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Cincinnati Reds (2026 Season Thread)

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Martinez's departure frees up $21M. That's convenient. Blue Jays could use some pitching, we have a surplus of pitching, so trade for Bichette and move Elliott to the outfield?! Or pilfer a Dodgers hitter and send them some desperately needed pitching. (Reds should have swept that series, as bad as the dodgers bullpen is, but I digress..)

I'd go for at least one more hitter and that would explode the payroll to (gasp) in the general neighborhood $160M. Schwarber would obtain the nonsteroid single-season record for hr's in GABP.

Disclaimer: I don't know which Reds need a new contract and payroll has never gone over $117M, so I realize most of this is not likely with these owners, but I think it approximates what they should do, so I can compare with the reality ahead. Also, looking up team payrolls, I've noticed the Reds are far from being the only team with miserly owners. They have lots of company.
 
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Zem said:
Martinez's departure frees up $21M. That's convenient. Blue Jays could use some pitching, we have a surplus of pitching, so trade for Bichette and move Elliott to the outfield?! Or pilfer a Dodgers hitter and send them some desperately needed pitching. (Reds should have swept that series, as bad as the dodgers bullpen is, but I digress..)

I'd go for at least one more hitter and that would explode the payroll to (gasp) in the general neighborhood $160M. Schwarber would obtain the nonsteroid single-season record for hr's in GABP.

Disclaimer: I don't know which Reds need a new contract and payroll has never gone over $117M, so I realize most of this is not likely with these owners, but I think it approximates what they should do, so I can compare with the reality ahead. Also, looking up team payrolls, I've noticed the Reds are far from being the only team with miserly owners. They have lots of company.
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The thing is, the Reds are in the middle of a fat middle of teams in terms of MLB payroll spending. All of these ownership groups can't be cheap bastards. It's got more to do with the economics of the game in it's current CBA state imo.

Here are the 2025 payroll bands sorted from smallest to largest inside each band:
< $100M
  • Miami Marlins — $64.9M
  • Oakland Athletics — $74.9M
  • Tampa Bay Rays — $79.2M
  • Chicago White Sox — $80.9M
  • Pittsburgh Pirates — $87.9M
$100–150M
  • Cleveland Guardians — $102.5M
  • Washington Nationals — $107.2M
  • Milwaukee Brewers — $114.8M
  • Cincinnati Reds — $116.0M
  • Colorado Rockies — $122.0M
  • Kansas City Royals — $129.6M
  • St. Louis Cardinals — $141.5M
  • Detroit Tigers — $142.4M
  • Minnesota Twins — $142.8M
  • Seattle Mariners — $150.0M
$150–200M
  • Baltimore Orioles — $159.4M
  • San Francisco Giants — $173.0M
  • Los Angeles Angels — $192.7M
  • Chicago Cubs — $192.8M
  • Boston Red Sox — $193.6M
  • Arizona Diamondbacks — $195.5M
$200–241M
  • Atlanta Braves — $208.1M
  • San Diego Padres — $208.8M
  • Texas Rangers — $217.5M
  • Houston Astros — $220.2M
  • Toronto Blue Jays — $239.2M
$241–300M
  • Philadelphia Phillies — $284.0M
  • New York Yankees — $284.8M
> $300M
  • Los Angeles Dodgers — $319.5M
  • New York Mets — $322.6M


Painting with broad strokes here, the only two "big market" teams I see that won't spend are the White Sox and Marlins. I don't have any data on the market sizes but to the naked eye you can see the size of the city go up almost as you go up the list of payrolls.

I think this speaks more to what has to be done in 2027. Cap and floor or whatever you can't have regional demographics be the determining factor for the have's and have nots resulting in the fucking Mets paying more in luxury tax than the Reds (and many other teams) spend on total payroll. This just can't keep working this way.
 
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Jaxbuck said:
The thing is, the Reds are in the middle of a fat middle of teams in terms of MLB payroll spending. All of these ownership groups can't be cheap bastards. It's got more to do with the economics of the game in it's current CBA state imo.

Here are the 2025 payroll bands sorted from smallest to largest inside each band:
< $100M
  • Miami Marlins — $64.9M
  • Oakland Athletics — $74.9M
  • Tampa Bay Rays — $79.2M
  • Chicago White Sox — $80.9M
  • Pittsburgh Pirates — $87.9M
$100–150M
  • Cleveland Guardians — $102.5M
  • Washington Nationals — $107.2M
  • Milwaukee Brewers — $114.8M
  • Cincinnati Reds — $116.0M
  • Colorado Rockies — $122.0M
  • Kansas City Royals — $129.6M
  • St. Louis Cardinals — $141.5M
  • Detroit Tigers — $142.4M
  • Minnesota Twins — $142.8M
  • Seattle Mariners — $150.0M
$150–200M
  • Baltimore Orioles — $159.4M
  • San Francisco Giants — $173.0M
  • Los Angeles Angels — $192.7M
  • Chicago Cubs — $192.8M
  • Boston Red Sox — $193.6M
  • Arizona Diamondbacks — $195.5M
$200–241M
  • Atlanta Braves — $208.1M
  • San Diego Padres — $208.8M
  • Texas Rangers — $217.5M
  • Houston Astros — $220.2M
  • Toronto Blue Jays — $239.2M
$241–300M
  • Philadelphia Phillies — $284.0M
  • New York Yankees — $284.8M
> $300M
  • Los Angeles Dodgers — $319.5M
  • New York Mets — $322.6M


Painting with broad strokes here, the only two "big market" teams I see that won't spend are the White Sox and Marlins. I don't have any data on the market sizes but to the naked eye you can see the size of the city go up almost as you go up the list of payrolls.

I think this speaks more to what has to be done in 2027. Cap and floor or whatever you can't have regional demographics be the determining factor for the have's and have nots resulting in the fucking Mets paying more in luxury tax than the Reds (and many other teams) spend on total payroll. This just can't keep working this way.
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Yes, good points. However, the Reds (payroll+tax)/revenue ratio is 21st in the league, according to these calculations by Forbes and Spotrac. https://twinstrivia.com/2025/04/05/mlb-teams-revenue-versus-payroll/

Without the luxury tax payment the Dodgers are at 44%, right down with the Reds. Obviously, the big markets make $200M - 400M more than the Reds. But apparently, they have room to just add two reliable hitters, let Martinez go, and be up there with, say, Detroit and several others in payroll/revenue.

I agree, changes in the payroll rules are needed, and are probably in the offing.
 
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I just flipped over to FanDuel to see if the Reds were playing. What the fuck is wrong with me? It’s been less than 72 hours since I swore off these fuckers and I’m already crawling back asking for more.

Anybody have any good resources for dealing with battered spouse syndrome?
 
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I'm sure most of you guys know of Doug Gray and his site but if not, pretty good write up today on the state of the Reds (written by Jason Linden-not Doug just to be clear):

www.redlegnation.com

Looking back and looking forward with the Reds young core - Redleg Nation

In 2023 the Cincinnati Reds got a big infusion of young talent on the big league roster. Two years later where does the club stand?
www.redlegnation.com www.redlegnation.com
 
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Jaxbuck said:
I'm sure most of you guys know of Doug Gray and his site but if not, pretty good write up today on the state of the Reds (written by Jason Linden-not Doug just to be clear):

www.redlegnation.com

Looking back and looking forward with the Reds young core - Redleg Nation

In 2023 the Cincinnati Reds got a big infusion of young talent on the big league roster. Two years later where does the club stand?
www.redlegnation.com www.redlegnation.com
Click to expand...
Back in June or July, Brantley quipped during a game, in reference to the Reds whiffing on bad pitches, that it takes 3 years to learn the game. Then 4th year is when they start producing. Next year is #4.

Benson seemed to get it together the last 2 months. I wouldn't give up on him as a platoon OF.
 
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