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 – When a team like the Reds goes from making the playoffs in 2025 to finishing in last place in '26, plenty of reflection and self-auditing is needed to make changes and address issues.
“Our season did not go anywhere remotely like we wanted it to," manager Terry Francona noted in Toronto on the final day.
The problem facing president of baseball operations Nick Krall, general manager Brad Meador and Francona is that after going 75-87, Cincinnati doesn't just need one or two improvements to get better. Shortcomings were rampant this year and several upgrades are needed.
Where do they even start? Here are five of the Reds' more pressing questions.
1. Who will be the new pitching coach?
Derek Johnson, who came aboard before the 2019 season, took a personal leave of absence in June and missed the rest of the season. The club announced last week that Johnson would not return. Assistant pitching coach Matt Tracy and bullpen coach Oscar Marin have already been interviewed, but the club is also looking at external candidates.
The Reds' team ERA dropped from 12th in MLB (3.86) in 2025 to 28th (4.83) in '26 while leading in walks (668) and finishing fourth in hit-by-pitches (87).
"We had 68 more walks and hit-by-pitches to the next-closest [NL] team," Krall said. "We’ve gotten a lot out of our pitchers over the last few years, but we need to be able to throw a strike 1.”
2. Can enough significant offensive upgrades be made?
As detailed in a story on Tuesday, the Reds' lineup after Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart largely struggled with consistency and making contact. The club was last in the Majors in batting average (.229) and on-base percentage (.305) and had the most strikeouts (1,544) in the National League.
Krall noted that the club would like to give Francona more options at the bottom end of the roster, whether it's regular or platoon players. The Reds don't usually set a budget until late October or early November. In February, ownership stretched the budget to sign Eugenio Suárez for more power, but Cincinnati didn't fully get the results it sought. The issue is there are multiple places that could use hitting upgrades – third base, outfield and second base, among them.
3. Who will be the catcher?
Tyler Stephenson, who was drafted and developed by the Reds and debuted in 2020, will be a free agent. That leaves the 40-man roster with backup Jose Trevino and the inexperienced Will Banfield. Top prospect Alfredo Duno (MLB Pipeline’s No. 20 overall) still needs more time in the Minors and Krall said he had no plans to rush him to the big leagues.
The club will have to explore the free agent and trade markets for a No. 1 catcher. All roads could potentially lead them back to Stephenson.
"I think we need to take a step back and figure out what it’s going to take," Krall said. "How does it help us move forward? And do we need to use that money to improve something else? I think we have a lot of questions that need to be answered over the next month as we approach free agency. But he’s a great guy and we’d love to have him back.”
4. Can more starting pitching be acquired?
The Reds thought they had a deep rotation heading into Spring Training. While Chase Burns emerged as a breakout sensation and All-Star, the rest of the starting five had issues, and attrition from injuries was rampant.
“When you look at our starters – besides Chase Burns – I think everybody took a step backwards this year. We’ve struggled there," Krall said.
Hunter Greene (right elbow surgery) is out until 2028. Nick Lodolo had blister issues wreck his season. Andrew Abbott, Rhett Lowder, Brandon Williamson and Carson Spiers should be in the mix. Brady Singer, after a poor season, is a free agent and is unlikely to get a qualifying offer. Singer didn't miss a start in his two seasons with the club and the Reds will definitely need someone as durable who can be counted on for 30 starts.
5. Can the bullpen be improved?
Reds relievers also took backwards steps as a group despite a big makeover last winter that brought in Brock Burke, Caleb Ferguson and Pierce Johnson. Closer Emilio Pagán came out of the gate shaky and also missed almost two months with a left hamstring strain. But after he returned on June 30, Pagán was 19-for-19 in save chances and had a 1.88 ERA over his final 30 appearances. He has a $10 million player option for 2027, and it seems likely he will return to lead the bullpen.
Setup men Tony Santillan and Graham Ashcraft were inconsistent and left hip surgery could threaten Santillan's readiness for next season. Journeyman Julian Garcia emerged as a workhorse and Tejay Antone made a successful comeback from a third Tommy John surgery. Luis Mey showed flashes of success but needs to show much more consistency.
As playoff teams like the Brewers and Padres – among others – have shown this year, deep and reliable bullpens are hugely important towards building a contender and going deep.