Cincinnati Reds News

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Sal Stewart • 3B • Reds

Sal Stewart Starting at Second Base on Saturday

Cincinnati Reds infielder Sal Stewart is making the start at second base and will hit cleanup for the Reds for Saturday's ballgame against the hosting Minnesota Twins and right-hander Taj Bradley at Target Field, according to MLB.com. The slumping Matt McLain will get the day off after starting with a .183 average (13-for-71) in 20 games. With Stewart moving over to the keystone, the left-handed-hitting Nathaniel Lowe will draw into the starting lineup at first base. It remains to be seen if Stewart will play enough to gain eligibility at second base in 2026, but if he does, it would be another big boost to an already dynamic young slugger. The 22-year-old former first-rounder in 2022 has been one of the best hitters in baseball through the first couple of weeks of the 2026 season, as he enters Saturday's game in the Twin Cities with a .300/.405/.657 slash line, 1.062 OPS, seven home runs, 17 RBI, 14 runs scored, and even four stolen bases in 70 at-bats. Stewart has been a hot waiver-wire pickup and is now rostered in 89% of Yahoo leagues.

21 hours ago

Nick Lodolo • SP • Reds

Nick Lodolo Throws Two Simulated Innings on Friday

Cincinnati Reds left-hander Nick Lodolo (finger) threw 31 pitches in two simulated innings during live batting practice on Friday, according to MLB.com. He's scheduled to bump up to three innings on Tuesday, April 21. Lodolo has yet to pitch for the Reds in 2026 due to a blister on his pitching hand that he developed right at the end of spring training. The 28-year-old southpaw is building up slowly and could get up to three innings next Tuesday. After that, the former TCU pitcher could get cleared to go on a minor-league rehab assignment. With plenty of boxes left to check, it's unlikely that Lodolo will be reinstated from the 15-day injured list before the end of April. Despite being on the sidelines for the first month of the season, Lodolo is rostered in 90% of Yahoo leagues for his strikeout upside when he's fully healthy. The former first-rounder has fanned 26.2% of the hitters he's faced in his first four years in the majors.

Yesterday

Sal Stewart • 3B • Reds

Sal Stewart Continues to Hit, Goes Deep Twice on Wednesday

Cincinnati Reds infielder Sal Stewart is in the midst of a breakout season early on in 2026 in his first full year in the big leagues. In the team's 8-3 win over the visiting San Francisco Giants on Wednesday, Stewart went 2-for-4 at the plate with two home runs, six RBI, and a strikeout. Stewart hit two three-run home runs early in this game against Giants right-hander Tyler Mahle, and the Reds never looked back. It was Stewart's first multi-homer game of his career, and most likely the first of many to come. The 22-year-old former first-rounder in 2022 is hitting .323/.434/.726 with a 1.160 OPS, seven home runs, 17 RBI, three stolen bases, 13 runs scored, 13 walks, and 13 strikeouts in 76 plate appearances over his first 18 games in 2026. Stewart's seven home runs lead all rookie hitters, and he also leads the league with his .726 slugging percentage in the early going. His ownership in fantasy baseball has taken off since the start of the regular season, and he's now rostered in 88% of Yahoo leagues.

2 days ago

Emilio Pagán • RP • Reds

Emilio Pagan Feels "Good" After Tweaking his Hamstring

Cincinnati Reds closer Emilio Pagan (hamstring) said he felt his hamstring get a little tight on Tuesday night, but he never felt it pop, according to Charlie Goldsmith of FOX 19. Pagan is pain-free, received treatment on Wednesday morning, and played catch fine. "Looking like we dodged a bullet," Pagan said. "Playing catch, I felt pretty good. My delivery didn't change." The Reds' coaching staff will discuss whether Pagan will be available for Wednesday's game against the San Francisco Giants. For now, fantasy managers should consider Pagan to be day-to-day. The 34-year-old veteran has five saves in his first nine relief outings in 2026, but he's also allowed five earned runs on six hits (two homers) while walking six and striking out nine in 9 1/3 innings of work. Fantasy managers desperate for saves might want to think about a speculative pickup of right-hander Tony Santillan, who is likely the next up for saves in Cincy if Pagan's condition worsens.

3 days ago

Graham Ashcraft • RP • Reds

Graham Ashcraft Seeing Stash Value Increase Following Bullpen Injury

Cincinnati Reds reliever Graham Ashcraft delivered a clean inning in Tuesday's 2-1 victory vs. the Giants, striking out two batters. Graham Ashcraft has been a reliable presence in the bullpen, posting a 2.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 13 strikeouts across nine innings. The 28-year-old has spent his entire career in Cincinnati and is showing signs of taking a meaningful step forward. His ability to miss bats has stood out early in the season, with a 38.2 K%. Injuries within the Reds bullpen have created additional opportunities. If Ashcraft continues to perform at this level, he could solidify a consistent high-leverage role moving forward.

4 days ago

Tony Santillan • RP • Reds

Tony Santillan the Priority Handcuff in Reds Bullpen?

Cincinnati Reds reliever Tony Santillan is off to a strong start to the 2026 season, as he's recorded 10 strikeouts and has yet to allow an earned run across his first eight innings pitched (eight games). With the news that Reds closer Emilio Pagan (hamstring) is being evaluated for a hamstring injury, Santillan could be in line to assume the ninth-inning role in Cincinnati. The 29-year-old was one of the Reds' best high-leverage arms in 2025, recording a 2.44 ERA and 1.11 WHIP with 75 strikeouts across 73 2/3 innings (80 games). Santillan also picked up seven saves and has 11 saves in his big-league career, so he has some experience as a closer. If Pagan ends up missing time, Santillan would immediately become a priority target on the waiver wire for fantasy managers.

4 days ago

Emilio Pagán • RP • Reds

Emilio Pagan Getting Hamstring Checked After Earning Save on Tuesday

Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona said that closer Emilio Pagan (hamstring) is getting his hamstring checked out after earning the save in his team's 2-1 win over the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday, per Jeremy Rauch of Fox 19 Cincinnati. Pagan pitched a scoreless ninth inning with a strikeout for his fifth save of the season, but is apparently dealing with some discomfort that will need monitoring. The 34-year-old is five-for-six on save chances so far this season and has pitched to a 4.82 ERA and 1.32 WHIP with nine strikeouts across 9 1/3 innings pitched. If Pagan is forced to miss time, Cincinnati right-handers Tony Santillan and Graham Ashcraft could be the favorites to move into the ninth-inning role for the Reds.

4 days ago

Rece Hinds • RF • Reds

Reds Calling Up Rece Hinds From Louisville

The Cincinnati Reds are calling up hot-hitting outfielder Rece Hinds from Triple-A Louisville, according to Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer. In a corresponding move, the Reds are sending struggling outfielder Noelvi Marte to Louisville. Hinds could have immediate waiver-wire appeal in deep-mixed and NL-only leagues and figures to be on the short side of a platoon in right field with Will Benson now that he's back in the big leagues. The 25-year-old was hitting an impressive .354/.475/.771 with five home runs in 61 appearances for the Bats in the minors before his promotion. There's some intriguing power/speed upside with Hinds if he can cut down on his whiffs -- he's struck out over 38% of the time in the big leagues. The former second-round pick in 2019 has hit a combined .191/.242/.506 with seven home runs, 14 RBI, 15 runs scored, and two steals in 39 games with the Reds since the start of the 2024 season.

5 days ago

Noelvi Marte • RF • Reds

Reds Option Noelvi Marte to Triple-A

The Cincinnati Reds announced on Monday that they optioned outfielder Noelvi Marte to Triple-A Louisville after their game on Sunday. Marte should get another opportunity in Cincinnati this year, but for now, he'll be replaced on the active big-league roster with outfielder Rece Hinds. The 24-year-old Marte went 4-for-29 (.138) with two runs scored, a stolen base, two walks, and 10 strikeouts in his first 11 games in 2026 before being sent to the minors. Hinds is worth a look off the waiver wire for outfield depth in deeper fantasy leagues now that he should be sharing playing time in right field for the Reds with the left-handed-hitting Will Benson. Marte, who was a former top prospect for the Reds, still has power/speed upside in dynasty/leagues, but he's running out of time to earn a regular role at the major-league level. Adding to his intrigue in keeper leagues, Marte has eligibility at both third base and the outfield.

5 days ago

Matt McLain • 2B • Reds

Matt McLain Sitting Out on Saturday

Cincinnati Reds second baseman Matt McLain will hit the bench for Saturday's game against the visiting Los Angeles Angels at Great American Ballpark, according to MLB.com. Sal Stewart will make the start at the keystone and will hit cleanup for the Reds versus Angels rookie right-hander George Klassen. Spencer Steer is hitting second for Cincy. McLain hit seven home runs in 18 spring training games, but as soon as the games started to count, he's cooled off at the plate. The 26-year-old former first-rounder out of UCLA has gone 12-for-55 (.218) so far with no homers, three RBI, six runs scored, two stolen bases, seven walks, and 15 strikeouts in 64 plate appearances and 14 games played. McLain has plenty of time to turn things around offensively, but fantasy managers might want to keep him benched until he turns it around. Stewart, 22, is one of the brightest young position-player prospects in the big leagues with both power and speed. He's off to a great start, slashing .340/.458/.681 with four homers, nine RBI, eight runs, and three steals in 47 at-bats for the Reds.

7 days ago

Nick Lodolo • SP • Reds

Nick Lodolo to Throw Bullpen Session on Thursday

Cincinnati Reds left-hander Nick Lodolo (finger) will throw a bullpen session on Thursday, according to Charlie Goldsmith of FOX 19. Manager Terry Francona said how aggressive Lodolo gets will be determined by how he's feeling. Lodolo began the 2026 regular season on the 15-day injured list due to another blister issue, and he was forced from his minor-league rehab start last week with a setback of the blister on his left index finger. If the talented southpaw can cut it loose on Thursday, he could be cleared to make another rehab start in the minors. The 28-year-old alumnus of TCU doesn't have a firm timetable to return, but if his bullpen session goes well, he could make his season debut in Cincy's starting rotation before the end of April. Regardless of how long it takes Lodolo to get back to the big leagues, he should be stashed in an IL spot in fantasy leagues for his high-end strikeout upside. In four big-league seasons, Lodolo has struck out 26.2% of the batters he's faced.

Apr 9

Elly De La Cruz • SS • Reds

Elly De La Cruz Remains a Strong Dual-Threat Producer

Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz is coming off back-to-back seasons with 20+ homers and 30+ stolen bases, and he is well on his way to another big season of both power and speed. Through 12 games, he has three homers and three stolen bases, which puts him on pace for over 40 homers and 40 stolen bases. While he may not quite reach those numbers, he remains an elite option at shortstop with those big contributions, even though his .234 batting average leaves lots of room for improvement. His hard-hit rate is up this season, though, so his low average seems mostly due to bad BABIP luck. If his average rises, he'll have even more chances to run and rack up more stolen bases as the season goes on. If he stays healthy, De La Cruz seems on track for another huge season.

Apr 9

Matt McLain • 2B • Reds

Matt McLain Rebounds With Two-Hit Effort on Tuesday, Cause for Optimism?

Cincinnati Reds second baseman Matt McLain smacked a pair of doubles in a 2-for-5 effort in Tuesday's 6-3 extra-innings win over the Marlins, driving in two runs, scoring once, and stealing a base. Perhaps the former first-rounder is rounding into form with three multi-hit efforts in his last five games, raising his batting average from .190 to .238 on the season. The 28-year-old scorched the ball this spring, batting .509 with seven home runs, which inflated his ADP in fantasy drafts, so managers who invested in a bounce-back campaign should be encouraged by his recent play. The right-handed hitter will go up against the Marlins' Eury Perez on Wednesday, and although he's seen Perez only twice, McLain does have a home run off of him.

Apr 8

Rece Hinds • RF • Reds

Rece Hinds a Name to Monitor in Deeper Leagues

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Rece Hinds is off to a strong start at Triple-A Louisville, going 13-for-34 (.382) with seven extra-base hits, including four home runs, and a 7:9 BB:K in nine games there. The former second-round draft pick made his major league debut in 2024, amassing a whopping nine extra-base hits (five home runs) in his first six big league games, but combined with a brief stay in the majors last season, the 6-foot-3 slugger owns an ugly 38.9 percent strikeout rate in 95 plate appearances during his time in the majors. After a .302/359/.563 slash line at Triple-A last year with 24 home runs, and a strong start in 2026, there's hope that the next time he gets the call, his success will translate to the big leagues. If it does, the 25-year-old could quickly become fantasy relevant, so fantasy managers in deeper leagues should keep him on their watch list, especially those managers in need of home run and RBI production.

Apr 7

Brandon Williamson • SP • Reds

Brandon Williamson Bounces Back With Quality Start on Monday

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Brandon Williamson picked up his first win of the season on Monday, pitching 6 2/3 scoreless innings and allowing three hits and a walk while striking out four in his team's 2-0 win over the Miami Marlins. The quality start against Miami was a much-needed bounce-back effort for the 28-year-old, who got roughed up for six earned runs in his first start of the year against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Entering 2026, Williamson had pitched just 14 1/3 MLB innings across the past two seasons due to shoulder and elbow injuries. However, with Reds starters Hunter Greene (elbow) and Nick Lodolo (finger) both opening the year on the injured list, Williamson is getting his chance to prove he's worthy of a rotation spot. The left-hander owns just a 19.8% strikeout rate across 136 career big-league innings, so he may not offer fantasy managers much swing-and-miss ability. However, Williamson could be worth monitoring as a potentially cheap source of innings in deep leagues. His next scheduled start is Saturday at home against the Los Angeles Angels.

Apr 6

Emilio Pagán • RP • Reds

Emilio Pagan Perfect en Route to Earning Fourth Save

Cincinnati Reds closer Emilio Pagan pitched a perfect ninth inning and recorded his fourth save of the season in his team's 2-0 victory over the Miami Marlins on Monday. Pagan's overall numbers for the year don't look pretty, as he's pitched to a 7.11 ERA with three walks and six strikeouts across 6 1/3 innings pitched. However, the 34-year-old's line is tainted by one four-run outing against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Pagan has allowed just one run across his other five appearances combined, and he's converted four of his five save chances. The veteran right-hander picked up 32 saves for Cincinnati in 2025, and he appears to have a firm hold on the team's closer job to begin 2026 as well. As long as that remains the case, Pagan should be in the starting lineup of fantasy managers.

Apr 6

Emilio Pagán • RP • Reds

Emilio Pagan Tosses Clean Inning, Bounces Back for Second Save

Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Emilio Pagan was tasked with shutting down the Texas Rangers during the ninth inning of Friday's game. It has been a rocky start for Pagan, but he was able to bounce back nicely on Friday. The right-hander tossed a perfect final frame and recorded one strikeout on his way to earning his second save of the season. This was a strong bounce-back outing after Pagan allowed four earned runs during Wednesday's game. Fantasy managers should stick with him despite a slow start to the season.

Apr 3

Nick Lodolo • SP • Reds

Reds to Discuss Next Steps for Nick Lodolo

FOX 19's Charlie Goldsmith reports that Cincinnati Reds left-hander Nick Lodolo (finger) will meet the team on their road trip in Texas, at which point they will discuss his blister issues and the next step in his rehab. Lodolo started the 2026 regular season on the 15-day injured list with a blister on his left index finger, and he had to leave his minor-league rehab start early with Single-A Dayton in the third inning on Tuesday. Because of the setback, the 28-year-old southpaw will have a longer stay on the IL to begin the season. The good news is that Lodolo struck out four of the eight batters he faced in his rehab outing on Tuesday, throwing 40 pitches in the process. Depending on how Lodolo's finger recovers, he could still have a chance to make his season debut for the Reds before the end of April. Because of his strikeout upside, Lodolo should be stashed in all fantasy formats while he recovers.

Apr 3

Nick Lodolo • SP • Reds

Nick Lodolo Exits Rehab Outing Early, Facing Potential Setback

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Nick Lodolo (finger) exited his rehab outing early with Low-A Daytona on Thursday evening. The southpaw was expected to throw around 60-65 pitches in this outing, but managed to throw only 40 before leaving the bump early. Lodolo completed 2 2/3 shutout frames with no hits or walks and struck out four hitters. Managers should continue to keep a close eye on his status as the 28-year-old could be sidelined for a longer period if he is unable to make any steady progress in his recovery. Lodolo was not expected to have a long stint on the injured list, but will now likely require several more rehab outings to build up his workload. For the time being, managers should continue to view Lodolo as a priority stash option in all standard leagues. When active, he will likely replace Brandon Williamson in the starting rotation.

Apr 2

Matt McLain • 2B • Reds

Matt McLain Cold To Open Season; Underlying Data Encouraging

Cincinnati Reds second baseman Matt McLain has struggled early in the 2026 season, slashing .190 AVG, .370 OBP, and .238 SLG with four hits in six games. McLain broke out in his 2023 rookie year but has faced challenges since missing the entire 2024 season with a shoulder injury. Despite the slow start, his expected slugging percentage sits at .469, which suggests better results could follow. The 26-year-old may be dealing with poor early luck, and if his underlying metrics hold, McLain could begin to trend back toward his previous form in the coming weeks.

Apr 2

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