Reds General Discussion 2026, Part 2

[westofyou]

MLB Is Hard. Players will struggle at times it doesn't mean they're mentally weak or lazy.

Failed baseball players Michael Jordon and Dave DeBusschere would agree

[RiverRat13]

MLB Is Hard. Players will struggle at times it doesn't mean they're mentally weak or lazy.

Let's clarify something - those posters who are blaming Tito or management for Marte's struggles due to "destroying his confidence" by actually making him earn playing time are the ones implying he's mentally weak. I don't think he's mentally weak. I just think he's shown to have a major defect in his ability to hit in that he chases everything. He has to fix it.

I do think Tito's comments this spring naturally call into question something about Marte's work ethic or approach this spring. Whatever happened this spring doesn't mean he's just flat-out lazy, but it's not a stretch to come to the conclusion that Marte did not put himself in the best position to succeed.

[RiverfrontRed]

Have you heard Steer speak? His English is fine. So no, his struggles are not due to improper English

I would say that based on his hairline, he should be playing golf instead.

[TRF]

Specifically, vs RHP Benson

2023 285 PAs .938 OPS, 147 wRC+, .422 BABIP
2024 317 PAs .676 OPS, 82 wRC+, .300 BABIP
2025 232 PAs .708 OPS, 85 wRC+, .274 BABIP

He was significantly lucky in 2023 and he wasn't that unlucky vs RHP in 2025. Even if you buy 2023 with the flukey BABIP, he's been a black hole 2 years in a row.

People want to write Marte off because he had a bad month at the end of 2025, but somehow 2 years of futility is OK. I don't get it.

Benson's purpose on this roster is specifically as a LH Bat to provide production vs RHP. For 2 years in a row, he has failed at that job. If he can't fulfill that purpose, what use does he have on the roster?

The Reds don't have good alternatives. I guess Benson is better at his job than Nick Krall is at his.

I'm just checking here. Benson sucks because he had a year with a high BABIP and Hayes sucks because his BABIP is low. And when Lowe had elevated BABIP's compared to the league he was good and when it dropped he was unlucky, but he's actually really good. Does it take 2 years to determine you are a black hole? What if your BABIP is right at .300 but you are not hitting? What does that mean?

I'm fine with Marte being sent down. Not because of his performance, but that does play into it. Because we are hearing little comments about him dogging it in ST, and dogging it now. He should have started every game in RF. He needs the OF reps and his bat needs to see every pitcher. For them not to start him? He's in someone's (Tito's) doghouse. I hope Hinds tears it up starting on Tuesday.

As for LF, it does not seem as though Bleday is getting a call up. At least not yet. I'd love to see a bit more of a strict platoon in LF with Steer/Benson. Neither is really hitting despite the Steer tater this weekend. past Elly and Sal, Stephenson is showing some signs of life over the past week.

I still think players that train in the cactus league have a disadvantage when they begin the regular season. Except the Diamondbacks of course. Last year for the Reds, a lot of guys heated up come May.

[CaiGuy]

I'm just checking here. Benson sucks because he had a year with a high BABIP

It's more that he has accrued 0.4 career WAR over 3+ years and is already in age-28 season.

But we're all allowed to have our favorites, I guess.

[mth123]

Let's clarify something - those posters who are blaming Tito or management for Marte's struggles due to "destroying his confidence" by actually making him earn playing time are the ones implying he's mentally weak. I don't think he's mentally weak. I just think he's shown to have a major defect in his ability to hit in that he chases everything. He has to fix it.

I do think Tito's comments this spring naturally call into question something about Marte's work ethic or approach this spring. Whatever happened this spring doesn't mean he's just flat-out lazy, but it's not a stretch to come to the conclusion that Marte did not put himself in the best position to succeed.

So how does he earn playing time? Last year he had a 119 wRC+ vs RHP. Only Elly and Suarez were better. Doesn't that earn it? He was overall, even with his terrible performance vs LHP, a tick above average at 101 wRC+. Only Elly, Freidl and Suarez were better. He had positive defensive metrics after his move to RF. He was worth 1.1 WAR. Not a stud by any means, but...

...somehow a guy who was worth 0.0 WAR and had an 85 wRC+ vs both RHP and overall and was even worse the year before earned it. How did he do that?

What exactly are we basing earning PT on?

[mth123]

NM

[westofyou]

What exactly are we basing earning PT on?

Quizás más palabras en inglés para alimentar a los racistas de clóset.

[Ladeda]

According to bWAR the Reds have 7 of the 62 worst position players in MLB right now(Steer, Marte, Friedl, McLain, Trevino, Hayes, and Myers). Elly, Sal, and Stephenson are the only 3 with a positive WAR.

Want more sobering stats?

The following are baseball reference stats for WaR for non pitchers by team.

2026. Reds rank 29th. (-2.3 WaR)
2025 Reds ranked 27th. (-11.1) 29th was -11.2, so .1 away from being 29th.
2024. Reds ranked 29th (-14.5)
2023. Reds ranked 21st. (-5!!!!) Not one position player was higher than 13th, or lower than 25th.
2022. Reds ranked 30th. (-15.4) Not one position had a positive WaR.

The Reds group of position players has been brutal for 5 years. Actually longer. 24th in 2021, 28th in 2020 (but it's Covid, so that gets a pass,) 24th in 2019, 20th in 2018, 6th in 2017.

The last time the Reds had good position players was in 2017!!!!!!!!! KRall took over in 2018, and the position players have been an absolute disaster since. Now I know these WaR #'s also factor in defense, so the Reds have had a few decent seasons hitting, but the defense those years were awful.

The Reds needed to add 3 starters on top of Sal and Marte for the Reds to be decent. Now, they added 1 in Suarez and Stewart has been amazing--- but MArte has been a disappointment and now back in the minors. So the Reds still need to add 3 hitters to this team!!

So while I'm happy the Reds are above .500 without Greene, Lodolo and with Abbott and Singer being awful----- at least there is hope the SP will really improve. The problem is there is no hope in sight for the hitting to improve. They sucked last year, the year before-- and alot of guys aren't exactly going to breakout with career years---- Friedl, Steer, Benson, Hayes etc etc.

Krall and company literally have no idea how to fix hitting. Senzel, TRammell, India, Hendrick, Downs, McLain, Allen, Collier, Stewart have all been 1st round draft picks. India #5 overall worked for a while. Stewart is a win. McLain at least made the majors-- but the rest of the 1st round picks--- woof. This doesn't include 2nd rounders whom they went overslot to sign. Stafura (whom they traded for Hayes after 2 years,) and Lewis who was $3mm and who can't make contact.

Draft picks aren't helping. FA signings have been awful. Lux and Hayes via trade have been awful. International signings barring EDLC and maybe Duno have been awful. All the million dollar signings haven't really worked out, with Duno being the 1 that could work out. Even trades that brought in top 50/100 guys hasn't panned out. Arroyo, Marte, CES. Highly touted prospects end up fading away, losing all value as they just couldn't make the next step in the minors or make the next step in the majors.

Whatever they are doing in terms of position player development ISN'T working. It is quite remarkable to have this poor of a track record from hitters.

At what point do you admit you don't know what you are a doing and overhaul everything from a position player standpoint?

At what point do you determine-- hey, we are better at developing (high draft pick,) pitchers, so lets move some and some hitting prospects for established MLB hitters, because God knows, we can't develop hitting to save our life? Of course they trade for a guy in Hayes who is basically the worst every day hitter in MLB. /face palm.



Watching the Reds position players is like watching the Bengals defense from last year. You wonder how on Earth they spent so much draft capital on defense and have 2 good players. You look at the Reds hitters and wonder how you only have 2 good players in EDLC and Stewart.

It's frustrating as fans, because the Reds have like 6 AAAA OF's-- they can hit in AAA, but end up with a slightly negative WaR in the majors. The only hope being they catch lightning in the bottle and have a hot streak for 2-3 weeks, then replace them someone else.

The pathetic position players aren't new-- it's been a 6 year problem and nothing has been fixed.

[mth123]

Quizás más palabras en inglés para alimentar a los racistas de clóset.

No comprendo.

[Ron Madden]

No comprendo.

Perhaps More English.....

[Redsfan_83]

He's got to earn his playing time. He didn't. This isn't on the manager.

Earn how? By riding the pine and playing every other game? Yeah, he didn't help his cause with some dumb mental mistakes, but what has Benson done to earn his time? What has Matt done? TJ? And on, and on. You move him from SS to 3B, then 3B to OF. There are/were bumps in the road, but he also showed enough last year to actually be given a longer leash than this. I live in the Toronto area, and have no idea if Tito is getting any sort of blame for the lack of production and lineup issues. Plenty of blame to go around

[Old school 1983]

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.

Agree on your take on Marte all day. Young guys needs votes of confidence. Hinds needs one right now. Don’t play patty cake with him and Benson. He needs to be a starter no matter what. Sink or swim time.

[RiverfrontRed]

Lance McAlister
·
UPDATE: Cincinnati Reds outfield production through 16 games:
3 outfield spots x 16 games = 48 games of production.
.171 batting average
.257 on-base
.235 slugging
.492 on-base + slugging
2 HR, 7 RBI, 5 1 K, in 170 at-bats, 191 plate appearances
LF .117 with 23 K in 60 AB
CF .186
RF .216
Combined WAR -1.8, worst in MLB

[CaiGuy]

Want more sobering stats?

The following are baseball reference stats for WaR for non pitchers by team.

2026. Reds rank 29th. (-2.3 WaR)
2025 Reds ranked 27th. (-11.1) 29th was -11.2, so .1 away from being 29th.
2024. Reds ranked 29th (-14.5)
2023. Reds ranked 21st. (-5!!!!) Not one position player was higher than 13th, or lower than 25th.
2022. Reds ranked 30th. (-15.4) Not one position had a positive WaR.

The Reds group of position players has been brutal for 5 years. Actually longer. 24th in 2021, 28th in 2020 (but it's Covid, so that gets a pass,) 24th in 2019, 20th in 2018, 6th in 2017.

The last time the Reds had good position players was in 2017!!!!!!!!! KRall took over in 2018, and the position players have been an absolute disaster since. Now I know these WaR #'s also factor in defense, so the Reds have had a few decent seasons hitting, but the defense those years were awful.

The Reds needed to add 3 starters on top of Sal and Marte for the Reds to be decent. Now, they added 1 in Suarez and Stewart has been amazing--- but MArte has been a disappointment and now back in the minors. So the Reds still need to add 3 hitters to this team!!

So while I'm happy the Reds are above .500 without Greene, Lodolo and with Abbott and Singer being awful----- at least there is hope the SP will really improve. The problem is there is no hope in sight for the hitting to improve. They sucked last year, the year before-- and alot of guys aren't exactly going to breakout with career years---- Friedl, Steer, Benson, Hayes etc etc.

Krall and company literally have no idea how to fix hitting. Senzel, TRammell, India, Hendrick, Downs, McLain, Allen, Collier, Stewart have all been 1st round draft picks. India #5 overall worked for a while. Stewart is a win. McLain at least made the majors-- but the rest of the 1st round picks--- woof. This doesn't include 2nd rounders whom they went overslot to sign. Stafura (whom they traded for Hayes after 2 years,) and Lewis who was $3mm and who can't make contact.

Draft picks aren't helping. FA signings have been awful. Lux and Hayes via trade have been awful. International signings barring EDLC and maybe Duno have been awful. All the million dollar signings haven't really worked out, with Duno being the 1 that could work out. Even trades that brought in top 50/100 guys hasn't panned out. Arroyo, Marte, CES. Highly touted prospects end up fading away, losing all value as they just couldn't make the next step in the minors or make the next step in the majors.

Whatever they are doing in terms of position player development ISN'T working. It is quite remarkable to have this poor of a track record from hitters.

At what point do you admit you don't know what you are a doing and overhaul everything from a position player standpoint?

At what point do you determine-- hey, we are better at developing (high draft pick,) pitchers, so lets move some and some hitting prospects for established MLB hitters, because God knows, we can't develop hitting to save our life? Of course they trade for a guy in Hayes who is basically the worst every day hitter in MLB. /face palm.



Watching the Reds position players is like watching the Bengals defense from last year. You wonder how on Earth they spent so much draft capital on defense and have 2 good players. You look at the Reds hitters and wonder how you only have 2 good players in EDLC and Stewart.

It's frustrating as fans, because the Reds have like 6 AAAA OF's-- they can hit in AAA, but end up with a slightly negative WaR in the majors. The only hope being they catch lightning in the bottle and have a hot streak for 2-3 weeks, then replace them someone else.

The pathetic position players aren't new-- it's been a 6 year problem and nothing has been fixed.

fWAR Split by position (2018-present)

C - 23rd
1B - 22nd
2B - 18th
3B - 17th (investing $109M in Moustakas and Candelario, taking on what is left of $70M owed to Hayes, singing Suarez to $66M, giving him away, and then signing him again for $15M, all while moving their top 3B prospect to CF...Suarez is 11 of the 14 WAR.)
SS - 21st
LF - 20th
CF - 30th
RF - 21st
DH - 24th

They have built a nice starting pitching pipeline under Krall (perhaps more attributable to Johnson and his team), though they have to feed it by allocating a large portion of their draft capital, free agent capital, and trade capital to it.

The position side is a dumpster fire on both sides of the ball. Stewart and EDLC are the only bright spots right now (and maybe Suarez 2.0).