Reds General Discussion 2026, Part 2

Not a fan of obtaining another infielder, when the obvious need is in the outfield. It’s definitely not panicking or a knee jerk reaction to start addressing obvious needs, that most people realized last season and all offseason. Winning with pitching and defense is great, but you still have to have some timely hitting and this team doesn’t seem capable of that. As good as Elly is, when you look at his clutch stats, they aren’t that good. That’s no knock on him, because without him, this current team would be doomed. Hopefully after bobble head weekend, Marte and Benson are replaced with Hinds and Bleday. They may or may not be saviors, but they couldn’t be any worse.

This is all on the front office, for once again relying on hopes and prayers, instead of acquiring some proven hitters.


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Originally Posted by 757690

He’s slighty better than Steer, yes. But not enough of an improvement to trade away anything of value.

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Slightly better?

2023-today

11.1bWAR vs 4.6 bWAR. That’s slightly better?

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Originally Posted by LeatherPants

Slightly better?

2023-today

11.1bWAR vs 4.6 bWAR. That’s slightly better?

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Slightly better if they’re both playing the outfield. That’s the problem with Abrams. Most of his value comes playing shortstop. The reds don’t need them at shortstop.


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Originally Posted by 757690

Slightly better if they’re both playing the outfield. That’s the problem with Abrams. Most of his value comes playing shortstop. The reds don’t need them at shortstop.


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Abrams is much more useful than Steer because he hits RHP. Lifetime .772 OPS. Steer hits righties to the tune of .726 OPS and that’s heavily influenced by 2023.

Aside from the Abrams comparison, Steer should not be an everyday corner outfielder. He doesn’t hit righties well enough and his defense isn’t that good. Steer should be a platoon RH bat and otherwise a part timer utility guy.

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Originally Posted by Tuff Nut

Nats are likely ready to reset...Abrams likely candidate with some OF experience is no slouch at plate. As as for a return, very unsure...Not ready to pass on Petty(maybe in a bigger deal) but pitchers seem to be at a premium.. IF Nats looking at at least an Mlb caliber pitcher..Phillips And Tyson Lewis.

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I guess you can call 5 games in his entire career some OF experience but how about they target an actual OFer to play the OF. Again I would love to have Abrams on the Reds but he has had some maturity issues and has been a SS his entire career going back to even High School, do you know that he would even agree to play the OF.

I understand wanting to get better bats but there are better bats out there that actually play positions that the Reds need. Also the Nats could get a very good return for Abrams if they shop him, they would hang up and laugh at Phillips and Tyson Lewis.

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Originally Posted by 757690

He’s slighty better than Steer, yes. But not enough of an improvement to trade away anything of value.

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Abrams is a much better player then Steer in just about anyway you want to compare them. The issue is Abrams is a SS and has played 5 games in his career in the OF so trading for him makes little sense for a team that is need of OF help and has multiple guys who can play SS.

I’d trade for Abrams and convert him to outfield. The Reds won’t do any better than that. They won’t pay for or trade for a good two-way starting lefty hitting outfielder. They had a chance to do that last off-season, but they wound up signing Bleday who didn’t even make the OD roster.

Almost everything with the Reds is a compromise, so I’d compromise on a good lefty hitter and athlete such as Abrams.

Or, let them get somebody equally as good who’s a natural outfielder. I’d take that too.

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Status: Lodolo had a 10-pitch bullpen session on April 9 that wasn't at full intensity but went well. Has another bullpen session scheduled for April 12. (Last updated: April 10) More >>

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Unsure how one can dress down the Reds FO for not not knowing the business that they get their paycheck for and then open up Baseball Reference and say "Let's get Abrahms and play him in the OF" and not see that it's a plan fraught with complications

Attack problems with logical solutions, don't try and do a magic trick with the wrong tools, you'll regret it most times

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Originally Posted by westofyou

Unsure how one can dress down the Reds FO for not not knowing the business that they get their paycheck for and then open up Baseball Reference and say "Let's get Abrahms and play him in the OF" and not see that it's a plan fraught with complications

Attack problems with logical solutions, don't try and do a magic trick with the wrong tools, you'll regret it most times

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I wish this post made sense, but it actually makes no sense in multiple ways.

Milwaukee, St. Louis and Chicago all lost today. Reds win. Pretty good day for the Rhinelanders. Reds in possession of a wild card. Dodgers are playing at a 127-win clip.

Correct me if I’m wrong but Abrams is the Nats starting SS and he is OPSing over .950.

Why would they trade him for minor leaguers?

They were 7-8 at this point last year, 9-6 today. A +2 improvement. Krall wins.

I'm sorry, but I can't see, or agree with, any defense of 3bman Hayes' horrific offense, and that it is offset by his superb defense. The guy is something like 3 fer 38 to begin the year, batting .079, .146 OB%, and a .225 OPS. He has operated with a 78 OPS+ or worse, placing him significantly below average for a starting third baseman. A wRC+: -27. He has a high groundball rate, and many see his chronic back troubles as the reason he's not able to rotate adequately and turn on a pitch.

So some one convince me that his defense offsets this simply terrible offensive numbers. I can't justify it, and I can't see how Francona can continue to start him at 3B. What a terrible contract.

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Originally Posted by CrackerJack

They were 7-8 at this point last year, 9-6 today. A +2 improvement. Krall wins.

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Don’t we want this to happen?

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Originally Posted by CrackerJack

They were 7-8 at this point last year, 9-6 today. A +2 improvement. Krall wins.

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We did better against the Rangers, worse against the Pirates and haven't had to play a 4 game series in Milwaukee yet like we did last year. Not ready to celebrate yet.

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Originally Posted by foster15

We did better against the Rangers, worse against the Pirates and haven't had to play a 4 game series in Milwaukee yet like we did last year. Not ready to celebrate yet.

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April is the easiest schedule month. September the hardest. Better make hay the next 15 or so games!

Won Loss record is a lot of luck at this point. The Reds have the 3rd lowest run differential in the NL.

The offense will improve. They won't have 12 out of 14 players with an OPS below .700. The problem is that these abnormally low OPS numbers will still be poor when they return to normal. I don't think anyone believes that Ke'Bryan Hayes will be a sub .250 OPS guy for the season. Still, it's likely that he's a sub .600 OPS guy. Same can be said with different numbers for Benson, Marte, Myers, Trevino. All of whom I think are longshots to be even average over a full season (especially the way Marte is being used and a short side platoon guy).

I'd hope for real improvement from Friedl and Suarez and some limited improvement to respectability from McLain, Steer, Stephenson and, if he's used properly, Lowe. We'll also see that offset by regression from EDLC and Stewart but they will still be quite good over the season. The rest are poor offensive players even when they return to normal.

The bad news is that we are already seeing some regression on the pitching side. It's already starting to show in Williamson, Lowder and Burns. Santillan and Burke will eventually give up runs. Hopefully Singer and Pagan can start looking more like 2025, but it's likely that even with somewhat improved offense, we'll see it mostly offset by a regression to expectations on the pitching side.

I don't think it's reasonable to expect the run prevention side to get any better. For things to change, the offensive side needs to get significantly better, but I don't think it's possible with so many black holes in the line-up. There are likely 3 or 4 spots that will make outs 70% or more of the time even when going as planned.

I find it odd that Benson didn’t hit for Marte (even on his bobble head day) in the eighth inning and use him as a defensive replacement for the 9th inning. Unless Will does something miraculous today, I think the writing is on the wall. Bleday is hitting very well in AAA and I believe Monday he replaces Benson. Not sure if Hinds will be called up, though he probably should be, but I do believe Bleday is headed north.


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Originally Posted by LiferJim

I find it odd that Benson didn’t hit for Marte (even on his bobble head day) in the eighth inning and use him as a defensive replacement for the 9th inning. Unless Will does something miraculous today, I think the writing is on the wall. Bleday is hitting very well in AAA and I believe Monday he replaces Benson. Not sure if Hinds will be called up, though he probably should be, but I do believe Bleday is headed north.


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I think moves like that are worth a try, but I expect the same results with different names if that's what they do. Replacing AAAA scrubs with other AAAA scrubs is the old "rearranging deck chairs..." thing. The Reds need to acquire an actual, established and still producing good player.

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Originally Posted by mth123

I think moves like that are worth a try, but I expect the same results with different names if that's what they do. Replacing AAAA scrubs with other AAAA scrubs is the old "rearranging deck chairs..." thing. The Reds need to acquire an actual, established and still producing good player.

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Possibly so, but JJ did have a pretty good season in 2024, with 20 home runs and 43 doubles. That would be a god send with this outfield.

I agree an established player would be a better option, but I don’t believe the front office will make that happen. They had all offseason and here we are.

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They're running out of excuses not to give Hinds a look. Steer is the best hitting OF we have at an OPS+ of 69. Bleday and Hinds could replace any two of our current OF and the results couldn't be worse.

Hinds needs to be called up yesterday. Need to get Marte off this team.

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Originally Posted by JCM11

They're running out of excuses not to give Hinds a look. Steer is the best hitting OF we have at an OPS+ of 69. Bleday and Hinds could replace any two of our current OF and the results couldn't be worse.

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100% Marte should be in AAA working on a bunch of things anyway. Benson can be the emergency guy down at AAA.

Hinds Please and I don't mean the ketchup

This team is not even close to good. Even if they sneak in the playoffs again (far from likely) they will get swept again.

Just a trash job by the front office this season. Biggest need was upgrading the outfield. They respond with No. 5 OF Dane Myers and AAAA OF JJ Bleday.

Why do I root for this pathetic franchise?

(Oh, I remember. Where you gonna go?)

I'm not the least worried about the REDS' hitting. They'll be fine. In 2 games, one-ninth of the season will be over, and it's still snowing in some cities.

It’s early, I wouldn’t come to any horrible conclusions as yet.

The team misses Greene and Lodolo. They are the veteran TORs. Hopefully they’ll both be back and perform well. The pen is good, IMO better than last season.

As for the position group, some guys are very disappointing. Hopefully the club will be active in trying to find the right combination. Could involve some guys at AAA, maybe an outside acquisition. Also have to know which guys need to be sent down or DFA’d.

It’s a long season, no reason to give up, but some of this baseball has been quite lousy, for sure.

Bleday hit another bomb for Louisville today. Just saying.


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I fear Hinds is the dreaded AAAA player, but they have to call him up and give him a two month tryout to give him a chance. Keeping him at Louisville while playing the others at the MLB level is just criminal at this point.

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Originally Posted by wilbo71

I fear Hinds is the dreaded AAAA player, but they have to call him up and give him a two month tryout to give him a chance. Keeping him at Louisville while playing the others at the MLB level is just criminal at this point.

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I think Bleday being at AAA is just as bad. They can use the LH bat, he has had mlb success, he is hitting at AAA. Bring them both up.

Benson was terrible in 2024, still really bad in 2025. Not sure why they stuck with him at all, but at this point sending him down and trying something else seems a no brainer.

I think Marte is ruined. He seems like a guy who needs confidence and support. Relegating him to playing against lefty pitching has undermined all his progress in 2025 IMO. He's looking like the guy who was playing 3B last year. Unsure of everything he does on the field. Send him down as well.

Bring up Hinds and Bleday. I'm not optimistic about either, but it's time for a change.

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Originally Posted by Kc61

I think Bleday at AAA is just as bad. They can use the LH bat, he has had mlb success, he is hitting at AAA. Bring them both up.

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This makes way too much sense for Krall to comprehend it seems.

I’d swap out Marte and Benson for Bleday and Hinds tomorrow.

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Originally Posted by mth123

Benson was terrible in 2024, still really bad in 2025. Not sure why they stuck with him at all, but at this point sending him down and trying something else seems a no brainer.

I think Marte is ruined. He seems like a guy who needs confidence and support. Relegating him to playing against lefty pitching has undermined all his progress in 2025 IMO. He's looking like the guy who was playing 3B last year. Unsure of everything he does on the field. Send him down as well.

Bring up Hinds and Bleday. I'm not optimistic about either, but it's time for a change.

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Marte is ruined because he played against lefty pitching for two weeks?

Send him to AAA and he will soon be hitting better.

And I’d have Marte playing center field and leading off in AAA

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Originally Posted by pedro

I’d swap out Marte and Benson for Bleday and Hinds tomorrow.

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Seems reasonable, I'd then deploy something like the following:


EDLC SS
Stewart 1B/DH
Suarez 3B
Lowe/Steer DH/1B (Platoon)
McLain 2B
Stephenson C
Belday/Meyers RF (Platoon)
Hinds CF
Friedl LF

Get your best hitters up top.

Had tokeep Marte up for his bobblehead day

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Originally Posted by Kc61

Marte is ruined because he played against lefty pitching for two weeks?

Send him to AAA and he will soon be hitting better.

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He's ruined because they took his confidence away. He won at least the inside track for the RF job last year, especially with his performance vs RHP. Instead they gave the job to a guy who has been a well below average black hole two years in a row. A guy who should have been non-tendered IMO.

Marte, IMO, seems a bit of a headcase. He was playing tentatively in 2024 after his suspension (which in and of itself indicates some head issues) and was the worst player in baseball that year. He was, per Francona, not relaxed at all playing 3B. He moves to RF, gets more comfortable and begins hitting fairly well. Basically the only OF on this roster outside of Friedl that anyone can say this about. He loses his job anyway. He may hit in AAA, but I don't think it's ever going to happen for him in Cincinnati. He's a change of scenery guy and when that happens, I could see him going somewhere and putting up Suarez style numbers with big power, a lot of K's and an iffy OBP. I hope he's lights out in AAA and some team will be interested in him, but I think his trade value is in the tank.

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Originally Posted by mth123

He's ruined because they took his confidence away. He won at least the inside track for the RF job last year, especially with his performance vs RHP. Instead they gave the job to a guy who has been a well below average black hole two years in a row. A guy who should have been non-tendered IMO.

Marte, IMO, seems a bit of a headcase. He was playing tentatively in 2024 after his suspension (which in and of itself indicates some head issues) and was the worst player in baseball that year. He was, per Francona, not relaxed at all playing 3B. He moves to RF, gets more comfortable and begins hitting fairly well. Basically the only OF on this roster outside of Friedl that anyone can say this about. He loses his job anyway. He may hit in AAA, but I don't think it's ever going to happen for him in Cincinnati. He's a change of scenery guy and when that happens, I could see him going somewhere and putting up Suarez style numbers with big power, a lot of K's and an iffy OBP. I hope he's lights out in AAA and some team will be interested in him, but I think his trade value is in the tank.

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Moved to RF and begins hitting fairly well? Did September 2025 just not happen in your mind?

As much as you love to harp on McLain's 2023 BABIP, you ignore that the Statcast data says that Marte's 2025 was pretty much a mirage. His xwOBA (.302) was in the 26th percentile. It sounds like he really did have the inside track for RF this winter but then he himself blew that this spring. He has nobody to blame but himself. Saying the Reds ruined him is nonsense. They didn't make him take PEDs. They aren't the reason he couldn't stick in the infield. He's still young, but we have 750 plate appearances showing he's not a major league hitter. He's no victim here.

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Originally Posted by CaiGuy

Seems reasonable, I'd then deploy something like the following:


EDLC SS
Stewart 1B/DH
Suarez 3B
Lowe/Steer DH/1B
McLain 2B
Stephenson C
Belday/Meyers RF (Platoon)
Hinds CF
Friedl LF

Get your best hitters up top.

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I agree with this approach. Here are the moves I would make before the next game on Tuesday.

1. Will Benson DFA. I wouldn't mess with optioning him. He's had enough chances and at his age with multiple failures won't have much trade value. Open a 40-man roster spot.
2. Noelvi Marte optioned with the hope that he goes on a tear and that some team wants him. In the meantime, he'd play CF in AAA.
3. Kyle Nicolas optioned to AAA.
4. JJ Bleday recalled replacing Benson
5. Rece Hinds recalled replacing Marte
6. Tejay Antone added to the active and 40-man rosters to replace Nicolas in the pen.