National MLB Analyst Has Harsh Words for Reds Front Office

The Reds are playing good baseball. They've won six of their last seven games and are coming off a sweep of the Athletics.

That hasn't stopped the front office from facing heavy criticism for its Trade Deadline strategy.

Heading into the deadline, the Reds were five games under .500 and fully expected to sell. However, Monday came and went and Nathaniel Lowe and Caleb Ferguson were the only two players traded.

After the Trade Deadline, Reds President of Baseball Operations Nick Krall offered an explanation that Reds fans have heard far too many times over the years. “We had a lot of conversations about a lot of guys,” Krall told Charlie Goldsmith. “The deals weren’t there for us.”

Reds Front Office Getting Crushed

Cincinnati Reds president of baseball operations (left) talks with general manager Brad Meador at the Cincinnati Reds player development complex in Goodyear, Ariz., on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Reds have not won a postseason game since 2012. They have not won a postseason series since 1995. Despite that, they usually fly under the radar and don't get too much criticism from the National media. That has changed this week.

Aram Leighton of Just Baseball called the Reds the biggest losers in the National League at this year's Trade Deadline.

"I think it's the team that did the post-deadline presser in the break room of the media, it looked like," Leighton said.

"They belong in the basement of front offices and what we think of them and how they operate, without a doubt in my mind...I understand not trading Hunter Greene and not trading your key guys, but you have expiring and pending free agents to sell."

As I mentioned at the top of the article, the Reds are playing well. However, even with their recent hot streak, FanGraphs still has them at a 2.5% chance to make the postseason. If the Reds don't make the postseason and make any sort of run, their deadline strategy will be a huge miss by Nick Krall and the front office.

Terry Francona Praises Andrew Abbott

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Andrew Abbott (41) throws a pitch in the first inning of the MLB Interleague game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Athletics at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

With Hunter Greene being placed on the injured list on Wednesday afternoon, Andrew Abbott was moved up a day and started on Thursday as opposed to Friday. He pitched well, giving up three runs over 6 1/3 innings.

After the game, Reds manager Terry Francona praised Abbott for his effort.

“I thought he pitched really well,” Francona told MLB.com's Mark Sheldon. “When your starters get that deep, when you're into the seventh, and I think he could have gone on. When your pitchers go that deep, you can start trying to match up a little bit, and when they go five, you can't do that.”

Abbott's consistency has been one of the biggest bright spots of the Reds' season, and it's about time he started getting more credit for it.

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