The Cincinnati Reds enter this winter as builders. Not as re-builders, but as builders with a very well-poured foundation and a clean line of credit awaiting them.
The option decision on Joey Votto remains the lone large-scale obligation currently on their books, but even with arbitration raises - more on that in a second - they’re going to head into the winter with some ninety million fewer dollars committed to their payroll than they’ve had as recently as 2019.
In other words, they’ve got a burgeoning young roster, enough success from 2023 on which to build, and pocketbooks that should be completely open.