Playing GM: 2 Moves to Complete the Reds’ Roster for 2026

Fresh off a 2025 postseason appearance in which they were swept by the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the Wild Card Series, the Cincinnati Reds found themselves in a position where if they fill some key holes that the 2025 roster had, this team would be better positioned to make a playoff run.

As we near the end of the offseason, the biggest priority for president of baseball operations Nick Krall was to fortify this bullpen.

The Reds brought back Emilio Pagan on a one-plus-one deal worth up to $20 million, a big piece of the puzzle as Pagan was tied for fifth in all of baseball in saves in 2025 with 32. They also added Caleb Ferguson, Pierce Johnson, and, in a three-team trade with the Rays and Angels, acquired Brock Burke in exchange for Gavin Lux.

Bringing in two left-handed relievers in Ferguson and Burke, who are very good at keeping the ball on the ground, is a welcomed addition to the bullpen that has to play 81 games in Great American Ball Park.

Those two, along with the right-hander Johnson, give the Reds plenty of depth in a bullpen that saw success come from Pagan, Tony Santillan, and Graham Ashcraft and Connor Phillips through stretches.

The Reds bullpen was 14th in MLB in 2025 in reliever ERA. With the additions the club has made this offseason, look for this unit to make a push for top-10 status.

The Reds added to their outfield by signing JJ Bleday to a one-year deal and then making a trade with the Miami Marlins for outfielder Dane Myers.

Bleday, coming off of a poor 2025 season, is looking to recapture the magic of his 2024 season where he posted a 120 wRC+. Myers is a guy who will be able to go get it defensively providing good depth behind TJ Friedl in center field.

Continuing our “Playing GM” series here at Just Baseball, the following two moves come from a conversation between Aram Leighton and Jack McMullen on a recent episode of the Just Baseball Show. They came up with a left-handed hitting infielder and a depth arm for the starting rotation. Let’s break down the moves.

Sign Luis Arraez to a One-Year, $8 Million Contract

It has been stated countless times over the past couple of seasons, and it is true. Luis Arraez is one of the more polarizing players in the sport.

An elite bat-to-ball guy who consistently hits for a high average, Arraez does not provide much value outside of that, leading to a perplexing market. So, why is he a good fit for the Reds?

First and foremost, manager Terry Francona loves a player who puts the ball in play on a consistent basis and can move runners around the diamond. Arraez will be able to do just that, as he hit .292 last season, his first with a batting average below .314 since the 2021 season where he hit .294.

Secondly, Spencer Steer, Sal Stewart, and Matt McLain (the Reds’ current options on the right side of the infield) all hit from the right side. Arraez provides a left-handed option in the infield that this team desperately needs.

Furthermore, what happens if Matt McLain has a year similar to 2025? Moreover, Spencer Steer posted a wRC+ below 100 this past year. Does he deserve every day reps? As things currently stand, Bleday is slated to be the left fielder on Opening Day, what if he looks like he did in 2023 and 2025 and not the 2024 that he and the Reds are hoping for?

No, Arraez is not playing left field, but Steer has played 158 games in left and could move out there if needed, allowing Arraez and Stewart to share first base and designated hitter duties.

At the very least, Arraez would be a great platoon option, as his OPS against righties is more than 100 points higher than it is against lefties. For someone who looks to be struggling to find a team, Cincinnati seems to be a great fit at a projected one-year, $8 million deal.

Sign Jose Urquidy to an MiLB Deal

The Reds currently have one of the best starting rotations in all of baseball with Hunter Greene, Andrew Abbott, Nick Lodolo, Brady Singer, and Chase Burns.

However, their depth as of right now is Rhett Lowder, Chase Petty, and Jose Franco. Lowder is coming off of a lost season in which he was injured and made just five total starts before making four starts in the fall league. He needs to get healthy, and he is someone who the Reds cannot be 100% confident in being their sixth starter at this point in time.

I am not giving up on Petty, but after a rough 2025 at the major-league level, it is difficult to have a ton of confidence in him as well.

Franco, a 25-year-old who had a 3.11 ERA across Double-A and Triple-A last season, has yet to make his debut, and this team could really use someone with experience given Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo’s injury history.

Over the past two seasons, Nick Martinez has been a saving grace as a guy that can fill in the starting rotation at a moments notice and for long stretches. He is a free agent, and the Reds will miss that steadiness.

Enter Urquidy. It is not a sexy move, but it’s one that could prove beneficial. Urquidy has not pitched consistently in MLB since 2023, and even during that season the results were not great. He’s a pitcher who has had a problem keeping the ball in the park, which is a profile that is not typically a great fit for Great American Ball Park.

However, as Urquidy has been pitching in the Mexican Winter League, he’s made six starts and has posted a 1.09 ERA, allowing zero home runs in a place where the ball flies.

Did the 30-year-old all of a sudden find something again that will lead to big-league success? The odds are against him. But, for a guy who the Reds can sign to a minor-league deal and stash him in Louisville until he is needed, there is upside here that is worth taking a shot on with zero risk.

Final Thoughts

The Reds pitching staff is set, and it is a very good one from the top of the rotation to the bottom of the bullpen.

The offense needs help, but without much room to work with in terms of free-agent additions due to payroll constraints and a documented reluctance to trade from this starting rotation, optioned are limited.

Arraez provides this team with a lot of help in the style of baseball they want to to play. For a team that wants to play small ball, they strike out a ton (23.3% as a team in 2025). Bringing in Arraez and his almost guaranteed sub-five percent strikeout rate would be a huge boost in that style.

Whether you agree with the style or not, it’s how the Reds are going to operate, and Arraez makes them better in that regard.

Bringing in Arraez and Urquidy gives this team added overall depth, something that could go a long way in this team taking a step forward in 2026.