October 7, 2025 • 10 mins
Nick Kirby joined Todd to look back on the Reds season and project ahead to 2026.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
The time to put a post mortem on the red season.
Here to do that is Nick Kirby with Chitterbox Sports. Nick,
Before we talk about the future and the roster and
stuff like that, a quick reflection on the playoff series,
if you can call it that with the Dodgers. Game
one had Hunter Green going felt good, maybe the Reds
could win that game. He got shelled and we saw
(00:20):
these reports that he may have been tipping his pitches.
What have we learned about that anymore? And what do
you think about Hunter Green's ultimate failure in that game?
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Yeah, I think the tipping the pitches certainly seem like
it makes the most sense, and it seems like there
was enough I think Lookie Betts actually almost basically confirmed it.
So yeah, disappointing that the Reds weren't able to be
I guess better prepared with that with Green happened also
with Chase Burns earlier in the year. So the positive
(00:52):
is todd as a learning experience for Green that you know, hey,
in the playoffs, I mean, you might be able to
go all season without anyone catching up on you tipping bitches,
but you're facing a team like the Dodgers that has
the ultimate amount of resources in terms of scouting and everything.
They're going to pick up on anything and everything. So
learning experience unfortunately not fun one for anyone in the Reds.
(01:17):
And then in Game two, you know you had some hope, Dodd,
but ultimately I left the series is saying, you know, look,
the Dodgers were are so much better than the Reds
right now, and the Reds needed everything to go right
and they didn't.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
It certainly did not. But I think the one thing
that was a constant you saw them, especially in Game two,
when it looked like they really were dead in the water,
they came back to almost making a game. It'll get
the tying run to the plate in the eighth inning.
Ultimately installed there, but I think it did serve as
a microcosm of this team's fight during the season.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Yeah, if you would have told me the red scored
as many runs as they did the first two games,
I think we were like, yeah, sign me up. That
gives us a real chance. But you know, ultimately the
pitching was was kind of what undid the Reds in
the two games, which, yeah, in some ways, just the
kind of season it was, Dodd, where there was a
(02:13):
lot that maybe went right, but but they just they
just wasn't enough really to kind of get you anywhere
other than a kind of miraculous run to the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
With that, we turn our attention to next year's team.
The roster changes. What are the most obvious ones to
you that we will see?
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Well, I mean, you'll certainly lose some some free agents
Nick Martinez, Zach Lettel, Miguel Andrew Horr. There's always a chance,
like I know, Martinez is pretty well life and respective
that he comes back on a much much smaller deal,
But you're gonna lose those guys. I do think the
Reds will be pretty aggressive on the trade market. Uh
(02:54):
they were last year, you know, I think the Reds
made far more trades than I think I can remember
them then make it in a single offseason, and certainly
more than probably I and most people expected. So I
would expect that will be similar. It feels like in
some ways the Reds have too many okay players position
player wise, that maybe they need to find a way
(03:17):
to move some guys and then find a way to
bring in one or maybe we can dream two. You know,
really guys that are just well above average, bats that
are not guys you have to go, well, maybe if
this goes right, well maybe if that goes right back,
that can be a good player. It just felt like
the Reds that had too many of those guys that
just they weren't problems by themselves, but they weren't really
(03:39):
answers either.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
Nick. When you think about next season, clearly it would
appear to the starting rotation should be a strength again
with Hunter Green Andrew Abbitt, Nicolodolo, we picture that Chase
Burns is going to be in that rotation at the
beginning of next season, right, I.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Would think so, yeah, I mean, there would have to
be a lot of things go wrong for Chase Burns
not to be in the rotation. The only reason he
wasn't at the end of the year was just because,
you know, they were trying to take it easy with
with his innings and Todd. You know, I've heard a
lot about, you know, the Reds rotation. Well, it's not
going to be able to repeat what they did. That's
not sustainable, And yeah, there's some validity to that, But
(04:17):
I do think a lot of people are missing is
the fact that the Chase Burns had very little impact
overall on the starting rotation made a couple of good starts,
but you know he also had that starting against the
Red Sox where he was learning. So I think a
full season or even a year full season from Chase Burns,
it makes a pretty big impact. And a guy that's
right now pitching in the Arizona Falling and Red Louder,
you had both those guys that could make up potentially
(04:40):
quite a bit of that that somewhat maybe natural regression.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
Nick, what about the everyday starters in the field you
mentioned maybe trying to move some guys that are more
average and maybe aren't really an upgrade on a major
league roster. I guess guys that would be like a
zero war or are barely above. But when you look
at the lineup next year, who do you think is
most likely to not be back in that same spot?
Speaker 2 (05:06):
Uh, it's tough. I think it depends a lot on
maybe what other teams really would would value in terms of.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
Uh, you know what, what players that that maybe would
be moved. I think a guy like Spencer stear could
maybe I have found his way out of like first
base with what we saw out of Sal Stewart, I
think would certainly be in the Red's best interest to
tell South Stuart your every day first baseman, spend all
off season working on it.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
I think he showed enough there at the end. Uh
guys at TJ. Friedel who are getting a little bit
up there in age and getting closer to free agency,
he could be a guy that maybe a move, although
center feels a lot harder to replace, and then guys
like like Will Benson out in the outfield. I think certainly,
you know, could be could be guys that that that
(05:53):
that get moved. But you know, the the the most
positive thing looking at the kind of this roster going
in the next year is that third base up until
August was an absolute black hole. I mean, it was
just an absolute negative for the Reds in every way.
And Brian Hayes is not going to be an incredible bat,
but in terms of like wins above replacement, his absolute
(06:14):
floor when he's the worst hitter in baseball Todd is
a win and a half, So I think you can
you don't have to switch too hard to see he's
a two to two and a half guy. Ellie did
the Cruz was incredible to July, and then obviously the
end of the year just nothing went right, you have
to think he'll be better in some ways over the
force of full season. And then Matt McLain as well
(06:35):
didn't have a great year. It had some good moments,
but there was more bad moments. But still he ended
up being worked almost a win and a half and
I think that was almost the absolute version worst version himself.
And then Nuelbie martinly played ninety games. So those four
guys right there, I think that you have realistic hope
that they can be significant improvements at those positions of themselves.
(06:59):
And then it's I think the job of the front
off is to figure out where around that you can
add any any additional wins.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Nick The final thing to talk about with the team
make up the bullpen. It was okay at times. You know,
I don't think that anybody would consider them an elite bullpen,
certainly not an elite closer with Emilio Pegan, is it
going to be status quo in the bullpen or are
there moves to be made there?
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Yeah? I didn't mention Melia Pagana free agent two, so
I would be really surprised if Pegan comes back. I
think he liked it. I think the Reds like it here,
but I just see someone else paying him more than
the Reds are willing to pay for a reliever. I
think the Reds should should probably not spend a big
portion of their their their offseason budget on the bullpen.
(07:45):
Just not typically what I think wins for a small market.
You have to develop that. But obviously Tony santi and
I don't know how that guy's arm didn't fall off.
I mean he was thrown out there every single day
and answered the bell. He was incredible. Connor Phillips really
showed you some good stuff at the end of the year.
Luist may Zach Maxwell certainly some promise there. So I
think there's definitely some some arms there that give you
(08:06):
some hope. But overall, I think the bullpen performed very well,
especially with you know how little the Reds put into it.
But one thing I was looking at Todd the Reds
were i think six in Major League Baseball and blown leads. Now,
some of that was also the fact that their offense
couldn't come back either. You know a lot of times
you'll blow a lead and your offense will fight back.
You know, there wasn't a whole lot of that up
(08:27):
until September for this team, but they blew forty leads.
The MLB average was about thirty five, So you get
those extra five wins, they're tied, you're an average team
in terms of blowing leads. Well, you're an eighty eight
win team right there. And that's a whole different look
for this team and this franchise really going forward. So
I think some some smart moves for the bullpen, hopefully
(08:47):
some improvement in the offense, and I think those two
things actually kind of coincide, the ability for your offense
to actually score you some runs late and steal some
games back, and then obviously just hopefully some additional improvement in.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
The Bullpennik final thought, what will be the main advantage
of having Terry Francona around for a full cycle here?
Speaker 2 (09:06):
Well, I mean, I think hopefully he knows is his
team better, you know, than he did did a year ago.
This time it felt like earlier in the year, like
just I'll give an example, a guy like Gavin Lucks
should never have gotten that bad against the lefty. But
Terry Francona maybe part of it was just not wanting
(09:26):
to come in and just throw guys into Roles, but
now he knows. Now he either knows or he feels
comfortable enough to do that. I would hope some of
that that kind of stuff will will help him. Hopefully
him in the front office maybe have more of a
clearer vision. It felt like at times there might have
been some some things that Francona wanted the front office didn't. Hopefully,
(09:49):
over the offseason maybe they can iron some of that out.
But my biggest hope for Francona is going into next
year is that that he is willing to play some
players that have higher upside that maybe we'll strike out
a little bit more. Because this team, if you saw
anything in the playoffs, not just watching the Reds, watch
the other guys. I watched the Mariners last night win
(10:11):
a game where Scuba was incredible, but they hit a
couple of home runs. Hitting home runs fixes your offense.
I hope the Reds are willing to play the guys,
especially in the ballpark that they play, and that can
hit the ball out of the park, because I think
that really does help them give them the best chance
of winning.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
That's Nick Kirby with Chatterbox Sports.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Nick. Hopefully we can get them next year thanks doc,
The time to put a post mortem on the red season.
Here to do that is Nick Kirby with Chitterbox Sports. Nick,
Before we talk about the future and the roster and
stuff like that, a quick reflection on the playoff series,
if you can call it that with the Dodgers. Game
one had Hunter Green going felt good, maybe the Reds
could win that game. He got shelled and we saw
(00:20):
these reports that he may have been tipping his pitches.
What have we learned about that anymore? And what do
you think about Hunter Green's ultimate failure in that game?
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Yeah, I think the tipping the pitches certainly seem like
it makes the most sense, and it seems like there
was enough I think Lookie Betts actually almost basically confirmed it.
So yeah, disappointing that the Reds weren't able to be
I guess better prepared with that with Green happened also
with Chase Burns earlier in the year. So the positive
(00:52):
is todd as a learning experience for Green that you know, hey,
in the playoffs, I mean, you might be able to
go all season without anyone catching up on you tipping bitches,
but you're facing a team like the Dodgers that has
the ultimate amount of resources in terms of scouting and everything.
They're going to pick up on anything and everything. So
learning experience unfortunately not fun one for anyone in the Reds.
(01:17):
And then in Game two, you know you had some hope, Dodd,
but ultimately I left the series is saying, you know, look,
the Dodgers were are so much better than the Reds
right now, and the Reds needed everything to go right
and they didn't.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
It certainly did not. But I think the one thing
that was a constant you saw them, especially in Game two,
when it looked like they really were dead in the water,
they came back to almost making a game. It'll get
the tying run to the plate in the eighth inning.
Ultimately installed there, but I think it did serve as
a microcosm of this team's fight during the season.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Yeah, if you would have told me the red scored
as many runs as they did the first two games,
I think we were like, yeah, sign me up. That
gives us a real chance. But you know, ultimately the
pitching was was kind of what undid the Reds in
the two games, which, yeah, in some ways, just the
kind of season it was, Dodd, where there was a
(02:13):
lot that maybe went right, but but they just they
just wasn't enough really to kind of get you anywhere
other than a kind of miraculous run to the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
With that, we turn our attention to next year's team.
The roster changes. What are the most obvious ones to
you that we will see?
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Well, I mean, you'll certainly lose some some free agents
Nick Martinez, Zach Lettel, Miguel Andrew Horr. There's always a chance,
like I know, Martinez is pretty well life and respective
that he comes back on a much much smaller deal,
But you're gonna lose those guys. I do think the
Reds will be pretty aggressive on the trade market. Uh
(02:54):
they were last year, you know, I think the Reds
made far more trades than I think I can remember
them then make it in a single offseason, and certainly
more than probably I and most people expected. So I
would expect that will be similar. It feels like in
some ways the Reds have too many okay players position
player wise, that maybe they need to find a way
(03:17):
to move some guys and then find a way to
bring in one or maybe we can dream two. You know,
really guys that are just well above average, bats that
are not guys you have to go, well, maybe if
this goes right, well maybe if that goes right back,
that can be a good player. It just felt like
the Reds that had too many of those guys that
just they weren't problems by themselves, but they weren't really
(03:39):
answers either.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
Nick. When you think about next season, clearly it would
appear to the starting rotation should be a strength again
with Hunter Green Andrew Abbitt, Nicolodolo, we picture that Chase
Burns is going to be in that rotation at the
beginning of next season, right, I.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Would think so, yeah, I mean, there would have to
be a lot of things go wrong for Chase Burns
not to be in the rotation. The only reason he
wasn't at the end of the year was just because,
you know, they were trying to take it easy with
with his innings and Todd. You know, I've heard a
lot about, you know, the Reds rotation. Well, it's not
going to be able to repeat what they did. That's
not sustainable, And yeah, there's some validity to that, But
(04:17):
I do think a lot of people are missing is
the fact that the Chase Burns had very little impact
overall on the starting rotation made a couple of good starts,
but you know he also had that starting against the
Red Sox where he was learning. So I think a
full season or even a year full season from Chase Burns,
it makes a pretty big impact. And a guy that's
right now pitching in the Arizona Falling and Red Louder,
you had both those guys that could make up potentially
(04:40):
quite a bit of that that somewhat maybe natural regression.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
Nick, what about the everyday starters in the field you
mentioned maybe trying to move some guys that are more
average and maybe aren't really an upgrade on a major
league roster. I guess guys that would be like a
zero war or are barely above. But when you look
at the lineup next year, who do you think is
most likely to not be back in that same spot?
Speaker 2 (05:06):
Uh, it's tough. I think it depends a lot on
maybe what other teams really would would value in terms of.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
Uh, you know what, what players that that maybe would
be moved. I think a guy like Spencer stear could
maybe I have found his way out of like first
base with what we saw out of Sal Stewart, I
think would certainly be in the Red's best interest to
tell South Stuart your every day first baseman, spend all
off season working on it.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
I think he showed enough there at the end. Uh
guys at TJ. Friedel who are getting a little bit
up there in age and getting closer to free agency,
he could be a guy that maybe a move, although
center feels a lot harder to replace, and then guys
like like Will Benson out in the outfield. I think certainly,
you know, could be could be guys that that that
(05:53):
that get moved. But you know, the the the most
positive thing looking at the kind of this roster going
in the next year is that third base up until
August was an absolute black hole. I mean, it was
just an absolute negative for the Reds in every way.
And Brian Hayes is not going to be an incredible bat,
but in terms of like wins above replacement, his absolute
(06:14):
floor when he's the worst hitter in baseball Todd is
a win and a half, So I think you can
you don't have to switch too hard to see he's
a two to two and a half guy. Ellie did
the Cruz was incredible to July, and then obviously the
end of the year just nothing went right, you have
to think he'll be better in some ways over the
force of full season. And then Matt McLain as well
(06:35):
didn't have a great year. It had some good moments,
but there was more bad moments. But still he ended
up being worked almost a win and a half and
I think that was almost the absolute version worst version himself.
And then Nuelbie martinly played ninety games. So those four
guys right there, I think that you have realistic hope
that they can be significant improvements at those positions of themselves.
(06:59):
And then it's I think the job of the front
off is to figure out where around that you can
add any any additional wins.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Nick The final thing to talk about with the team
make up the bullpen. It was okay at times. You know,
I don't think that anybody would consider them an elite bullpen,
certainly not an elite closer with Emilio Pegan, is it
going to be status quo in the bullpen or are
there moves to be made there?
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Yeah? I didn't mention Melia Pagana free agent two, so
I would be really surprised if Pegan comes back. I
think he liked it. I think the Reds like it here,
but I just see someone else paying him more than
the Reds are willing to pay for a reliever. I
think the Reds should should probably not spend a big
portion of their their their offseason budget on the bullpen.
(07:45):
Just not typically what I think wins for a small market.
You have to develop that. But obviously Tony santi and
I don't know how that guy's arm didn't fall off.
I mean he was thrown out there every single day
and answered the bell. He was incredible. Connor Phillips really
showed you some good stuff at the end of the year.
Luist may Zach Maxwell certainly some promise there. So I
think there's definitely some some arms there that give you
(08:06):
some hope. But overall, I think the bullpen performed very well,
especially with you know how little the Reds put into it.
But one thing I was looking at Todd the Reds
were i think six in Major League Baseball and blown leads. Now,
some of that was also the fact that their offense
couldn't come back either. You know a lot of times
you'll blow a lead and your offense will fight back.
You know, there wasn't a whole lot of that up
(08:27):
until September for this team, but they blew forty leads.
The MLB average was about thirty five, So you get
those extra five wins, they're tied, you're an average team
in terms of blowing leads. Well, you're an eighty eight
win team right there. And that's a whole different look
for this team and this franchise really going forward. So
I think some some smart moves for the bullpen, hopefully
(08:47):
some improvement in the offense, and I think those two
things actually kind of coincide, the ability for your offense
to actually score you some runs late and steal some
games back, and then obviously just hopefully some additional improvement in.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
The Bullpennik final thought, what will be the main advantage
of having Terry Francona around for a full cycle here?
Speaker 2 (09:06):
Well, I mean, I think hopefully he knows is his
team better, you know, than he did did a year ago.
This time it felt like earlier in the year, like
just I'll give an example, a guy like Gavin Lucks
should never have gotten that bad against the lefty. But
Terry Francona maybe part of it was just not wanting
(09:26):
to come in and just throw guys into Roles, but
now he knows. Now he either knows or he feels
comfortable enough to do that. I would hope some of
that that kind of stuff will will help him. Hopefully
him in the front office maybe have more of a
clearer vision. It felt like at times there might have
been some some things that Francona wanted the front office didn't. Hopefully,
(09:49):
over the offseason maybe they can iron some of that out.
But my biggest hope for Francona is going into next
year is that that he is willing to play some
players that have higher upside that maybe we'll strike out
a little bit more. Because this team, if you saw
anything in the playoffs, not just watching the Reds, watch
the other guys. I watched the Mariners last night win
(10:11):
a game where Scuba was incredible, but they hit a
couple of home runs. Hitting home runs fixes your offense.
I hope the Reds are willing to play the guys,
especially in the ballpark that they play, and that can
hit the ball out of the park, because I think
that really does help them give them the best chance
of winning.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
That's Nick Kirby with Chatterbox Sports.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Nick. Hopefully we can get them next year thanks doc,
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