The Reds are in a good position to silence the doubters.
The Cincinnati Reds believe in their team. Cincinnati made a National League Wild Card push a season ago. The Reds are looking to take the next step in 2026 and potentially challenge for the division. According to Fangraphs the Reds have just a 20.1 percent chance of making the playoffs, however.
After earning one of the three Wild Card spots last year, Fangraphs gives the Reds an 11 percent chance to earn a Wild Card position in 2026. And the team's World Series chances? Fangraphs has it at 0.6 percent.
Overall, the Reds are projected to finish the upcoming campaign with around 79 wins and around 83 losses. In other words, Cincinnati will finish opposite of where the team was last year according to Fangraphs, as the Reds held an 83-79 record a season ago.
Will Cincinnati take a step in the wrong direction, though? The ball club got stronger for the most part this past offseason. Sure, they will not be the World Series favorite, but there is reason to believe in the Reds.
Optimistic Reds Outlook
The Reds feature an impressive pitching rotation. Cincinnati's starting pitching will be what leads the way.
Hunter Greene is the ace. He is one of the better pitchers in MLB. Andrew Abbott and Nick Lodolo are both capable of having All-Star caliber seasons. Brady Singer is a veteran who could give Cincinnati a respectable ERA and a good amount of innings.
The ball club has multiple candidates set to battle for the No. 5 rotation spot. Starting pitching depth is not a problem.
The Reds' bullpen is not perfect, but it could be reliable. Cincinnati re-signed closer Emilio Pagan during the offseason, a move that will help to add stability in the back of the bullpen.
As has been discussed all offseason, the offense is where the uncertainty becomes impossible to ignore. The Eugenio Suarez signing will help the lineup, and Sal Stewart could win the NL Rookie of the Year. Elly De La Cruz is one of the better players in MLB, but there are still a number of question marks when it comes to the Reds' offense.
Still, the team found a way to win at a respectable level last year. They have seemingly improved for the most part. It would not be surprising to see Cincinnati win around 85 games and make another run at a Wild Card spot in 2026.