent Suter seems like a steal. He has saved his ERA beneath 4.00 in 5 straight seasons, typically doing an incredible job limiting laborious contact. That continued in 2023 regardless that he moved to the hitter’s haven of Coors Discipline. He doubtless might have secured a contract bigger than one 12 months and $3MM if he appeared to maximise his assure, however he grew up in Cincinnati and went to highschool there, maybe main him to take a little bit of a reduction to play for his hometown crew. Buck Farmer was additionally introduced again to Cincy on a modest deal.
All advised, the membership boosted the ground in quite a lot of totally different areas. They added a few starters to the rotation, a number of relievers to the bullpen and even added to the already-strong place participant combine. Maybe the latest information about Marté will make them dip again into free company, as there are nonetheless gamers on the market.
The membership was beforehand linked to Michael A. Taylor, who stays unsigned. He can present elite protection and his right-handed bat would pair nicely with lefty-swinging outfielders like Friedl, Jake Fraley and Will Benson. Steer and India are each right-handed and within the combine for outfield enjoying time however the Marté suspension would possibly open up some infield enjoying time for them, maybe making the match for somebody like Taylor extra viable.
No matter how that performs out, the roster seems sturdy going into 2024. They had been carried by their lineup final 12 months and virtually made the playoffs, regardless of dismal outcomes from their pitching workers. Even a slight correction might be sufficient to make them a legit playoff membership, however additionally they elevated their probabilities by signing Montas, Martínez, Pagán, Suter and Farmer. Inside enhancements from Greene, Lodolo, Abbott, Ashcraft and others would solely assist issues.
The Nationwide League Central is pretty vast open, with no clear favourite. The Reds clearly sensed they’ve an opportunity this 12 months and try to take benefit. They didn’t make any blockbuster strikes however strengthened the roster in a number of different methods.
