The Reds are betting on internal growth and veteran thump to defy the odds

The 2025 season was an exciting one for the Cincinnati Reds and their fanbase. They were able to make the postseason for the first time since the 2020 season, but drew the short end of the stick when it came to postseason matchups. 

They faced off against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Wild Card round, and they just did not have the juice to keep up with the team that would go onto the win the World Series. 

Much of the core will be returning for the Reds in 2026, but there will be a new face. Needing some power, the club went out and signed Eugenio Suarez to a one-year deal. 

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The Reds are betting on internal growth and veteran thump to defy the odds

The addition of Suarez should be huge for Cincinnati. He is coming off a season where he hit .228/.298/.526, tying a career-high of 49 home runs and a career-high 118 runs batted in. 

Pair him with Elly De La Cruz and the potential of top prospect Sal Stewart, and this team could certainly be one to watch out for, via MLB.con's Jared Greenspan. 

"With a rotation this strong, the Reds don't need a record-breaking offense to return to the postseason. There may be enough pieces in place, as is. Suarez, on the heels of a 49-homer season, gives the Reds a legitimate thump, as does Sal Stewart, MLB Pipeline's No. 22 overall prospect, who should break camp with the big league team. Most importantly, De La Cruz is healthy again after a nagging quadriceps injury hampered him for the final few months of the 2025 season."

With a rotation of Hunter Greene, Andrew Abbott, and Chase Burns, who could be a major threat this season, the Reds don't need to put up historic offensive numbers. They just need to stay healthy and have Suarez, De La Cruz, and Stewart perform as expected, and they should be in a pretty good spot.

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