The Reds’ Off-season Wishlist

The Cincinnati Reds have already started their off-season with a bang. On September 22, it was announced that Cincinnati was parting ways with David Bell, their manager of the last six years. Bell amassed a 409-456 with the Reds, making the playoffs once. For a franchise that has a controllable young core, that isn’t good enough. Soon after parting ways with Bell, the Reds did something they rarely do these days: make a splash. On October 7, they announced that they had hired Terry Francona to be their new manager.

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For the Reds, this is a fantastic move, as Francona has loads of experience with leading teams to the playoffs, and to titles. He was at the helm of the 2004 Red Sox, who overcame a 0-3 deficit in the ALCS to defeat the Yankees en route to their first World Series title in 86 years. He would win again with Boston in 2007. After being ousted in Boston, Francona led Cleveland to the playoffs six times (’13, ’16, ’17, ’18, ’20 & ’22). He also led Cleveland to the World Series in 2016, where they lost a thriller in 7 games to the Chicago Cubs. After a year away to focus on his health, Tito is back to lead this young Reds team to similar results.

Off-Season Wishlist for the Cincinnati Reds

There are a couple of areas the Cincinnati Reds can improve on from last season. The first order of business would be to upgrade the outfield. I still like Will Benson, but he had a horrible year at the plate last season after breaking out in 2023. Benson hit a paltry .187 with a .274 OBP and .376 SLG while mainly playing right field. While keeping Benson is an option, the first order on the wishlist would include a power hitting outfielder.

Outfield Help

Obviously, the big fish in free agency is Juan Soto. There is very little chance the Reds sign him to what he’s going to get, so forget about it. There are multiple good outfielders in the free agency class that could fit well into Cincinnati’s lineup.

• Anthony Santander– First on the list is Orioles outfielder Anthony Santander. He is a switch-hitting outfielder who will mainly play RF and will DH. He finished 2024 with a .235 BA, but he hit 44 homers and had 102 RBI. A player like this gives the Reds a veteran presence in the clubhouse and a power bat in the lineup. If he gets offered a contract, it will look something like 5-years, $100 million.
• Teoscar Hernandez– Next on the list is current Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez. Teo hit .272 this season while collecting 33 HR and 99 RBI. He is a veteran and is 32 years old, but he could be a very vital addition to this lineup that needs some pop. His contract will be somewhere along the lines of 3 years, $73 million, which is doable for the Reds.
• Tyler O’Neill– The final free agent who should be in play for the Reds is Tyler O’Neill. His 2024 season with Boston was solid, finishing with a .241 BA and 31 HR. He also excels at hitting gap-to-gap and raking in extra base hits. He’s 29, so he’s coming into his baseball prime while also being a veteran presence. His contract will be along the lines of 5 years, $90 million.
• Brent Rooker– This would have to be done via trade, but there has never been a better time than now to trade prospects for a proven hitter. Rooker raked for the A’s this past season, hitting .293 with 39 homers and 112 RBI. This will likely cost the Reds 2 of their top prospects, but they have the wiggle room in order to make this happen.

Pitching Help

In 2024, the Reds rotation really broke out. Hunter Greene had his best year yet, Nick Martinez was super solid, and Rhett Lowder made his MLB debut. They had a 4.09 ERA on the season as a team, and that can improve. As for the bullpen, they excelled last season until August, when they seemed to run out of gas a bit. The bullpen carried a 4.09 ERA with 36 total saves, but they can always get better as well too.

The Reds could benefit from adding another reliable arm to the rotation to compliment Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo. Arms like Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer are available, but they should be looking for someone younger that has less mileage. As for the bullpen, they can definitely add a solid middle reliever and a setup man to compliment Alexis Diaz.

• SP Max Fried LH– First on the wishlist is Max Fried. He started 29 games for the Atlanta Braves last season and posted a 3.25 ERA over 174 1/3 innings. Adding a lefty to this rotation that isn’t Nick Lodolo would be a huge get for the Reds to bolster this rotation. Fried also has ample playoff experience, including high leverage games and World Series appearances, something that is invaluable to any pitching rotation. His contract will be along the lines of 6-years, $136 million.
• SP Jack Flaherty RH– Flaherty was traded midseason from Detroit to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He performed very well, and is in line for a raise, but I think he would be a perfect addition to this Reds team. Over 162 innings, Flaherty posted a 3.17 ERA and has gained invaluable playoff experience with the Dodgers. If the Reds want to throw their hat into the ring for him, his contract will be along the lines of 5-years, $100 million.
• SP Walker Buehler RH– Buehler has struggled this year with the Los Angeles Dodgers, so a change of scenery might be due for him. Over his career, he has dealt with injuries, but has posted a 3.17 ERA over 713 2/3 innings. He is also from around Cincinnati, and you know how much this front office loves the hometown guy. With his injury history, you may be able to get him on a shorter, prove-it kind of deal around 2 years, $30 million.
• RP Kendall Graveman RH– Graveman had a rocky start to his 2023 season in Chicago with the White Sox. After the deadline where he was traded back to Houston, he excelled. His ERA was night and day (3.48 w/ CWS, 2.42 w/ HOU), and he was nails for a Houston team that made the ALCS. He missed all of 2024 with shoulder surgery, but will be ready to go in 2025. Graveman also has high leverage experience in the playoffs as well. In 2023, he had 51 holds as a setup man in 66 1/3 innings. His contract will likely be around 2 years, $18 million.
• RP Carlos Estevez RH– Estevez had a career year in 2024. He started the season in Anaheim with the Angels and was traded to the Phillies at the deadline. Over 55 innings, Estevez posted a 2.45 ERA and 38 holds. 18 of those holds came for a Philly team that made the playoffs. He would be a solid option at the back end of the bullpen to pair with Alexis Diaz. His contract will likely be higher based on his career year, around 3 years, $42 million.
• RP Aroldis Chapman LH– Although he’s 36, the Cuban Missile still has it. While he’s not the same pitcher he was 8 years ago, he’s still been reliable out of the bullpen, and has adapted his arsenal accordingly. He can still reach back and hit triple digits, but has added necessary offspeed pitches to stick around. For Pittsburgh, he posted a 3.79 ERA and 14 saves, but he also amassed 44 holds. He is no longer a closer, but can close out games when called upon to do so in a pinch. His contract will likely be a one year deal for $8.5 million.

Bench Bats

The Reds also need a little bit of help on the bench. While they will return Matt McLain and Christian Encarnacion-Strand in 2025, they need more reliable options other than Jonathan India off the bench. Here are a few hitters who fit that bill.

• UTIL Gleyber Torres– Torres is coming off his 7th big league season. In 2024, he hit .257 with 15 HR and a .330 OBP. He’s a solid bench option and plays the middle infield and can play third base. This would give the Reds a right handed bat off the bench who can provide a little bit of pop and spell players for an off day. His projected contract is 3 years, $21 million.
• OF Jesse Winker (L)– It’s been 3 full seasons since Jesse Winker hit .305 for the Cincinnati Reds. He hasn’t touched that number since, but he had a solid year between the Nationals and Mets this season. Bringing him back in a utility outfield role could prove to be a shrewd move, but it gives left-handed pop off the bench that isn’t over 35 years old. Winker is familiar with our ballpark and played well for the Mets. His contract will likely be around 1 year, $3 million, making it a safe option to take a chance on.
• C Elias Diaz– Adding another catcher not named Luke Maile would be good for the Reds. Maile has been horrid at the plate, and although his defense is good, there is better out there. Diaz is that option. He gets on base at a .310 clip for his career, and adds a bit of pop to the position. He could also provide a very good defensive option behind Tyler Stephenson. He will also be very cheap. His market value is $13.1 million, but he will likely be willing to sign a minor league deal like he did last season for $1-$3 million.

Final Word

The Reds are already on the right track this offseason. There is still work to be done, but they can really add some pieces to compliment this team. Who would you like to see the Reds add this off-season?