Breaking Down the Reds' 3 Biggest Concerns Through 24 Games

Despite the incredible start the Reds are off to, there are still some major question marks on this roster that need to be addressed.

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Look, there are a lot of positives to take away from the 2026 Reds so far. There is no need to panic about many of the players who are about to be mentioned...yet.

However, the Reds have gotten the ball to bounce their way early in the season. Elite pitching, and three offensive players carrying the load of the other six guys. If the Reds are going to make a playoff push in an elite NL Central division, these concerns have to be cleared up.

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Tyler Stephenson

What happened here? One of the more consistent Reds over the past several seasons has become a major liability in the lineup. Somehow, despite hitting only .161 and slugging a concerning .286, Tyler Stephenson can't figure it out.

His defense isn't terrible, but it certainly wasn't supposed to be the reason he is on this roster. The ability to hit in the clutch, hit for power, and drive runs home has been his bread and butter. That just hasn't been the case at all this year.

With only five RBI's and only two extra base hits, it is time to start to wonder if this train can get back on the tracks. Tyler has had 50+ RBIs in each of the last three seasons and 30+ extra-base hits during that same time frame.

If the Reds are going where this city wants them to go, the Tyler Stephenson dilemma needs to be addressed. There isn't anyone waiting in the wings (this season) to replace him. Even if there was, it is doubtful would give up on him. However, the .160 average and lack of any offensive production isn't going to work in the long term of this season.

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Ke'Bryan Hayes

If he's going to play every day, there needs to be a lot more production at the plate. His offense has never been the reason he is in the big leagues, but it has never been a hindrance quite like it has this season.

He has two hits in his last 28 at-bats. Those two hits are in the last two games he has played, including his first home run of the season last night against the Tampa Bay Rays. Hopefully, this gives him a little momentum moving forward.

The bottom line is that if he is going to play as frequently as he does, offense needs to be a bigger piece of the pie. The two gold gloves he has can't pick up a .085 batting average. There has been discussion of moving Suarez to third as a replacement, but hopefully it doesn't come to that.

Hayes has never been this bad offensively in his career, and there has been a lot of bad luck in regards to hard hit balls being caught. He also ranks in the top 1% of the league in strikeout percentage. There is reason to believe this cold stretch to start the season will be a blip on his 2026 final stat line. It just has to improve rather quickly, or he is not going to be on this roster for much longer.

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Emilio Pagán

Out of the three concerns listed, this one will have the biggest impact on the remainder of the season. Though he is playing better than the other two players on this list, Pagan is the player Reds country is most fearful of moving forward.

He earned a two-year, $20 million extension with the Reds in 2025 after saving 32 games with a sub-three ERA. He has been more than what the Reds probably thought he would be. However, the lack of control and confidence shown as this team's closer is concerning.

Emilio has given up the most home runs (87) out of any reliever since his 2017 debut. He has given up two already this year and has blown one save. He has allowed six earned runs in 11.1 innings, though most came from one performance against the Pirates on April 1st.

The issue isn't necessarily what has happened so far this season, it is what is going to happen the rest of the way. For the most part, he has done his job. However, for some reason, every outing seems more stressful than it should be. As of this second, there won't be any change at the closer position, but for Major League Baseball's best bullpen, Emilio Pagan is a rather large question mark for Terry Francona.