The Reds enter the offseason more likely to search bullpen assist and a number of upgrades inside the lineup, however they received’t have an particularly lofty funds for attaining these objectives. President of baseball operations Nick Krall mentioned Tuesday that 2026’s funds “can be across the identical as our payroll from 2025” (hyperlink by way of C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic).
Cincinnati opened the 2025 season with a roughly $112MM payroll and completed round $116MM, per Cot’s Contracts. RosterResource pegs their end-of-season quantity a bit larger, at about $119MM.
Regardless, working again the identical payroll offers the Reds a little bit of spending energy however not all that a lot. They’re presently projected for a payroll round $91MM, per RosterResource. That’s earlier than possibility choices on relievers Scott Barlow and Brent Suter. Barlow’s $6.5MM possibility appears more likely to be purchased out. Suter is a little more of a borderline name at $3MM however may nonetheless be minimize unfastened (or re-signed to a restructured take care of lighter speedy payroll implications, as was the case for the Cincinnati native this time final yr).
The 2025 Reds nabbed the ultimate NL Wild Card spot and noticed an attendance improve of about 147,000 over their 2024 ranges. Nevertheless, the 2025 payroll was up about $20MM over the prior season, a lot of the elevated attendance income was offset by a costlier on-field product. Reds possession has by no means trotted out an Opening Day payroll north of roughly $127MM — although their prorated $55.5MM Opening Day payroll in 2020 signifies they’d have set a brand new franchise-high had been it not for that yr’s shortened schedule.
Cincinnati presently has simply three gamers signed to assured contracts for the 2026 season. Ace Hunter Greene will earn $8MM, whereas third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes is owed $7MM and catcher Jose Trevino is owed $5.25MM. Assuming the choices on Barlow, Suter and outfielder Austin Hays (a $12MM mutual possibility) are purchased out, their solely different monetary commitments can be in arbitration. The Reds already outrighted infielder Santiago Espinal and reliever Ian Gibaut, sparing themselves a projected $4.6MM in wage between the 2 of them.
The Reds nonetheless have 12 arbitration-eligible gamers even after that pair of outrights (successfully non-tenders), however the one gamers projected to earn greater than $5MM are right-hander Brady Singer ($11.9MM) and catcher Tyler Stephenson ($6.4MM). Any of Gavin Lux ($5MM), Sam Moll ($1.2MM) or Will Benson ($1.7MM) may very well be non-tendered or traded to purchase a bit of further respiratory room. Speculatively, the pitching-rich Reds may swap out Singer for a comparably priced veteran bat to plug into their outfield (e.g. Taylor Ward).
Krall has downplayed the potential of buying and selling a starter, however the quintet of Greene, Singer, Andrew Abbott, Nick Lodolo and prime prospect Chase Burns is robust as it’s, and well-regarded younger arms like Chase Petty and Rhett Lowder loom as rotation prospects as effectively.
Including to the bullpen additionally figures to be on Krall’s to-do listing. Nearer Emilio Pagan is a free agent. Holdovers Tony Santillan, Graham Ashcraft and Connor Phillips all confirmed effectively in 2025 (Phillips in a reasonably small 25-inning pattern), whereas younger flamethrowers Luis Mey and Zach Maxwell present some upside. Nonetheless, there’s not a lot end-of-the-game certainty among the many group, making just a few fairly priced bullpen pickups appear possible.
Relying on additional non-tenders and a few potential trades, it appears the Reds in all probability have room for one big-ticket merchandise. A serious bat like Pete Alonso or Cincinnati native Kyle Schwarber can be extremely out of character, however there’s in all probability sufficient payroll flexibility to make that sort of splash if the opposite strikes are minimally priced. The likelier end result can be a handful of extra measured, mid-range additions to the roster, possible with a little bit of wiggle room left for in-season maneuverings like we noticed with this summer time’s acquisitions of Zack Littell and Miguel Andujar.
