Cincinnati Reds Offseason Wish List

Obviously, losing Hunter Greene for the 2027 season hurts the Reds’ chances to compete. It is also a massive blow to their depth. I view Chase Burns as a budding ace and a great option to lead the rotation in Greene’s absence, but there are massive question marks behind him.

Can Nick Lodolo stay healthy? Will we see the good or bad Lodolo?

How about Andrew Abbott? He outperformed the peripherals for the first couple of seasons, but 2026 was a different story. I think he’s a good pitcher but more of a back-end option than a number three.

Rhett Lowder, the former seventh overall pick, has not shown much since joining the Reds, and I struggle to see a path where he finds much success unless he starts striking out more batters. The fifth spot? Brandon Williamson, Chase Petty, or an unknown. Yuck.

Disappointing but Possible: Bringing Back Brady Singer

2026 Stats: 157 IP, 5.85 ERA, 5.62 FIP, 7.22 K/9, 3.55 BB/9

When the Reds did not trade Brady Singer at the trade deadline, I was worried this day would come. It’s not necessarily that I think Singer is a miserable pitcher, but he’s not exactly the type of player the Reds should invest money in. He’s a perfectly fine No. 4 or No. 5 who had an awful season ahead of hitting the market.

There were rumors that the Reds would extend the qualifying offer to Singer, but I can’t wrap my mind around that. Even with the questionable decisions this front office has made, I don’t see them doing anything that drastic. If the Reds are able to land a modest short-term deal with Singer, so be it. They’re that desperate for depth.

Roll the Dice on a Well-Known: Jack Flaherty, Zac Gallen

Great American Ball Park is not exactly a destination for starting pitchers. Usually, signing a starter means finding a player who has limited options elsewhere and overpaying them slightly. While I think Jack Flaherty will have better options and possibly take a smaller amount to go to more of a destination, I do think he is the type of pitcher the Red should take a swing on.

He still produces a lot of swing-and-miss and shows flashes of excellence at times. While Detroit got his control in better shape, there were still outings where he couldn’t find the strike zone. There’s some upside in this signing, and I’m not sure if there’s a higher-upside pitcher that’s realistic for the Reds.

There’s no other way to put it: Zac Gallen has been a complete mess. 2025 was less than ideal, and 2026 was about as rough as it gets. I have no idea what a Gallen contract will actually look like, but I can almost guarantee it will be one year. Cincinnati has been known for signing these types of pitchers to one-year deals, so Gallen seems like a possible fit even if I wouldn’t be excited about it.

Trade?

Love the idea of finding a trade target to address the rotation. Preferably one that comes with years of control. The problem with finding this fit is that the Reds don’t have a very strong farm system, and their young players who would be available don’t carry much value. Maybe this is where Spencer Steer comes in as a trade chip.

The Outfield Is Still a Problem

Every offseason I write about the needs in the outfield, and every year the Reds address it with fringe players. JJ Bleday turned out to be a good signing even if he did tail off towards the end of the season. Dane Myers was a welcomed addition, Blake Dunn surprised, and Hector Rondon shows promise. But, the Reds could still use help, especially in center.

Mid-Tier Options: Taylor Ward, Daulton Varsho, Evan Carter (Trade)

Don’t get me wrong, there are red flags with each of these names. Taylor Ward went from hitting 36 home runs to only seven last season after becoming oddly selective at the plate. I’ve always loved the fit of him in Cincinnati and think that it makes a lot of sense for him to get a deal that is one year plus an option allowing him to recoup his value.

Daulton Varsho makes the list because he’s a lefty bat that also plays quality center field. Another player that could use an opportunity to recoup some value and show that 2026 was simply a down year at the plate. You won’t love watching his at-bats, but I think he’s a good enough center fielder to make up for it and can also add a little bit of pop to the lineup.

Lastly is Evan Carter. He’s had a weird career arc in Texas, going from 20-year-old phenom to injured and struggling most of the past couple of years. I’m not sure if he is available or not, but if he is, I think he’s a good change-of-scenery candidate who offers a lot of athletic ability and upside in center. The type of young player you want to roll the dice on.

Lower-End Options: Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Cedric Mullins

Look, I don’t have either of these players at the top of my wish list. I think both are past what was a short prime and don’t have much to offer. But don’t these both feel like Reds? The one-year inexpensive deal for a veteran outfielder is something we saw with Austin Hays, Wil Myers, Tommy Pham, and so many names before.

At least Cedric Mullins can play adequate center field and run into some home runs while stealing 20 bags. I would much prefer Mullins over Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and think he could be a fine fit. If the Reds do add Mullins, they better do more elsewhere to improve the lineup.

Quality Bench Players

I don’t love the idea of Juan Brito or Oswaldo Cabrera being on the Opening Day roster. I could say the same for Carlos Jorge, who I like but should be more of a minor league depth option for 2027.

I would prefer Matt McLain transition into a utility role, but I don’t think that’s going to happen. Assuming Edwin Arroyo and McLain are the options at second, we will need to find another player or two to fill the bench.

Mauricio Dubón, Edmundo Sosa, Trade

Mauricio Dubón was on my list last winter as well. A player who can truly play all over the field, is a very good defender, and doesn’t strike out is something that this bench could desperately use. Not to mention, he comes with a lot of experience on winning teams.

I think he’s a starting-caliber defender at so many positions that he helps with any injury that may appear while also being able to fill a spot where a risk was taken and did not pay off.

Another high-end utility piece for several seasons, Edmundo Sosa is able to play all over the infield and recently started playing left field more as well. While neither one of these players is known for their bat, they each would be improvements over what is projected from second and third base. We’ve seen how often the Reds have needed to lean on bench players, so I’d welcome an investment.

I’m going to take a cop-out here and simply list “trade.” Maybe I’m too much of a coward to pick any one name, but in the interest of this article not getting far too long, I’ll save you a long list of bench players on other teams.

Bullpen Lefty

It would be fair to delete the word “lefty” and just leave “bullpen.” The Reds need several arms and should explore all avenues, from trades, non-roster invitees, minor league signings, free agent signings, and anywhere else that they can find a pitcher. But, the biggest need is for a lefty, especially if Burke does not return.

A.J. Puk, Tyler Alexander, Aaron Bummer

A.J. Puk would be the number one player on this list. Unfortunately, I think he returns to Arizona or lands a deal elsewhere. But I like his swing-and-miss upside so much that I would be willing to give him more years than other teams, even if his injury from last year makes it risky. I think he’s that good and worth not only the money but the roll of the dice on the term.

Tyler Alexander is a player that’s been a bit underrated and can give you multiple innings if needed. He’s been a bit of a Swiss Army knife throughout his career, and he would be worth a two-year deal in my opinion. I’m sure the Reds are going to have to overpay for any of these arms, and Alexander falls into the category of “good but not so good” that it will cost too much.

Lastly, there is Aaron Bummer. You might remember him for his days in Chicago or Atlanta, but he missed most of 2026 due to injury. If the Reds want to go with a cheaper option that comes with a strong track record and see if they can regain some of what made him a weapon a few years back, Bummer’s a good option.

Final Thoughts

That’s a lot of needs, and I could have listed more. As much as I like some of this core, it’s not nearly deep enough. In my opinion, the Reds have two or three more seasons before they have to go into rebuild mode again, and that’s scary news for a team that didn’t eclipse 80 wins.

The scariest part about the offseason is the fact that the same people will be making the moves. I don’t have faith in this front office or ownership to do anything drastic enough to truly try to change the outlook of the season. A few times they have taken a risk, and it has come back to bite them.

Without a lot of money to spend or prospects to trade, the Reds will certainly have to get creative, something they have not done much of in recent seasons.