Under-The-Radar Addition Could Be Key Piece of Reds' Roster

A key characteristic of a great team is depth. It's a necessity in the marathon of a baseball season. So many things can happen during a 162 games season.

Hoping for good health is fine, but you have to have contingency plans in the event of injuries. They can, unfortunately, happen, and you have to be prepared for them.

The Reds acquiring Dane Myers was a smart move. Was it a trade that sent shockwaves through the fanbase? No, but that's okay. In fact, acquiring Myers may give the Reds something they haven't had a good amount of in the last three seasons: depth.

Not Sexy, But Significant

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"I know every fan wants the sexy move, I get it. But you also need to protect yourself a little bit and I thought it was a really good [acquisition]," Reds manager Terry Francona told Mark Sheldon on Sunday.

TJ Friedl played 152 games last season. That's great. But having a player like Myers behind him is an insurance policy that was worth acquiring in late December.

Myers can provide depth in a lot of ways. He's a career. 297 hitter with an .816 OPS over 203 career plate appearances vs. lefty pitchers. That's good, because the Reds struggled against left-handed pitchers in 2025. Having someone like Myers that can come into the game as a pinch-hitter against a left-handed reliver is a luxury that could come into fruition.

Another area where Myers can help: defense. According to Statcast, Myers ranked in the 97th percentile of the league last season. He led the Marlins with seven outfield assists. Myers's sprint speed was in the 76th percentile, indicating he can go a long way to make catches on fly balls.

The Reds' defense needs to be better in 2026, and it wouldn't hurt to have a good defensive center fielder on the roster.

"I think defense is an important part of being a complete team," Myers said. "Whatever I can do to help that is my goal.”

Again, Myers may not have set the world on fire throughout the Reds' fanbase this past offseason when he was acquired. But sometimes, it's these acquisitions that can make a big difference.

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