Reds Acquire Santiago Espinal

[mth123]

I disagree on the major hole. If you go into 2025 with Steer, Friedl, Fraley/Hinds or <$5M platoon FA, that will be fine enough. Unless you are getting Soto, Bellinger or maybe Santander, I'm taking Chapman

What I think is likely to happen is that the Reds won't add anyone.

CES, McLain, EDLC and Marte around the IF. Candy at DH. Steer and Friedl and everybody else in the OF (including Benson, Espinal, India, Weimer, Hinds, Fairchild, Tom Dick and Harry). Fraley is probably dealt away or non-tendered to save money.

Greene, Lodolo, Abbott, Williamson and Lowder in the rotation.

They may add a couple of cheap bullpen pieces like they did last year with Farmer and Wilson. They'll replace Martinez with Spiers. They'll give Cruz another shot but maybe as a multi-inning guy. Not sure if they'll bring back Suter since he makes over the minimum. Diaz, Moll and Pagan will be the back-end with Santillan given first crack to join them. We'll hear talk of Ian Gibaut and Tejay Antone coming back. If Ashcraft isn't on the IL, he may get a shot out there.

And they'll win 75 games, but the payroll with be at around $90 Million and everyone in the organization will be happy that they successfully avoided another peak.