CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Reds may have a brand new group of hitting coaches subsequent season becoming a member of new supervisor Terry Francona.
Nick Krall, the group’s president of baseball operations, stated Tuesday that the group wouldn’t be retaining second-year hitting coach Joel McKeithan, nor assistant hitting coaches Terry Bradshaw or Tim LaMonte. Jeff Pickler, the group’s sport planning/infield coach, was let associate with David Bell the week earlier than the season’s remaining sport.
The group is retaining pitching coach Derek Johnson, who will serve in the identical function underneath Francona, in addition to proceed his function because the group’s director of pitching.
Past that, the teaching workers continues to be up within the air, though Francona did level out first base coach Collin Cowgill, who performed for him in Cleveland in 2016. Krall stated Tuesday that a few of the workers would stay.
The Reds ranked sixteenth in baseball with 4.31 runs per sport and have been twenty sixth in batting common (.231), twenty second in on-base proportion (.305) and twenty first in slugging proportion (.388).
“We wish hitters (to take) an strategy of utilizing the entire subject, hit line drives and take good at-bats,” Krall stated.
Common supervisor Brad Meador stated he and Francona have mentioned a number of individuals as candidates for the teaching workers.
“He’s been adamant about having a collaborative course of with us,” Krall stated of Francona.
Francona didn’t know Johnson earlier than this week, however the two have talked a number of occasions since Francona agreed to take the job.
“(Francona) knew how we felt about (Johnson) and from all the pieces he’d heard about D.J. — and he’s executed his work since then and speaking to D.J. — he’s all in,” Meador stated. “He’s very, very comfy with him.”
Krall stated the group hoped to have its workers finalized by the final managers conferences in November.
How will the Reds’ entrance workplace navigate the offseason?
Krall and Meador haven’t gotten their 2025 price range from possession but, however will get it later this month.
Earlier than free company begins, the group has to decide on backup catcher Luke Maile’s choice and the choice on lefty reliever Brent Suter. The group has a mutual choice on right-hander Jakob Junis, whereas pitchers Nick Martinez and Emilio Pagán have opt-out clauses that they must train shortly after the World Collection ends.
Martinez, who’s scheduled to make $12 million in 2025 if he doesn’t decide out, is anticipated to change into a free agent. The 34-year-old right-hander appeared in 42 video games for the Reds, together with 16 begins. He completed the season within the rotation and was the Nationwide League Pitcher of the Month for September after going 4-1 with an 0.83 ERA in 5 begins within the season’s remaining month.
If — or extra seemingly when — Martinez does decide out of his contract, the Reds would have the choice of constructing him a qualifying provide of 1 yr and roughly $21 million for subsequent yr. Martinez might take it, or signal a multiyear take care of the Reds or one other group. If Martinez rejects the qualifying provide and indicators elsewhere, the group will obtain an additional draft decide as compensation.
Proper-hander Buck Farmer and left-hander Justin Wilson are free brokers, in addition to infielder Amed Rosario.
Nick Martinez starred within the Reds’ rotation in September. (Bruce Kluckhohn / Imagn Photographs)
The Reds, like just about each group, might want to discover relievers so as to add to the bullpen, however may even be each different place group. A veteran starter and outfielders would look to be essentially the most urgent wants.
“We’ve bought to determine the way to improve our protection and our offense,” Krall stated. “There’s a brand new supervisor side to this, but additionally how we are able to use our gamers higher, too.”
Krall stated he doesn’t have an actual want, simply that the group wants to attain extra runs and let fewer in. The Reds’ protection was rated as one of many worst in baseball by most measures. Krall particularly famous that FanGraphs had the Brewers because the fifth-best group in baseball with 29 fielding runs above common, whereas the Reds have been twenty sixth at minus-23, a niche of 52 runs.
The group’s lineup is much less set now than it was in the beginning of final offseason. The one locations the place the group appears set on who can be enjoying are at shortstop and catcher, with Elly De La Cruz and Tyler Stephenson, respectively.
As for speak about shifting De La Cruz to the outfield, Krall merely stated, “Elly is our shortstop.”
Aside from that?
“There’s a variety of guys who must are available in and compete for spots in spring coaching and so they’re not simply going to be given the spots,” Krall stated. “Loads of guys may need began nice and ended up not as nice. You’ve bought some guys which might be within the minor leagues, you’ve bought some guys which might be bubble guys and we’ve a variety of choices to make. Folks want to come back in to get to work and even earn spots.”
Spencer Steer performed 5 defensive positions final yr, however the majority of his time was spent within the outfield. He might play extra infield in 2025.
Jonathan India entered final spring coaching as a participant with no house after the ascension of Matt McLain and performed first base and outfield along with second base throughout spring coaching. After McLain’s damage, India returned to the on a regular basis lineup because the Reds’ second baseman. Second base continues to be the one defensive place India has performed within the large leagues after beginning 132 video games there.
First base and outfield might once more be a risk for India, in addition to third base, a place he performed in faculty.
Jonathan India could possibly be on the transfer defensively subsequent season. (Katie Stratman / Imagn Photographs)
The Reds spoke to Steer and India in Chicago and each instructed Krall and Meador that they have been open to shifting round. Steer, notably, stated he enjoys it.
India has by no means executed it, however after worrying about the place he’d play going into this season, he stated he’s much less involved now.
“I at all times say I’m open,” India stated final month earlier than the ultimate sport of the season. “I used to be open final yr and I made an effort in spring coaching to do it. We’ll see. I don’t know what the long run holds.”
Updates on Reds accidents
Rookie starter Julian Aguiar underwent Tommy John surgical procedure and can miss the 2025 season.
Aguiar, 23, made his big-league debut in August and made seven begins, going 2-1 with a 6.25 ERA. Aguiar was the group’s minor league pitcher of the yr in 2023. He was 5-4 with a 3.79 ERA in 22 begins between Double-A Chattanooga and Triple-A Louisville earlier than being promoted to the massive leagues.
India had surgical procedure to “clear up” his ankle, Krall stated. The surgical procedure was anticipated and India needs to be able to have a traditional offseason. He ought to begin spring coaching on time.
Who’s enjoying past the common season?
McLain, Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Edwin Arroyo are amongst Reds gamers who can be enjoying within the Arizona Fall League, which started play Monday.
McLain and Arroyo missed all of 2024 after each suffered shoulder accidents and underwent surgical procedure throughout spring coaching. McLain is on the Glendale Desert Canines’ taxi squad, whereas Arroyo is the Reds’ precedence participant. A taxi squad participant’s video games are restricted to 2 per week, whereas a precedence participant should play not less than 4 video games per week at his designated place.
Arroyo, 21, will play shortstop in Arizona, whereas McLain will transfer round extra. The Reds have cleared McLain to play shortstop, second base and middle subject. He might additionally play some third base.
Encarnacion-Strand, who was restricted to only 29 video games earlier than a hand damage ended his season in June, can be accessible to play first base and third base and will additionally play within the outfield.
Third baseman Noelvi Marte will play winter ball within the Dominican Republic, Krall stated.
Numbers sport
Rece Hinds may have a brand new quantity in 2025. He wore No. 77 as a rookie, however that quantity now belongs to Francona.
Francona used to put on No. 17, however when Yonder Alonso got here to Cleveland, he requested for the quantity. Francona didn’t need to must put a brand new quantity on his bathe footwear and different items of clothes that had his quantity, so he requested for No. 77 so that each one the No. 17 written on his issues could possibly be simply modified to 77 with a single pen stroke.
(High picture of Terry Francona: Sam Greene / The Enquirer / USA At this time Community by way of Imagn Photographs)
