CINCINNATI — If the Reds spend the offseason simply looking for more home runs, they will be trying to fix the wrong problem.
Power was not Cincinnati’s problem in 2026. The Reds hit 213 home runs, the second-most in the National League, while Elly De La Cruz produced his first 30-homer, 30-stolen-base season and Sal Stewart blasted 32 home runs with 111 RBIs during a remarkable rookie year.
Somehow, a team with that much power still finished last in the National League in runs scored.
That tells you almost everything about what has to change.
The Reds struck out more than any team in the National League and tied for the highest strikeout rate in baseball at 25.5 percent. Their 27.1 percent whiff rate was tied for fourth-worst in MLB, while their 82.2 percent contact rate on pitches inside the strike zone ranked 26th.
When Cincinnati actually hit the baseball, it tended to hit it hard. The Reds posted a 9.4 percent barrel rate, second only to the Yankees.
The problem was getting to that point often enough.
President of baseball operations Nick Krall and general manager Brad Meador have both acknowledged that Cincinnati needs more players capable of extending at-bats, reaching base, and providing manager Terry Francona with better lineup options. That may sound less exciting than adding another 30-home-run hitter, but it is exactly where this roster needs improvement.
De La Cruz and Stewart give Cincinnati two legitimate middle-of-the-order threats around which to build. Tyler Stephenson also had a productive season, though his pending free agency creates another decision for the front office.
The problem was what happened around them.
Too many spots in the lineup became matchup-dependent, inconsistent, or simply unproductive for long stretches. Cincinnati had power, but power becomes much less valuable when too often it arrives with nobody on base.
The outfield is an obvious place to improve.
JJ Bleday hit a career-high 24 home runs, but his production was heavily tilted toward right-handed pitching. Dane Myers was much more effective against left-handers, while several other players showed similarly dramatic platoon splits.
There is nothing inherently wrong with using platoons. Good teams do it constantly. The issue is whether the roster contains enough complementary players to make those matchups work consistently.
In Cincinnati’s case, too often it did not.
Matt McLain offered another example. His OPS against left-handed pitching was .777, but it dropped to .552 against right-handers. That is a massive gap for a player expected to occupy an important place in the lineup.
Those weaknesses add up over 162 games.
The Reds do not necessarily need to find another superstar this winter. They need hitters who put the ball in play, control the strike zone, and give Francona more reliable options when a matchup turns unfavorable.
That would also make the existing power more dangerous.
A De La Cruz home run with nobody on base is worth one run. The same swing with two runners aboard changes an inning, and sometimes a game. Cincinnati produced enough hard contact in 2026 to prove the raw offensive ability is there.
Now the Reds need to make sure someone is standing on base when that contact comes.
The front office appears to understand the problem. Cincinnati’s leadership has already said the offensive emphasis needs to shift toward better contact, tougher at-bats, and reaching base more consistently.
That should be the priority.
The Reds do not need to reinvent their offense this winter. They need to make the version they already have function more often.
