The Cincinnati Reds finally made the playoffs after a four-year drought in 2025, but the work is only beginning for the once-dominant franchise. The Reds haven't won a playoff game since 2012, haven't made the NL Championship Series since 1995, and haven't won the World Series since 1990.

Luckily, they have their franchise cornerstone in Elly De La Cruz. The 23-year-old shortstop, whom Cincinnati signed as an international free agent in 2018, has a .773 OPS with 60 homers, 206 RBIs, and 139 stolen bases over 420 career games. He also led the team with 22 homers, 86 RBIs, 166 hits, and 277 total bases across 162 contests in 2025. 

However, the Reds weren't anything special as a team this past season. They were tied for 19th in baseball with a .706 team OPS and were 12th with a 3.86 ERA. Starting pitchers like Andrew Abbott (10-7, 2.87 ERA) and Hunter Greene (7-4, 2.76 ERA) headline one of the NL's more reliable pitching staffs, but De La Cruz needs more support offensively.

How can Cincinnati fix this issue?

Reds Must Make Aggressive Moves This Offseason

Other than De La Cruz, Cincinnati doesn't have any standout offensive players. Left fielder Gavin Lux led the squad with a .269 batting average this past season, while center fielder TJ Friedl led with a .364 on-base percentage. Those numbers are above MLB averages, but aren't All-Star caliber. 

On the bright side, there are plenty of free agents who could upgrade the Reds' offense. One of them is first baseman/second baseman Luis Arraez, who has a career .777 OPS over 841 games. The veteran slashed .292/.327/.392 with eight homers and 61 RBIs over 154 games for the San Diego Padres last season. He has a market value of five years, $70.5 million ($14.1 million average annual salary), per Spotrac.

Another option is first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, who has a .771 OPS over 839 career games. The 30-year-old notched a career-high 84 RBIs over 153 combined games for the Washington Nationals and Boston Red Sox.

A cheap option would be outfielder/designated hitter Jesse Winker. The 32-year-old played just 26 games in 2025, but has an .802 career OPS over 781 games. His market value is just one year, $5.4 million, per Spotrac.

The bottom line is that Cincinnati can't be complacent if it wants to stay competitive in the NL Central. The club finished 14 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers for first place in 2025 and nine games behind the Chicago Cubs for second, so they won't gain ground without making moves.