Reds optimistic about young core despite injury-riddled 2026

This story was excerpted from Mark Sheldon’s Reds Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

CINCINNATI -- As the Reds enter this final week of games in their season that will end without a return to the playoffs, it's not too early to start taking a look at where things went right and where they also went wrong.

As is often the case during a disappointing year that fell well short of expectations, not enough went right for Cincinnati. The club is 72-84 with six games remaining on the final road trip at Atlanta and Toronto still ahead.

What's gone right

Sal Stewart has a superb chance to be the National League Rookie of the Year award winner. Stewart leads all rookies with 32 home runs and 110 RBIs. He entered Tuesday second in the Majors in RBIs, one behind Alec Burleson of the Cardinals (111). The 22-year-old could become the third rookie to finish a season leading MLB in RBIs, joining Ted Williams (1939) and Walt Dropo (1950).

Switch-hitter Elly De La Cruz used his offseason to improve as a right-handed hitter and achieved that goal and then some. In part because he improved his OPS vs. lefty pitchers more than 400 points from .618 to 1.031, De La Cruz had his most successful season yet and still has a shot at reaching 30-homers, 30-stolen bases, something achieved only three times previously in franchise history. He's at 28 homers and 28 steals entering Tuesday.

Although a right groin injury prevented him from making his 30th and final start, Chase Burns had a highly successful 2026. Burns was 15-3 with a 2.86 ERA and 185 strikeouts over 154 1/3 innings in 29 starts. He was a first-time All-Star and was signed in July to a seven-year, $105 million contract.

Closer Emilio Pagán got off to a rough start and then missed two months with a left hamstring strain. But since returning June 30, Pagán has a 2.03 ERA and converted each of his last 18 save opportunities. With a $10 million player option for 2027, he has an excellent shot at being back in Cincinnati.

Reliever Tejay Antone definitely owns the feel good story of the year, and perhaps NL Comeback Player of the Year, too, after coming back from a third Tommy John surgery and also having a successful season.

What's gone wrong

The Reds were not good against their own division rivals and had a 19-33 record against NL Central teams. That included only five series victories.

Cincinnati's offense was wildly inconsistent at producing runs and ranked at the bottom of the NL. In terms of team average (.229) and on-base percentage (.306), the club was 30th out of 30 MLB teams. The Reds also lead the Majors with 17 shutout losses.

Of that group, free agent signing Eugenio Suárez was unable to come close to replicating his 49-homer season in 2025 and has 24 in '26. Matt McLain struggled for the second season in a row. Ke'Bryan Hayes endured one of the all-time worst offensive seasons. And TJ Friedl had everything go wrong, spent time in Triple-A and was finally designated for assignment on Sunday.

The defense, especially the outfield, had shortcomings too. Outfielders are 26th in DRS and on the bottom portion for fielding run value.

Hunter Greene opted not to have surgery in October to remove bone chips from his right elbow, only to need it in March. Then after five starts back, Greene needed Tommy John surgery in August and won't be back until 2028.

A blister on Nick Lodolo's left index finger put him on the injured list twice for extended periods during a subpar season overall.

An All-Star in 2025 with a 3.33 ERA in 28 starts and 156 2/3 innings, Andrew Abbott was inconsistent. In his 31 starts (with one more remaining), Abbott is 6-11 with a 4.70 ERA over 159 innings.

A big strength last year, the bullpen has been a weakness in 2026 with a 4.76 ERA (25th in MLB). Injuries were part of it as Pagán, Tony Santillan and Graham Ashcraft all missed significant time. But after he was huge last season setting up for Pagán, Santillan's performances took a big step backwards (ERA from 2.44 to 6.42, WHIP from 1.11 to 1.67). Connor Phillips, a rising star at the end of '25, was back in Triple-A by the end of May and never earned his way back.

As a team, the Reds have allowed 141 stolen bases, which is most in the NL and second-most in MLB.

What does it all mean? The Reds have some good things to build from, especially with the young core of De La Cruz, Stewart and Burns. But there's also a very long list of improvements needed from the front office in the offseason to get the Reds back on the road to contending.