{"id":900901,"date":"2026-10-31T09:24:13","date_gmt":"2026-10-31T09:24:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/900901\/"},"modified":"2026-10-31T09:24:13","modified_gmt":"2026-10-31T09:24:13","slug":"reds-first-offseason-test-three-options-several-roster-holes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/900901\/","title":{"rendered":"Reds’ first offseason test: Three options, several roster holes"},"content":{"rendered":"

CINCINNATI (WKRC) \u2014 The Cincinnati Reds enter the offseason needing more than a few roster tweaks. After finishing last in the National League Central at 75-87, they face a Nov. 2 deadline on three contract options and must address gaps in their rotation, lineup and bullpen.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to have a sense of urgency, as we do,\u201d manager Terry Francona said after the season, via Reds.com.<\/p>\n

The first decisions involve familiar players. Reliever Emilio Pag\u00e1n has a $10 million player option for 2027. Third baseman Eugenio Su\u00e1rez and reliever Pierce Johnson each have mutual options \u2014 $16 million for Su\u00e1rez and $8 million for Johnson. A mutual option requires both the player and team to agree, while Pag\u00e1n alone decides whether to exercise his option. The deadline for those decisions is Monday. <\/p>\n

Pag\u00e1n\u2019s decision could be especially significant for a bullpen that needs help. He missed nearly two months with a hamstring injury but returned to post a 1.88 ERA, 34 strikeouts and 19 saves over his final 30 appearances. If he exercises the option, Cincinnati keeps an experienced closer but adds $10 million to its payroll.<\/p>\n

Su\u00e1rez\u2019s option is another key call after Cincinnati reunited with the veteran slugger last season. The team will have to weigh the cost of the option against the value of keeping his power in the lineup. Johnson\u2019s option gives the Reds a similar choice in the bullpen. <\/p>\n

\"Cincinnati<\/p>\n

Cincinnati Reds designated hitter Eugenio Suarez (28) celebrates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the second inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Friday, Sept. 25, 2026. (Jon Blacker\/The Canadian Press via AP)<\/p>\n

The larger challenge is the starting rotation. Hunter Greene underwent a second Tommy John surgery in August and is expected to miss most or all of 2027. Chase Burns emerged as a potential rotation anchor, but Cincinnati will need reliable innings behind him. Nick Lodolo spent weeks on the injured list again last season, Andrew Abbott was well short of his 2025 All-Star form, Rhett Lowder was inconsistent, and Brady Singer is a free agent. Left-hander Brock Burke, a steady reliever, is also a free agent.<\/p>\n

The offense also needs a response after a difficult season. The Reds finished last in the majors in batting average and on-base percentage and ranked 25th in slugging percentage. Tyler Stephenson is a free agent and one of the top catchers in a weak market. <\/p>\n

\"Tyler<\/p>\n

Tyler Stephenson #37 of the Cincinnati Reds hits a two-run home run in the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Coors Field on July 19, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

The Reds also have a group of players eligible for arbitration raises. MLB Trade Rumors projects<\/a> Elly De La Cruz will earn $7.9 million in 2027, up from his roughly $800,000 salary this season. The estimate is the highest among 11 Reds players listed as arbitration-eligible by the outlet and would be Cincinnati\u2019s largest projected arbitration commitment.<\/p>\n

The Reds\u2019 projected arbitration class would cost approximately $41.6 million if every player were retained at the estimated salary. Beyond De La Cruz, Lodolo and Spencer Steer are each projected at $5.7 million, while outfielder JJ Bleday is projected at $4.8 million and Abbott at $4.5 million. <\/p>\n

\"Cincinnati<\/p>\n

Cincinnati Reds’ JJ Bleday follows through on a solo home run against the Seattle Mariners during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 22, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo\/Lindsey Wasson)<\/p>\n

Projected Reds arbitration salaries for 2027<\/p>\n

Elly De La Cruz: $7.9 millionNick Lodolo: $5.7 millionSpencer Steer: $5.7 millionJJ Bleday: $4.8 millionAndrew Abbott: $4.5 millionMatt McLain: $4 millionTony Santillan: $2.5 millionGraham Ashcraft: $2.2 millionTejay Antone: $1.5 millionDane Myers: $1.5 millionBrandon Williamson: $1.3 million<\/p>\n

Other players under contract for 2027, with salary<\/p>\n

Chase Burns: $2.78MOswaldo Cabrera: $1MHunter Greene: $15.33MKe\u2019Bryan Hayes: $8.3MJose Trevino: $4.9M<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"CINCINNATI (WKRC) \u2014 The Cincinnati Reds enter the offseason needing more than a few roster tweaks. After finishing…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":900902,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[65],"tags":[363,99],"class_list":["post-900901","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-mlb","tag-mlb","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/900901","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=900901"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/900901\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/900902"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=900901"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=900901"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=900901"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}