#19
The Cincinnati Reds went for it in 2020, but ended up losing in the first round of the playoffs. Will 2021 be another step towards contention, or will they be taking a step back?
#7 - 1st in NL Central, lose in NLDS
MIH - Eugenio Suarez
MIP - Raisel Iglesias
PTW - Tony Santillan
2020 Results
#13 - 31-29, 2nd NL Central, lost in Wild Card Round
The Reds looked like they had the roster in 2020 to make a deep run. Their lineup had some pop, and their rotation was elite, led by Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer. Thanks to the expanded playoffs, they found themselves in the tournament, but didn't score a run in their Wild Card sweep by the Braves.
Additions / Subtractions
After one year of going for it, the Reds seemed to partially give up on their run before it ever started. First, Trevor Bauer left in free agency (and the Reds never even attempted to bring him back). Then they traded closer Raisel Iglesias to the Angels (they signed Sean Doolittle to fill the role). Shortstop Freddy Galvis signed in Baltimore in free agency (and wasn't replaced by another veteran). The offseason was also mired in rumors of whether aces Luis Castillo and Sonny Gray would also be traded. For now, they are still on the roster showing the Reds weren't quite willing to sell the whole farm.
Most Important Hitter
Nick Senzel
One of the top Reds prospects from a couple years ago was Nick Senzel. Now he is the starting centerfielder, but he has yet to fulfill any of the promise of his prospect status. Right now, Senzel has a career .245 average and an 83 OPS+ in two seasons. Hardly the production you expect out of a top prospect. He needs to take a step or two forward to make this lineup truly work.
Most Important Pitcher
Luis Castillo
Luis Castillo is on his way to being one of the elite pitchers in the league. As of right now, he is still a Red and the most impactful pitcher on their staff. With Trevor Bauer's departure, the spotlight will now be on him to lead the staff. This could be a breakout season for Castillo. The question is if that production will be putting the Reds in contention or if he will be traded to help someone else.
Prospect to Watch
Jose Garcia
The Reds have four prospects in baseball's Top 100. Jose Garcia is not one of them, but he has a golden opportunity that could lead to some great success for the 22 year old prospect. The Reds lost their shortstop in free agency and never replaced him. That forced them to find an internal solution, and Jose Garcia appears to be that solution to start the season. Ranked the 6th best prospect in the Reds system, this Cuban defector shows a lot of promise to be an everyday shortstop in the league for quite some time.
2021 Prediction
3rd in NL Central
Like I said when I previewed the Cubs, the NL Central was wide open in 2020 and is wide open this season too even though it looks like a couple teams are heading in the wrong direction. The Reds had one of the more curious offseasons. It's like they wanted to do a full reset but couldn't find the right price for some of their more valuable assets. So I guess they are forced to compete this year. I see them having a little less turmoil and a little more depth than the Cubs which puts them in 3rd in the division.
Fearless Prediction
Over half of the Reds' Opening Day lineup will no longer be on the roster Opening Day 2022.
Like I said, the Reds tried to reset this offseason and couldn't. Look for them to try and start unloading talent, maybe not mid-season but definitely next offseason. Either that, or they reload since they still have a decent core. I really don't understand what they are trying to do.
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