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The Cincinnati Reds season starts Thursday. Game 1 of 162 in a season of hope, expectations and especially intrigue after hiring one of the best managers of a generation to oversee a talented roster headed by two of the most dynamic frontmen in the game: shortstop Elly De La Cruz and Opening Day starter Hunter Greene.
They’ll open without a closer after struggling Alexis Díaz was deemed in need of some hamstring/delivery repairs, without their starting catcher because of Tyler Stephenson’s injured oblique and without important run producer Spencer Steer because of a shoulder problem.
How will those losses impact their fortunes? How will a deepened starting rotation and the return of Matt McLain from a season-long injury help? And what about the additions of Austin Hays, Gavin Lux, Brady Singer, Jose Trevino and the new bullpen guys?
There are only two ways to find out those answers:
One is to watch the next six months of baseball.
The other: Read the answers right here, where Enquirer columnist Jason Williams and baseball writers Gordon Wittenmyer and Pat Brennan tell you all you need to know about how the 2025 Reds season will play out.
Their bold predictions:
Brennan: Better defense, better base-running and starting-pitching depth under Terry Francona will net 88 wins – and the third Wild Card spot in the NL. The Reds are going back to the playoffs.
Williams: 86 wins, good for second place in the division. They’ll be in contention for a wild-card spot down the stretch, but ultimately fall short of making the postseason.
Wittenmyer: Enough improvement since last year for 83 wins – but not enough to avoid falling two games short of a division title and miss the playoffs in a loaded National League.
Brennan: Yes. They’ll win the best-of-three Wild Card series, with Elly De La Cruz and Hunter Greene dominating one game apiece. There's your ticket to the Division Series.
Williams: No. They’re a year away. If this team keeps building, 2026 could be the year the streak ends.
Wittenmyer: What part of missing the playoffs was hard to understand? Can’t win it if you’re not in it.
Brennan: Elly's going to flirt with membership in the prestigious 40-40 club for most of the season before finishing with 48 stolen bags and 35 homers.
Williams: 51 stolen bases and 31 home runs.
Wittenmyer: After stealing 67 bases and hitting 25 homers, Elly’s looking for Ronald Acuna territory. He’ll get 70 steals to become baseball’s second 70-30 man (31 homers).
Brennan: Elly can't realize his full potential striking out 200-plus times, or close to it. He got that message during spring training, showed some discipline, and will start to eat into his 2024 total of K's. How's 175 sound?
Williams: He’ll cut down on strikeouts some, because he’s better adjusted to the big leagues. But it’ll still be way too high. Look for him to whiff 179 times.
Wittenmyer: Are you guys high? Dude struck out 218 times last year. If he’s hitting more home runs, he’s not striking out fewer than 200 — and that’s still nearly a 10-percent drop. Make it 219.
Brennan: Trevino. I don't wish it on Stephenson, but the unfortunate timing of his injury opens the door for Trevino to supplant him.
Williams: Stephenson.
Wittenmyer: Stephenson was MLB’s top workhorse catcher last year, and Trevino gets maybe a month’s head start with Stephenson’s injury. Obviously, they will finish in a tie with 67 catching starts each.
Brennan: Hays was more locked-in during camp, so he'll get out to a faster start and club 30 homers.
Williams: Hays, if nothing else because Candelario seems on the downside of his career.
Wittenmyer: The Candy Man’s healthy again. Pitch to him at your own risk. Which of course means a team-leading 34 dingers.
Brennan: Lowder is 23 years old and has six career big-league starts. He still has a lot to learn and will encounter growing pains. Miley is 38 and has 310 career starts. I'll take Miley's experience and wisdom as the separator in the head-to-head over Lowder.
Williams: Miley. A reliable veteran who’s willing to take the ball is the type of pitcher the Reds often seem to need down the stretch. Take experience over the unknown.
Wittenmyer: When Lowder returns to the rotation, he’s not looking back. His 125 innings will could be the key to a winning season for the Reds, and Miley won’t come close.
Brennan: No way.
Williams: No.
Wittenmyer: Both.
Brennan: Hunter Greene and De La Cruz are going back to the Midsummer Classic, and Hays will join them.
Williams: De La Cruz and Greene.
Wittenmyer: It’ll be Elly, McLain and Jeimer, the most underrated, greatest trio of stars to play in Cincinnati since the Bee Gees in 1979.
Brennan: None. Diaz is in the midst of a wakeup call, and the Reds will ultimately decide to run him out there plenty. And when they do, they'll give him enough leash to withstand the shaky outings. So, Diaz will pile up saves.
Williams: None. Diaz will bounce back from the hamstring injury and still lead the club in saves.
Wittenmyer: Assuming we’re not counting International League saves, four Reds will have more: Scott Barlow, Emilio Pagan, Tony Santillan and Graham Ashcraft. Wait a minute, forgot Taylor Rogers. Make it five.
Brennan: Diaz.
Williams: Diaz.
Wittenmyer: Ashcraft.
Brennan: Trevino's their best bet but once Stephenson is healthy, they'll cancel each other out. But no one will care when the Reds are hosting Game 3 of the NLDS at GABP.
Williams: None. Trevino won a Gold Glove in 2022, when he played a career-high 112 games behind the plate. But he’s no longer an everyday catcher once Stephenson is healthy. The Reds’ fielding should be much better, but there aren’t any Gold Glove-caliber fielders on this team right now.
Wittenmyer: What is this, some kind of AI-created joke from the prediction-query machine? Have you seen this group in the field the last three years? Next question.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Reds bold predictions for 2025 MLB season
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They’ll open without a closer after struggling Alexis Díaz was deemed in need of some hamstring/delivery repairs, without their starting catcher because of Tyler Stephenson’s injured oblique and without important run producer Spencer Steer because of a shoulder problem.
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How will those losses impact their fortunes? How will a deepened starting rotation and the return of Matt McLain from a season-long injury help? And what about the additions of Austin Hays, Gavin Lux, Brady Singer, Jose Trevino and the new bullpen guys?
There are only two ways to find out those answers:
One is to watch the next six months of baseball.
The other: Read the answers right here, where Enquirer columnist Jason Williams and baseball writers Gordon Wittenmyer and Pat Brennan tell you all you need to know about how the 2025 Reds season will play out.
Their bold predictions:
How many wins for the Reds and where does it land them in the NL Central?
Brennan: Better defense, better base-running and starting-pitching depth under Terry Francona will net 88 wins – and the third Wild Card spot in the NL. The Reds are going back to the playoffs.
Williams: 86 wins, good for second place in the division. They’ll be in contention for a wild-card spot down the stretch, but ultimately fall short of making the postseason.
Wittenmyer: Enough improvement since last year for 83 wins – but not enough to avoid falling two games short of a division title and miss the playoffs in a loaded National League.
It's been 30 years since the Reds won a playoff series, longest drought in American major-league sports. Does the streak end this year?
Brennan: Yes. They’ll win the best-of-three Wild Card series, with Elly De La Cruz and Hunter Greene dominating one game apiece. There's your ticket to the Division Series.
Williams: No. They’re a year away. If this team keeps building, 2026 could be the year the streak ends.
Wittenmyer: What part of missing the playoffs was hard to understand? Can’t win it if you’re not in it.
How many stolen bases and home runs for Elly De La Cruz?
Brennan: Elly's going to flirt with membership in the prestigious 40-40 club for most of the season before finishing with 48 stolen bags and 35 homers.
Williams: 51 stolen bases and 31 home runs.
Wittenmyer: After stealing 67 bases and hitting 25 homers, Elly’s looking for Ronald Acuna territory. He’ll get 70 steals to become baseball’s second 70-30 man (31 homers).
How many strikeouts for ELDC after leading the league with the fourth-highest total of all-time last year.
Brennan: Elly can't realize his full potential striking out 200-plus times, or close to it. He got that message during spring training, showed some discipline, and will start to eat into his 2024 total of K's. How's 175 sound?
Williams: He’ll cut down on strikeouts some, because he’s better adjusted to the big leagues. But it’ll still be way too high. Look for him to whiff 179 times.
Wittenmyer: Are you guys high? Dude struck out 218 times last year. If he’s hitting more home runs, he’s not striking out fewer than 200 — and that’s still nearly a 10-percent drop. Make it 219.
More games started behind the plate: Jose Trevino or Tyler Stephenson?
Brennan: Trevino. I don't wish it on Stephenson, but the unfortunate timing of his injury opens the door for Trevino to supplant him.
Williams: Stephenson.
Wittenmyer: Stephenson was MLB’s top workhorse catcher last year, and Trevino gets maybe a month’s head start with Stephenson’s injury. Obviously, they will finish in a tie with 67 catching starts each.
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More home runs: Austin Hays or Jeimer Candelario (career high for both is 22)?
Brennan: Hays was more locked-in during camp, so he'll get out to a faster start and club 30 homers.
Williams: Hays, if nothing else because Candelario seems on the downside of his career.
Wittenmyer: The Candy Man’s healthy again. Pitch to him at your own risk. Which of course means a team-leading 34 dingers.
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More big-league innings pitched. Rhett Lowder or Wade Miley?
Brennan: Lowder is 23 years old and has six career big-league starts. He still has a lot to learn and will encounter growing pains. Miley is 38 and has 310 career starts. I'll take Miley's experience and wisdom as the separator in the head-to-head over Lowder.
Williams: Miley. A reliable veteran who’s willing to take the ball is the type of pitcher the Reds often seem to need down the stretch. Take experience over the unknown.
Wittenmyer: When Lowder returns to the rotation, he’s not looking back. His 125 innings will could be the key to a winning season for the Reds, and Miley won’t come close.
Will either have more than Nick Lodolo?
Brennan: No way.
Williams: No.
Wittenmyer: Both.
In a star-loaded NL, how many All-Stars will the Reds have? who?
Brennan: Hunter Greene and De La Cruz are going back to the Midsummer Classic, and Hays will join them.
Williams: De La Cruz and Greene.
Wittenmyer: It’ll be Elly, McLain and Jeimer, the most underrated, greatest trio of stars to play in Cincinnati since the Bee Gees in 1979.
How many Reds relievers earn more saves than 2023 All-Star Alexis Diaz?
Brennan: None. Diaz is in the midst of a wakeup call, and the Reds will ultimately decide to run him out there plenty. And when they do, they'll give him enough leash to withstand the shaky outings. So, Diaz will pile up saves.
Williams: None. Diaz will bounce back from the hamstring injury and still lead the club in saves.
Wittenmyer: Assuming we’re not counting International League saves, four Reds will have more: Scott Barlow, Emilio Pagan, Tony Santillan and Graham Ashcraft. Wait a minute, forgot Taylor Rogers. Make it five.
Who's the Reds closer on Labor Day?
Brennan: Diaz.
Williams: Diaz.
Wittenmyer: Ashcraft.
Reds haven't won a Gold Glove in a full season since 2017. How many do they win this year?
Brennan: Trevino's their best bet but once Stephenson is healthy, they'll cancel each other out. But no one will care when the Reds are hosting Game 3 of the NLDS at GABP.
Williams: None. Trevino won a Gold Glove in 2022, when he played a career-high 112 games behind the plate. But he’s no longer an everyday catcher once Stephenson is healthy. The Reds’ fielding should be much better, but there aren’t any Gold Glove-caliber fielders on this team right now.
Wittenmyer: What is this, some kind of AI-created joke from the prediction-query machine? Have you seen this group in the field the last three years? Next question.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Reds bold predictions for 2025 MLB season
Continue reading...
