The Reds plummeted down the standings after a strong April. They lost one of their top two starters to Tommy John surgery that’ll likely cost him all of 2027. Most of the rotation underperformed and the back half of the lineup was as bad as any in the league. There’s still elite high-end talent, but this year was a major disappointment for a franchise that hasn’t won a playoff series in three decades.

Guaranteed Contracts

• Chase Burns, RHP: $103MM through 2033
• Hunter Greene, RHP: $33MM through 2028 (including buyout of ’29 club option)
• Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B: $29MM through 2029 (including buyout of ’30 club option)
• Emilio Pagán, RHP: $10MM player option for 2027
• Jose Trevino, C: $6.25MM through 2027 (including buyout of ’28 club option)

Option Decisions

• RHP Emilio Pagán holds $10MM player option
• Team, DH/3B Eugenio Suárez hold $16MM mutual option
• Team, RHP Pierce Johnson hold $8MM mutual option ($1MM buyout)

Additional Commitments

• Owe $3MM buyout to released Jeimer Candelario

2027 financial commitments: $43.75MM
Total future commitments: $185.25MM

Arbitration-Eligible Players (service time in parentheses; projected salaries to be added later)

• Tejay Antone: (5.145)
• Nick Lodolo (5.000)
• Graham Ashcraft (4.130)
• Tony Santillan (4.099)
• Spencer Steer (4.035)
• JJ Bleday (4.013)
• Matt McLain (3.140)
• Brandon Williamson (3.139)
• Andrew Abbott (3.119)
• Elly De La Cruz (3.118)
• Oswaldo Cabrera (3.072)
• Dane Myers (3.037)

Non-tender candidates: Ashcraft, Santillan, McLain, Cabrera

Free Agents

• Brady Singer, Eugenio Suárez, Tyler Stephenson, Brock Burke, TJ Friedl (eligible for minor league free agency), Pierce Johnson, Will Benson (eligible for minor league free agency)

The Reds hoped that an 83-79 showing and a playoff berth in 2025 would be a stepping stone to more consistent success. That didn’t happen this year, as a few standout performances were spoiled by an underwhelming supporting cast. There are issues in all facets — offense, defense, starting pitching, bullpen — that’ll be hard to fix in one offseason.

The onus will remain on president of baseball operations Nick Krall, general manager Brad Meador, and their front office. Krall told Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer last week that he’s had conversations with ownership and doesn’t anticipate any significant leadership changes. Owner Bob Castellini confirmed that plan when speaking with Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic this week. Future Hall of Fame skipper Terry Francona is also expected back for a third season, the final guaranteed year of his contract. The Reds hold an option on Francona for 2028; Krall’s contract length was unreported.

Cincinnati is limping to a last place finish in the NL Central. Only the Athletics and Rockies have a worse run differential this year. This is probably a bottom three team in the National League. Krall nevertheless said around the All-Star Break that he didn’t feel the organization needed a full rebuild. The focus would be on a return to contention in 2027.

Those comments came two weeks before they lost one of their top arms for potentially the entire ’27 season. Hunter Greene underwent the second Tommy John surgery of his career in the middle of August. That only makes a short-term return to competitiveness more difficult, but there’s nothing to suggest that’s not still the plan.

Cincinnati didn’t do anything notable at the deadline, shipping out impending free agent role players Nathaniel Lowe and Caleb Ferguson for minimal returns. (They also acquired former well-regarded second base prospect Juan Brito out of DFA limbo from the Guardians.) The Reds held impending free agents Brady Singer, Tyler Stephenson and Brock Burke — as well as every player who was under club control beyond this season.