Cincinnati Reds Get Crushed by MLB Insider as Disappointing Season Nears Its End

There is no way to sugarcoat it. The 2026 season has been an absolute disaster.

After making the postseason a year ago, many expected the Reds to build on that momentum and possibly win their first postseason game since 2012. However, that has not been the case. The Reds currently sit with a record of 73-84 and they're 25 games out from first place in the National League Central Division.

ESPN.com's David Schoenfield graded each team and he did not hold back on his assessment of the Reds. He graded their season a "D" and placed just five teams below them.

"After making the playoffs in 2025, only the A's and Rockies are going to end up with a worse run differential than the Reds," ESPN.com's David Schoenfield wrote. "Somehow, they have Elly De La Cruz, probable NL Rookie of the Year Sal Stewart and Chase Burns, who went 15-3 with a 2.86 ERA and 185 strikeouts, and yet still ended up as a dreary watch -- especially disappointing considering they were 20-11 at the end of April. Blame the rotation. After ranking 16th in the majors in rotation ERA in 2024 and an impressive ninth (considering its bandbox of a home park) in 2025, Cincinnati fell to 28th in 2026 despite Burns' excellence."

"It feels like the Reds need an identity. They're not a pitching-and-defense team. (The defense was bad.) They have the veneer of a power-hitting team, at least in 2026, but the park helps inflate their power totals. They don't hit for average (last in the majors). If they're going to build around pitching, maybe it makes sense to change the dimensions of the park and get some better defenders to surround De La Cruz and Stewart."

Schoenfield is spot on. Sal Stewart is most likely going to win National League Rookie of the Year, Elly De La Cruz will likely be in the top five of MVP voting, and Chase Burns was one of the best pitchers in the league. Despite that, the Reds have been nowhere close to contention.

If the Reds continue to act like nothing needs to change, there’s little reason to expect a different result next season. There’s too much talent on this roster for another year of the same excuses, and the fans deserve better.

Elly De La Cruz Is Closing In on Reds History

Sep 22, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz (44) forces out an Atlanta Braves runner at second base during the seventh inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Even in a disappointing season, Elly De La Cruz continues to give Reds fans a reason to watch.

De La Cruz is one home run and one stolen base away from becoming just the fourth player in franchise history to record a 30-homer, 30-steal season. He would join Brandon Phillips, Barry Larkin and Eric Davis, with Phillips being the last to accomplish it in 2007.

Elly has been on a tear down the stretch. In 28 games since August 22, he is hitting .411/.488/.757 with nine home runs and 19 RBIs. He also leads the majors in hits, on-base percentage and total bases this month.

One more stolen base would also make him the first Red and just the eighth player in MLB history to steal at least 30 bases in each of his first four seasons.

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