RSS Reds Team Notes

[Cincinnati Reds]

Reds walk off Royals for first win of Cactus League campaign

Cincinnati Reds infielder Eugenio Suarez (28) warmup ahead of practice, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, at the Cincinnati Reds player development complex in Goodyear, Ariz. | Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Michael Toglia smashed a grounder down the 1B line to plate Leo Balcazar in the Bottom of the 9th inning in Goodyear Ballpark on Tuesday afternoon, and doing so pushed the Cincinnati Reds to a 5-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals.

It marked the first win of Cactus League play for the Reds, who now sit 1-2 after a day off on Monday.

Here’s how things shook down:

The Good​

Elly De La Cruz and Eugenio Suarez went back to back in the Bottom of the 5th inning, with each’s homer being their respective first of the spring.

Elly’s traveled 432 feet through the thin Arizona air.

First homer of spring for Elly:

️432 feet
️107.9 MPH EV pic.twitter.com/ZX4KDTZgGI

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) February 24, 2026

No data from the Reds on Geno’s blast, but it sure sounded good.

Sure missed saying this…SÁCALAAA pic.twitter.com/1PSFmZydgS

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) February 24, 2026

Sal Stewart and Edwin Arroyo helped level the score in the Bottom of the 9th, as each singled (sandwiched around Balcazar’s single) with the latter scoring Sal from 3B. I have very high hopes for this trio this season.

Also, the Cincinnati bullpen looked a far cry better than their disastrous performance on Sunday, with the crew cobbling together five consecutive scoreless frames to finish the game, with the likes of Pierce Johnson and Sam Moll firing scoreless frames.

The Bad​

Let’s preface it with this – Brandon Williamson returned to a mound in a competitive game, and that’s way more good than bad. If anything, I pulled him out for this section to highlight what went well for him despite the fact that he was tagged for a pair of ER on 3 hits in 2.0 IP.

He didn’t walk anyone, which kicks tail. He also struck out 4 in his pair of frames, and the stuff that’s reportedly looked so good early in camp definitely had its perks.

Williamson wasn’t bad, truly. The only thing that was ‘bad’ was that Jac Caglianone tagged him for a 460 foot moonshot, and that kinda stings.

Oh gosh.

Cags crushes his first homer of spring 460'! pic.twitter.com/l87ZRFQwqa

— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) February 24, 2026

The Ugly​

Only that it ended, really. I suppose Andrew Abbott, who allowed 2 ER on a dinger in his second frame of the day, would’ve liked to have been a bit better, though he did look excellent in the Top of the 1st in his first inning of the season.

What’s Next​

Nick Lodolo will start tomorrow as the Reds hit the road for Camelback Ranch to face the Chicago White Sox. First pitch is once again set for 3:05 PM ET, and it once again won’t be televised anywhere.

You’ll be able to follow along the Reds radio feed via 700 WLW, however.

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/game-recaps/49801/reds-walk-off-royals-elly-de-la-cruz-eugenio-suarez

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Nick Lodolo electric in Cactus League debut

TOPSHOT - Lightning strikes during a thunderstorm in Montevideo on February 23, 2026. (Photo by Mariana SUAREZ / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images

The Cincinnati Reds ran their win streak to, well, a win streak on Wednesday with a 3-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox. It was their first true road game of the season as they shipped over to Camelback Ranch, and the squad got both excellent pitching and a pair of big dingers to win the day.

The Good​

Nick Lodolo looked incredibly sharp in his first outing of Cactus League play, fanning 4 and scattering a pair of hits in 2.0 scoreless frames. Luis Mey rebounded from a rough initial outing of the spring to strike out the side for a hold in his perfect frame of relief, while lefty Brock Burke put up a scoreless frame of his own.

The offense, meanwhile, was powered quite literally by Sal Stewart and JJ Bleday. Sal swatted his first dinger of the spring to begin the scoring, a towering 440 foot blast to CF in the Top of the 2nd that gave Cincinnati a 1-0 lead. The following inning, Bleday knocked the snot out of an inside breaking ball, leaving a dent some 464 feet away down the LF line – a two-run shot that scored Hector Rodriguez and gave the Reds all the runs they would need on the day.

Nate Lowe singled and walked in his quest to make the Opening Day roster, while Leo Balcazar picked up yet another hit and now boasts a 1.334 OPS in this incredibly small spring sample size.

The Bad​

Middle infield depth is already a bit of a question mark on this club, as the team’s regular 2B (Matt McLain) is currently the only other player projected on the roster who can cover SS when Elly De La Cruz needs a break. And on days when that happens, one of Sal Stewart or Spencer Steer would have to cover 2B, in theory, and neither of them has any real big league experience at the position in recent memory (or at all).

So, it’s a bit of a bummer to see both Edwin Arroyo and Michael Chavis have errors charged to them in this one since, in theory, both are glove-first backup options up the middle on the depth chart.

The Ugly​

Lyon Richardson got bonked for a homer and a pair of hits in his one IP, failing to strike anyone out in the process. He’s now yielded 5 H and 3 ER with a walk and zero Ks in his pai of appearances so far this spring after having been DFA’d earlier in the winter (and clearing waivers).

There’s still a ton to like in his right arm, but it’s pretty clear he’s not right at the moment.

What’s Next​

Chase Burns will make his second start of spring camp on Thursday afternoon back at Goodyear Ballpark when the Reds play host to Nick Pivetta and the San Diego Padres. Once again, there will be no televised coverage of the game, though audio will be provided by 1360 WSAI.

First pitch is slated for 3:05 PM ET.

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/game-recaps/49817/nick-lodolo-electric-in-cactus-league-debut

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Cactus League Game 4 – Reds at White Sox

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Nick Lodolo (40) delivers a pitch in the third inning between Cincinnati Reds and Miami Marlins at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Thursday, July 10, 2025. | Albert Cesare/ The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Cincinnati Reds will send Nick Lodolo to the mound today for his first action of the 2026 Cactus League season, and they’ll do so outside of Goodyear Ballpark for the first time this spring. Camelback Ranch will be the site of today’s action, as the Reds hit the road to take on the Chicago White Sox.

Doug Gray of Redleg Nation once again has the travel roster for the day (that also feature’s Cincinnati’s starting lineup). Today we get a heavy dose of players firmly fighting for the fringes of the Opening Day roster, as well as Sal Stewart batting cleanup and playing 1B. Edwin Arroyo, who’s about to head out to play in the World Baseball Classic for Team Puerto Rico, is starting at shortstop on the day.

Lyon Richardson, Big Sugar, and Brock Burke are among the litany of arms available to manager Terry Francona today.

There’s no TV feed for this one again, sadly, but you can listen to it via 700 WLW.

First pitch is set for 3:05 PM ET. Go Reds!

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/game-th...ague-cincinnati-reds-chicago-white-sox-lodolo

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Cactus League Game 5 – Reds vs. Padres

Chase Burns continues his chase to become the fifth member of the starting rotation of the Cincinnati Reds today at Goodyear Stadium at the Reds complex in Arizona, this time doing so against the heart of the San Diego Padres roster.

Each of Fernando Tatis, Jr. and Manny Machado are in the Padres lineup today, while the Reds will roll out a lineup of regulars featuring Elly De La Cruz, Eugenio Suarez, TJ Friedl, Matt McLain, Spencer Steer, Noelvi Marte, and Will Benson.

That sentence is enough to make me think I should probably just post today’s travel roster, since that’s got the actual lineup in it that features all those names I chose to type out above, for whatever reason.

You may also notice that TJ Friedl is getting a start in LF today with Dane Myers in CF, something that manager Terry Francona suggested he would experiment with in conversations with Charlie Goldsmith earlier in the week.

There’s no TV feed for this one today, sadly, but you can listen to Burns & Co. spin pitches courtesy of 1360 WSAI. First pitch is set for 3:05 PM ET.

Go Reds!

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/spring-training/49821/cactus-league-chase-burns-cincinnati-reds-padres

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Cincinnati Reds links – World Baseball Classic looms

Mar 15, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Venezuela first baseman Eugenio Suarez (7) tosses the baseball to starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo (not pictured) to put out Israel third baseman Noah Mendlinger (not pictured) during the second inning at LoanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The 2026 edition of the World Baseball Classic doesn’t technically begin until March 6th, but exhibition games will commence on March 3rd. So, the players who will be participating in the event will be scootin’ out of spring training at the end of this week to join their national teams, and the prep work for Opening Day will become a little bit more complicated.

For the Cincinnati Reds, their WBC contingent is highlighted by slugger Eugenio Suárez, who will be joining Team Venezuela. He’s been getting regular run early in Cactus League play, primarily at his usual spot at 3B, and homered yesterday. Shortstop prospect Edwin Arroyo is also slated to head to the WBC where he’s got a shot at being the starter after New York Mets star Francisco Lindor was forced to bow out with a hamate injury. Arroyo, for the record, singled in the game-tying run in yesterday’s Cactus League contest against the Kansas City Royals in the Bottom of the 9th inning and has looked the part of a Top 100 overall prospect once again now that he’s nearing two full years since undergoing serious shoulder surgery.

MLB.com has an entire section on the upcoming WBC, and it serves as a pretty good clearinghouse for information.

In Reds news, Redleg Nation’s Doug Gray pointed out that lefty Brandon Williamson was averaging 94.4 mph on his heater in yesterday’s 2 IP outing, a mark that’s nearly 2 full mph higher than it was back in 2023. Williamson spoke earlier in spring camp about how his return from Tommy John surgery had really allowed him to let it rip more than he’d been able to for years, and that showed in his return to the mound yesterday. Methinks there’s still a whole lot left of Williamson’s career in Cincinnati, with the only question remaining being just how soon that begins again.

If you like beer, then you’ll be interested to hear that Braxton Brewing Co. is going to be the official craft beer of the Reds going forward. Hooray, beer!

Reds ace Hunter Greene knows the only thing that’s been able to hit him for the last few years is the injury bug, and to help prep for that heading into 2026 he spent a lot of time building up his leg strength. At least, that’s what I’m assuming the ‘lower half’ means in this particular headline, though if you squint you could probably come up with a much, much different interpretation.

Reds closer Emilio Pagan told the crew at Foul Territory that he wouldn’t be joining Team Puerto Rico this year in order to focus on the Reds season itself. The 35 year old re-upped with the Reds in free agency this winter after taking over the closer’s role early in 2025, and it’s clear he’s got one thing and one thing only on his mind heading into 2026 – the Reds winning the whold heckin’ thing.

Finally, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic caught up with Christian Encarnacion-Strand and the two spoke about the struggles the slugging 1B has gone through the last two years. Of note is that CES is now sporting glasses instead of contacts and is also nursing a nagging hamstring injury in camp already. He’s buried on the 1B depth chart at the moment, but there’s still a chance he can put it together enough to become a part of this Reds club somehow, some way.

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/red-rep...s-links-world-baseball-classic-eugenio-suarez

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Cincinnati’s Cactus League win streak ends in the arms of the Angels

Cincinnati Reds first baseman Michael Toglia (48) and infielder Leo Balcazar (85) celebrate a 5-4 win against the Kansas City Royals, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026, at Goodyear Ballpark in Goodyear, Ariz. | Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Mike Trouts of Anaheim sent the Cincinnati Reds to their showers with a 4-3 defeat on Friday at Goodyear Ballpark in Arizona. The Reds had been riding a 3-game win streak heading into this game, which did not feature Mike Trout even though I insinuated that it did with a misleading nickname in the very first words of this article.

The Good​

Rhett Lowder was simply brilliant as the starter for the Reds today. He fired a trio of scoreless, hitless innings in his second outing of the spring, walking a lone Angel while fanning three. Safe to say his quest to earn the 5th spot in Cincinnati’s starting rotation is off to a pretty, pretty good start.

Meanwhile, Blake Dunn swatted a solo homer, Jose Trevino had a pair of hits and a ribbie, and Rece Hinds tripled, walked, and scored while playing CF on the afternoon. In a similarly positive vein, JJ Bleday continued his hot-hitting start to Cactus League play with another 2 for 3 day (with a run scored).

The Bad​

Sal Stewart was actually retired twice on the day, which is bad for him. Just one hit, Sal? That’s all ya had in ya today, superstar?!

I’ve really got to find a better format for these spring recaps.

The Ugly​

It was not the finest day for Julian Aguiar in his quest to earn a spot on the team’s pitching staff. Taking over for Lowder in the Top of the 4th, he was tagged for a homer by Logan O’Hoppe of the 2-run variety, and Aguiar eventually yielded 3 ER on 4 H in his 2.0 IP of work.

He didn’t walk anybody, which is a good thing.

Yunior Marte surrendered the other run on the day.

What’s Next​

You aren’t going to believe this, but Saturday will feature Cincinnati Reds baseball that’s watchable on your screens!

The Reds will head to American Family Fields of Phoenix to face off against the Milwaukee Brewers, and it’s dawning on me that place was way cooler when it was just called ‘Maryvale.’ Anyway, it’s a 3:05 PM ET start time and MLB.tv and Reds.tv (if you’re in-market) will have the stream with the Reds broadcast. If you’re into the Brewers version of calling baseball games, their own broadcast will be viewable via MLB.tv (or Brewers.tv if you happen to be a Reds fan in the Milwaukee region).

Hunter Greene will toe the rubber for Cincinnati, and given who sat out today – Elly De La Cruz & Co. – I’d expect a pretty loaded lineup from the Reds side tomorrow. Rob Zastryzny, a lefty, will start for the Beers though, so Terry Francona could get experimental with his lineup again tomorrow the same way he did today against lefty Brent Suter to start.

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/game-recaps/49833/rhett-lowder-cincinnati-reds-starting-rotation

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Cactus League Game 6 – Reds vs. Angels

Cincinnati Reds third baseman Sal Stewart (27) rounds the bases to third base in the ninth inning of a Cactus League game between the Cincinnati Reds and Kansas City Royals, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026, at Goodyear Ballpark in Goodyear, Ariz. | Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Cincinnati Reds continue their quest to play only in Goodyear Ballpark on Friday, as they’ll take the field at their home stadium for the fifth time through six Cactus League games played so far this spring.

When they do so, they’ll be up against a former teammate, too. Brent Suter will lead the charge for the Los Angeles Angels on the day, and with a lefty on the mound manager Terry Francona has tweaked his lineup to account for it.

Noelvi Marte, whose struggles against southpaws last season have been noted publicly by Francona already this spring, will bat leadoff to presumably give him the chance of maybe getting a pair of PA against southpaws out of his day. Of note also is that Sal Stewart will start at 2B on the day as his work all around the infield gets put further to the test, while Rece Hinds will spend at least part of the day manning CF.

Rhett Lowder will start for Cincinnati for the second time in this Cactus League campaign. He fired a pair of innings in his first outing, and I’d expect the Reds to ask him to get through 3.0 IP today (assuming he’s cruising along efficiently). Though with Julian Aguiar and Jose Franco both starters who are listed on the above roster for the day, there’s plenty of long relief available should that not be the case.

First pitch is once again slated for 3:05 PM ET, and – you guessed it – it’s not televised anywhere. To follow along with the action you’ll need to tune into 700 WLW’s coverage, or at least track down where said coverage is being streamed should you not have access to an old-timey AM radio.

Go Reds!

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/game-th...gue-cincinnati-reds-los-angeles-angels-lowder

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Let’s build the Cincinnati Reds batting order

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 13: Manager Terry Francona #77 of the Cincinnati Reds reacts after being mentioned during the Athletics Hall of Fame induction at Sutter Health Park on September 13, 2025 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Scott Marshall/Getty Images) | Getty Images

There were only 12 hitters in all of Major League Baseball in 2025 who logged over 650 PA and sported an on-base percentage over .360. Cincinnati Reds centerfielder TJ Friedl was one of them, and he was joined by a cast of characters who you may recognize – Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, Shohei Ohtani, Geraldo Perdomo, Vlad Guerrero, Jr., Rafel Devers, Fernando Tatis, Jr., Matt Olson, Yandy Diaz, Kyle Schwarber, and Jose Ramirez.

It’s a testament both to Friedl’s durability last season and to his ability to consistently find his way to first base, something bolstered by his 11.8% walk rate. Even at age 30 and with a manager in Terry Francona who’s not asking him to swipe bags the way he once did, it’s almost impossible to imagine there being a better, more classic prototype on the Reds roster for the team’s leadoff man, and it sure seems that Francona is married to that idea heading into the 2026 season, too.

So, the lineup begins with TJ. After that, though, there’s a lot of moving and shaking that could go on, especially on days when the club faces off against a lefty.

What we do also know is that Francona seems wed to the idea of keeping Elly De La Cruz in the #3 spot in the lineup rather than moving him up to hit right behind Friedl. Francona has also spoken repeatedly about how prodigal son Eugenio Suárez brings both thump to the middle of the order and ‘protection’ for Elly from pitchers who might otherwise try to pitch around him, and that leads to a pretty easy assumption that Geno will be the team’s cleanup hitter.

1, 3, and 4 seem to be pretty well etched in stone, at least for the start of the season. Where the rest of the dominos fall, though, seems very much up in the air.

It’s impossible to think at this juncture that Sal Stewart should be hitting anywhere other than as high in the lineup as he can be slotted. If 1, 3, and 4 are set on most days, that would sure suggest he’s ripe for the #2 spot in between TJ and Elly, one of the rare bats who’s both patient enough at the plate to work a count (and let a leadoff guy run, if need be) but who can also plate everyone with one mighty swing. If it were up to me, the Reds regular batting order would begin with Friedl, Sal, Elly, and Geno, and that would be borderline non-negotiable.

Early in spring camp, though, it sure seems like Francona is leaning towards keeping Matt McLain in the #2 spot, however. Perhaps that’s just a manager doing his best to boost the confidence of one of his most talented, albeit most injured regulars, as McLain hit just .220/.300/.343 overall last year (and an even more putrid .215/.306/.304 in 298 PA hitting in the #2 spot last year). For the record, Cincinnati’s collective production from the #2 spot in the order in 2025 produced just a 68 wRC+ and .273 wOBA, both of which ranked 2nd to last overall.

The middle and back-half of the Reds regular batting order seems deeper on paper than it’s been in quite some time, though it’s a malleable mash of hitters who, in any given one-month stretch, could be better or worse than every player on the team. We’ve seen the streakiness first hand from the likes of Spencer Steer, Tyler Stephenson, Noelvi Marte, and Will Benson, and the back of JJ Bleday’s baseball card sure suggests he’s pretty much in the same boat. Regardless of the handedness of the pitcher on the mound on any given day, it’s more likely than not that that core ends up occupying spots 5-8 on most days, with the lone exception being when Dane Myers is in outfield on days a left-hander is starting against them. Unless, that is, Nate Lowe rakes through Cactus League play and cements himself as a key part of this offense despite coming into camp on an unheralded minor league deal.

Ke’Bryan Hayes, whom I really hope rarely gets more than 2 PA per game, is going to hit 9th. At least, I sure as hell hope that’s how this works.

If it were purely up to me, which it is not, here’s how I’d roll out the lineup against a RHP:

1. TJ Friedl – CF
2. Sal Stewart – 1B
3. Elly De La Cruz – SS
4. Eugenio Suárez – 3B
5. Nate Lowe – DH
6. Spencer Steer/Will Benson/JJ Bleday – LF
7. Tyler Stephenson – C
8. Noelvi Marte – RF
9. Matt McLain – 2B

The Hayes trade still baffles me, but at least he’d be around for the late innings defensively.

On days when a LHP is on the bump, my personal lineup would look more like this:

1. Matt McLain – 2B
2. Sal Stewart – 1B
3. Elly De La Cruz – SS
4. Eugenio Suarez – DH
5. Spencer Steer – LF
6. Tyler Stephenson – C
7. Dane Myers – CF
8. Noelvi Marte – RF
9. Ke’Bryan Hayes – 3B

How would you build a regular Reds lineup, and how would you tweak it when facing a southpaw? How would you build both through the lens of Terry Francona’s spectacles, since that’s the realistic way we must look at the situation?

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/cincinn...s-batting-order-lineup-friedl-elly-de-la-cruz

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Reds beat Brewers 9-7 despite rough outing by Hunter Greene

Cincinnati Reds pitching coach/director of pitching Derek Johnson (36) wraps up a bullpen session with pitcher Hunter Greene (21) at the Cincinnati Reds player development complex in Goodyear, Ariz., on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The bats of the Cincinnati Reds have been alive for most of Cactus League play in the early going, and that was very much still the case on Saturday. The Reds went on the road and beat the Milwaukee Brewers 9-7 in their own ballpark, even doing so while television cameras were broadcasting their action for the first time in seemingly a millenium.

The Good​

Matt McLain got the party started in the Top of the 1st with his first dinger of the spring, a solo shot that was part of an overall excellent 2 for 3 day that included a pair of runs scored. Elly De La Cruz smacked another double – every single one of his hits this spring, so far, has been of the extra-base variety – and Sal Stewart singled, stole a base, played 3B, and scored a run.

Michael Chavis – in camp as a non-roster guy – socked a homer, Dane Myers drove in a trio on a two-hit day as he angles to be a right-handed hitting option all across the outfield, and Blake Dunn drove in a trio and scored a run as he angles to be a right-handed hitting option all across the outfield.

Down in the bullpen, big offseason additions Pierce Johnson and Caleb Ferguson both fired scoreless frames, even though neither was completely clean.

The Bad​

Lyon Richardson surrendered another run, something he’s done in every one of his appearances so far this spring. But because baseball is weirdly beautiful, he also picked up the win on the day.

Wins! Still a stat in 2026, for whatever reason!

At the plate, Christian Encarnacion-Strand made his own spring debut after dealing with hamstring issues, but was limited to just DH duties and went 0 for 3 with a K. I really, really hope there’s a CES redemption story somewhere in the near future, but I’m beginning to think that ship may well have sailed.

The Ugly​

Hunter Greene made his spring debut and got shelled immediately.

He did not retire a single batter in the Bottom of the 1st before being pulled, though thanks to the fun rules of spring training play he returned to the mound for the Bottom of the 2nd to get in more work. His second frame was markedly better, but he was ultimately responsible for 4 ER on 5 H and a walk while fanning nobody.

The good news, though, is that he looked fine. His heater hit triple digits repeatedly, he just wasn’t putting hitters away in vintage mid-season form. Nothing looked like a problem, per se – just a lot of rust and getting his feet wet in an exhibition that didn’t mean a thing in the win column.

What’s Next​

Cincinnati’s central Arizona road trip will continue on Sunday, this time at Hohokam Stadium over in Mesa against the Athletics. Andrew Abbott will toe the rubber, with first pitch set for 3:05 PM ET.

No, there’s no TV coverage of it. It’ll be on 700 WLW for your ears, though.

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/game-recaps/49841/hunter-greene-spring-training-debut-cincinnati-reds

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Cactus League Game 8 – Reds at Athletics

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Andrew Abbott (41) warms up with a bungee at the Cincinnati Reds player development complex in Goodyear, Ariz., on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Andrew Abbott yielded a dinger and a pair of earned runs in 2.0 IP in his initial outing of Cactus League play for the Cincinnati Reds this spring. On Sunday afternoon, he’ll toe the rubber against the Philadelphia Oakland Las Vegas Sacramento Athletics of Mesa at their home park as the Reds continue their mini road trip across the Land of the Endless Strip Mall in central Arizona.

It’s hard not to say the Reds are rolling out their B-squad for this game, since that’s effectively what it is. However, as the history of B-squads of the Cincinnati Reds goes, this year’s sure feels like it’s a significant improvement. For example, they’ve got Nate Lowe at cleanup, a top of the order featuring Will Benson, Noelvi Marte, and JJ Bleday, and even Tyler Stephenson and Christian Encarnacion-Strand rounding out the order.

Down in the bullpen for the day, each of Emilio Pagan, Connor Phillips, Brock Burke, Luis Mey, Tony Santillan, and Zach Maxwell are available on the travel roster, so it’s certainly not a bullpen B-squad on the day.

First pitch is set for 3:05 PM ET, and while there is once again no televised coverage, you can listen to the game via 700 WLW.

Here’s the full travel roster for the game:

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/game-previews/49845/andrew-abbott-cincinnati-reds-athletics

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Cactus League Game 7 – Reds at Brewers

Hunter Greene will make his 2026 Cactus League debut on Saturday afternoon in the ballpark formerly known as Maryvale, as the Cincinnati Reds hit the road to take on their NL Central rivals from Milwaukee.

Manager Terry Francona has rolled out a lineup chock full of regulars for the outing, too, as the lineup and travel roster for the day reveal.

With lefty Rob Zastryzny on the mound, Tito has once again opted to align his outfield with TJ Friedl in LF and Dane Myers in CF, doing his best to both maximize his defensive prowess out there while also getting more guys in the lineup who can, in theory, hit southpaws. Blake Dunn, who’s fresh off his first homer of the spring, will get the start in RF.

On the infield, Sal Stewart will get a game in at 3B. He’s already gotten starts at both 1B and 2B so far this spring as the club is choosing to see just how much defensive versatility he can provide for their daily shuffling – shuffling that includes Spencer Steer sliding over to start at 1B on the day.

We’re also getting a look at Christian Encarnacion-Strand in the lineup, finally. He’s reportedly been dealing with a minor hamstring issue while in camp, and he’ll be limited to DH duties this afternoon.

Most importantly, though, is that this game will finally be one you can watch. Both Reds.tv and Brewers.tv will have coverage, and you’ll be able to choose which of those feeds to watch via MLB.tv. It’s one of the free games of the day, too, so you won’t even need to buy your season subscription yet first.

First pitch is set for 3:05 PM ET. Go Reds!

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/game-pr...cactus-league-debut-how-to-watch-reds-brewers

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

The Matt McLain Renaissance is upon us

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 27: Matt McLain #9 of the Cincinnati Reds up to bat during the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on September 27, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Cincinnati Reds took on the Chicago Cubs for the first time this spring on Monday afternoon, and when the dust settled the back of just about every hitter’s baseball card looked as rosy as could be.

Chief among the batting culprits on the day was one Matt McLain, he of the .220/.300/.343 line in 577 PA during the 2025 season. Now another year removed from his 2024 shoulder/oblique surgery, McLain swatted two more homers during the Reds 17-9 drubbing of their NL Central rivals, and has begun to more and more look the part of the guy who broke out as Cincinnati’s best hitter in 2023 prior to his injury.

The question manager Terry Francona has been asking of his lineup since he came to Cincinnati was who would hit in the #2 spot in the order. McLain, based on his pre-injury work, was precisely the kind of hitter who profiled as Tito’s go-to hitter there, someone who could break up the lefty-heavy top of TJ Friedl and Elly De La Cruz (from his strong side). Last year, it just didn’t work, and McLain found himself dropped to the bottom of the order, his excellent glovework the lone real reason why he didn’t lose more chances later in the season.

From what we’ve seen early on this spring, though, his efforts to get back to the player he was before surgery have paid off in spades. As Charlie Goldsmith noted after the game today, McLain has not only picked up a longer bat with which to attack sliders away from him better, he’s been putting in countless hours of work to protect that part of the plate (and his swing) with both approach and positioning within the box. And if it keeps up at all akin to what we saw today (and within the last week), the Reds will be in a much, much better position to stomach Ke’Bryan Hayes in the lineup everyday as a glove-only guy.

One of those you can have. Two, you cannot.

Monday’s action against the Cubs also featured a Noelvi Marte dinger, another Sal Stewart blast, two-times on-base for Friedl (with a pair of runs scored), a Rece Hinds tater, and a 2-hit, 3-ribbie outing from Hayes that was good enough for me to probably shut up for at least a day or so about his struggles to hit. All that after starter Brady Singer became the latest Reds starter to get shelled in his first outing of the spring, something that’s not at all concerning…just yet.

The Reds will have the day off on Tuesday before taking on Team Cuba on Wednesday in an exhibition for the latter’s ramp up to the upcoming World Baseball Classic. We don’t yet know who will start that game for the Reds, or exactly how we’ll be able to follow it (aside from audio-only on 700 WLW), but we do know first pitch will take place at 3:05 PM ET at Goodyear Ballpark.

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/spring-training/49858/matt-mclain-fantasy-sleeper-cincinnati-reds

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Will the Cincinnati Reds stretch their legs again in 2026?

LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 30: Elly De La Cruz #44 of the Cincinnati Reds rounds the bases rounds the bases during Game One of the National League Wild Card Series between the Cincinnati Reds and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday, September 30, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Nicole Vasquez/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

The Cincinnati Reds swiped a league-best 190 bases as recently as the 2023 season, easily topping the 166 bases swiped by the second-best Arizona Diamondbacks. The emergence of both Elly De La Cruz and TJ Friedl atop the order prompted then-manager David Bell to put his runners on the move as often as possible, and by the end of the 2024 season they had swiped a pretty astounding 207 bases as a team.

That was only good for third-best in all of Major League Baseball as teams all around the league leaned hard into running more often, but still was emblematic of the team speed they had cobbled together during their rebuild.

Then came the managerial change to Terry Francona, as well as the quad issue for Elly and the litany of hamstring and other ailments Friedl had battled through most of 2024. By season’s end in 2025 – Francona’s first in charge with the Reds – they had swiped only 105 bases, the 19th most of any team in the game.

Tito has gone on record as saying that he’s not necessarily opposed to running, just that he’s borderline morally opposed to giving away outs on the bases. And, the more you run, the more you inevitably run into some outs.

On top of that, the major additions to the lineup over the last half-year don’t exactly scream base stealers. Eugenio Suarez certainly isn’t as he heads into turning 35 years old, and Ke’Bryan Hayes has logged 12, 11, and 10 respectively in each of his last three seasons (as he’s fought consistent back issues).

There’s still plenty of base-stealing ability there, however. Spencer Steer has shown it in the past, Matt McLain routinely gets praised for his running ability, and healthy years from Elly and Friedl will almost assuredly see their season totals higher in 2026 than they were in 2025.

So, what’s the verdict? Will the Reds steal more bases this year than they did last season? Will they once again be one of the pace-setters in the game when it comes to speed and aggression?

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/cincinnati-reds-rumors/49854/elly-de-la-cruz-stolen-bases-projection

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Will we see the real Elly De La Cruz on the bases in 2026?

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 27: Elly De La Cruz #44 of the Cincinnati Reds takes off after the swing during the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on September 27, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images

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When Elly De La Cruz first broke in with the Cincinnati Reds in 2023, his 30.1 feet per second sprint speed ranked in the 100th percentile. At just 21 years of age, he swiped 35 bags in just 98 games – a rate of almost 58 per 162 games played – and he backed that up with and MLB-best 67 steals in his first full season in 2024.

The 2025 season, though, was different for this burgeoning superstar. The managerial seat was handed over to Terry Francona from David Bell, who had helmed it for Elly’s first two seasons in the big leagues. Then, a quad strain sapped Elly’s speed down to just 29.1 feet per second – only good for the 91st percentile after he’d checked in at 30.0 (100th percentile) in 2024 – and he checked in with just 37 total stolen bases.

The surface question here is this – will Elly once again steal more than 50 bases in 2026?

There are a ton of moving parts here beyond just the quad, even though that’s a big variable. He stole 25 bases during the season’s first ‘half’ in 2025 (97 G) only to back it up with just 12 over the final 65 G, so there was clearly a slowdown of his rate. That also coincided with a precipitous decline in OBP (.367 to just .306), and the hope all around is that a healthy Elly is more the former than the latter.

Still, Francona is both a bit more cautious in letting his players run wild on the bases than was Bell and also more committed to hitting Elly 3rd in the lineup each and every day. In both 2023 and 2024, Elly hit higher in the order more often, leading off some 21 times in his first taste of the bigs and settling in as the regular #2 hole hitter in 2024. So, there’s the chance that despite his elite speed, Elly gets asked to do more with his bat than his legs going forward even though we know he’s fully capable of both.

For instance, future Hall of Famer Jose Ramirez was the offensive battleship in Francona’s lineups during their time together in Cleveland, though Ramirez became depended up on to bat 3rd most days and only swiped more than 30 bags once while playing under Francona. In the last two seasons in a different system, though, he’s swiped 41 and 44 bags respectively.

Elly, still just 24 years old, has established himself as an All Star caliber player for the Reds already. That much is obvious. But one of his most elite traits that has hit set up to be potentially an all-time great is speed that is rarely possessed by anyone, let alone a guy who also has the power to pop 40-50 homers in a season, and reining him in at this still young age does seem like a bit too much. If you put on the cynical lens that he’s didn’t agree to a long-term deal to make him Cincinnati’s for his whole career, there’s also the argument that right now is the time to try to get the most out of him as possible and win as many games as you can, and letting him add value in the form of swiping bags firmly qualifies as that.

So, what say you? Will Elly again top 50 steals and establish himself as one of the elite baserunners of this era? Or has that already become merely a secondary part to his game?

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/cincinn...-cruz-stolen-bases-over-under-cincinnati-reds