MLB Insider Gives Brutal Assessment of Reds Season Ahead of Trade Deadline

The Cincinnati Reds entered the 2026 season with playoff expectations after making the playoffs in 2025 and opening the year 20-11. Instead, they've gone just 25-42 since that hot start and now appear headed toward becoming sellers ahead of the MLB trade deadline.

Speaking on Fair Territory, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal didn't hold back when discussing Cincinnati's disappointing season, saying he expects the Reds to be among the more active sellers over the next couple of weeks.

"The Cincinnati Reds, a team that started the season 20-11, has gone 25-42 since. They've been terrible. They've been terrible in a division where three other teams with similar resources, Cardinals, Pirates, and Brewers have different measures of success. Those teams have all played well...For the Reds, no excuses. They have not had a good run here. I would expect for Cincinnati to sell and sell pretty big. The really interesting aspect for them is going to be if they can bring in some pieces that can help them going forward."

Rosenthal is spot on. The Reds have been terrible. He also understands you can't trade your entire team. That isn't something teams do. There are still two months of the season left.

"You can't trade your entire team. You have to play the rest of your season, the final two months and you have to point to a better 2027, if, of course, there is a 2027."

Brady Singer, Tyler Stephenson, Caleb Ferguson, Brock Burke, Nathaniel Lowe, Pierce Johnson, and Eugenio Suárez are all on expiring contracts. As Rosenthal pointed out, you can't trade your entire roster, but it also doesn't make much sense to hold onto players who aren't expected to be part of your plans beyond this season. Each of those seven players should have some level of value on the trade market, and the Reds should do everything they can to turn those expiring contracts into talent that strengthens the organization for the future.

I fully expect Singer, Stephenson, Burke, and Lowe to be traded. The rest remains to be seen.

The Reds won their first series since the end of June when they won two out of three against the Rockies this past weekend. They'll head to Seattle to start a three-game series against the Mariners on Monday. Andrew Abbott will start on the mound in the series opener. Chase Burns will follow in game two and Singer will look to stay hot in the series finale.

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