The Cincinnati Reds fell just short of postseason play, but it should still be considered a successful year for this young group led by Elly De La Cruz, Noelvi Marte, Matt McLain and more. Cincinnati entered this season with one of the best farm systems in all of baseball, and saw most of those young players graduate to the majors with some success.
Yet, the Reds will look much different next season. Ownership appears more committed than ever to spend on top talent, or at least to keep their young stars under contract long term. Cincinnati knows their World Series window is just opening starting next season, so why waste it?
Cincinnati Reds who won't be back: Obviously, Joey Votto
Votto played in what was likely his final major-league game on Sunday against the St. Louis Cardinals, where he was promptly ejected for arguing balls and strikes. While that classic bit of ump show should not go unnoticed, Votto took some of the heat off the umpire by admitting he deserved it on social media.
"Every game, I want to play the entire game for the people that come to the games, for the people who watch at home, for people who follow the individual careers, I take pride in making it through a game," Votto said. "And I didn't today. And on the last day of the season, it's unfortunate."
Votto is one of the best personalities in the sport, which was hidden for far too long because he played in a smaller market. While it would have been nice to see Votto make the postseason in the final year of his career, showing this young group how to win and compete in a Wild Card chase was a tall enough ask.
With or without Votto, the Reds future is bright. He knows that.
Cincinnati Reds who won't be back: Harrison Bader
Harrison Bader was a late-season addition by the Reds in hopes of making a postseason push. The former Cardinals and Yankees outfielder never really wanted to leave New York, and it showed in his comments once he was claimed by the Reds in the first place. Bader would have preferred to finish things out in the Bronx.
"It really comes down to silencing the noise and remembering why you're in that locker room, regardless of what the uniform is," Bader told the Enquirer. "That's to play meaningful baseball. That's what matters. I've always said it's never about the uniform you're in. It's about the ball, respect for the game and everything that revolves around playing winning baseball."
Bader was excited to step into a postseason race, but also made it clear how much he missed NYC with an Instagram post after he left.
Spotrac has Bader's expected value at over $15 million this offseason in what should be a relatively weak outfield class. He may receive that offer elsewhere, but probably not in Cincinnati.
Cincinnati Reds who won't be back: Curt Casali
The Reds backstop finished the season on the injured list, but given his offensive production probably did not have a roster spot awaiting him were he to return this season anyway. Casali hit just .176 this season in 80 at-bats. He was third on the depth chart behind Tyler Stephenson and Luke Maile, both of whom could be retained this offseason if the organization chooses.
Casali is a decent depth catcher at his best. He can be stashed by a non-contender in hopes he breaks out and can earn some prospect capital come next season's trade deadline. Teams like the Pittsburgh Pirates and Detroit Tigers have taken this approach with veteran before, especially when coming off a down season. Casali's best seasons in Cincinnati were 2018 and 2019, though he rarely played more than 80 games per year with the club.
As Drew Koch noted in his article outlining the Reds offseason plans, it's tough to see a scenario in which Casali is on the roster in 2024:
"Heading into 2024, it's hard to see the Cincinnati Reds going forward with three catchers on the Opening Day roster once again. While manager David Bell was certainly able to find ways to make it work, there's no doubt that it made things more difficult that it needed to be."
Enough said.
Cincinnati Reds who won't be back: Trade candidate Jonathan India
Former NL Rookie of the Year Jonathan India could be up for grabs this offseason just as he was at the trade deadline. For a Reds team hoping to improve in other areas on their major-league roster, India is a rare piece they can feel comfortable trading given the amount of young infield depth on the team.
When Elly De La Cruz and Matt McLain were called up, there was little room for India in the starting lineup. Noelvi Marte playing third base makes that all the more complicated for India moving forward. Still, India is a capable big leaguer with All-Star potential, depending on who you ask.
At the deadline, the Reds were searching for young, controllable starting pitching, and shopping India as a result. That's still a relatively obvious need for Cincinnati. Should they be unable to find affordable starters on the free-agent market, trading India in a package for pitching makes a lot of sense.
