Back in early October when MLB Trade Rumors released their salary estimates for all arbitration-eligible players heading into the 2022 season, we did our best to break down where the Cincinnati Reds payroll would be if they simply maintained the status quo.
Our initial breakdown looked at a scenario that included tendering contracts to all 10 arb-eligible players, picking up the options on both Tucker Barnhart and Wade Miley, and assuming the obvious of Nick Castellanos opting into free agency. We assumed at the time they’d likely shop some of their pricier players this winter, but never dreamed they’d simply throw away Miley and dump Barnhart simply to avoid even their meager option buyouts, a pretty clear indication that even our most frugal estimates were too optimistic.