Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Reds fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
We are all acutely aware of how risk-averse the Cincinnati Reds are, and have been for some time. The idea of them jumping into the top-tier of free agency to spend big – and for many years – to sign the best players on that market is so off the table that we don’t even consider the Kyle
Tuckers, the Alex Bregmans around here.
Heck, the lack of contract extensions for their current core of young-ish (yet rapidly aging) suggests they aren’t even confident in locking down many of their own in-house options.
What we do know, though, is that they aren’t in a rebuild – even if what they have built so far doesn’t have much to show for it. They are going to try to give Terry Francona a roster that can eke out some wins in 2026, even if they won’t ever look on-paper like a powerhouse. What we also know, though, is that this roster has holes galore, especially when you factor in the likely departures of Nick Martinez, Austin Hays, Zack Littell, Emilio Pagan, Scott Barlow, and potentially even Brent Suter.
If you squint, you can see a complete active roster with what they’ve already got. They are deep with starting pitchers, and both Rhett Lowder and Brandon Williamson will be back healthy in 2026 if things go to plan. With Sal Stewart up full-time, Spencer Steer’s versatility could provide more backfill in the outfield without Hays – especially with a full season of Ke’Bryan Hayes now on the books.
Still, that looks like a seriously iffy offensive lineup, and their bullpen would need both a complete rebuild and notable leverage promotions for every single arm down there with any sort of experience. So, it sure seems likely that if the Reds are going to find some big-time pieces to augment their 2026 club, they’re going to likely need to do it through a trade.
That young-ish (yet rapidly aging) core also has several guys hitting their arbitration years, so they are no longer cheap league-minimum guys, and that matters here. If the Reds are seriously tight on their budget the way we all know them to be most years, that could mean someone who just got more expensive might be the precise person they deal to get pieces that fit better both positionally and financially. Two of those – Tyler Stephenson and Brady Singer – are even set to be free agents at the end of 2026, and neither has a long-term extension in hand.
With that in mind, which player of the current core of the Reds listed below do you think has the highest likelihood of being traded away this offseason?
Vote in the survey below, and let us know your thinking in the comments. We’ll circle back with the results at the end of the week!
MLB Reacts are brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook.
