ESPN Analysts Tout Reds as Dark Horse Contender for the 2025 Season

ESPN analysts Buster Olney and Paul Hembekides have identified the Cincinnati Reds as a potential dark horse in the 2025 MLB season.

"Buster, my surprise team this season is the Cincinnati Reds," Baseball Tonight's Paul Hembekides said.

Hembekides notes the Reds went 15-28 in one-run games in 2024 and expects that luck to turn around.

"This team went 15-28 in one-run games last season. They were eight games below .500 with a plus five run differential. Now obviously Cleveland improved from 68 to 92 wins in their first year under Terry Francona—a 24-win jump."

Hembekides also believes the Reds improved their roster this season.

"It is my belief that Brady Singer will improve the rotation more than Jonathan India leaving the lineup will hurt it, especially considering he was basically unplayable on defense. We have forgotten how good Matt McLain was two years ago. He had a 127 OPS+ and a 3 1/2 WAR in his rookie season. This team is going to be really good; they are going to be effectively managed. and as you like to point out, the context of the National League Central is everything and very inviting."

Buster Olney also has the Reds as his sleeper team and thinks they need to add another bat to their lineup.

"The guy who would be absolutely perfect for them in the current free agent market, to me, would be Jurickson Profar," Olney said. "If you've got Jurickson Profar and put him in the outfield, that lineup in terms of its depth, that would be something."

Reasons to buy 2025 Reds stock
✔️ 15-28 in 1-run games last season
✔️ Terry Francona bump
✔️ Brady Singer-Jonathan India swap
✔️ Matt McLain return pic.twitter.com/H1w1ibHD2N
— Paul Hembekides (Hembo) (@PaulHembo) January 18, 2025

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