Cincinnati Reds News

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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.

22 hours ago

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.

Yesterday

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.

Yesterday

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.

2 days ago

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.

3 days ago

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.

3 days ago

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.

6 days ago

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.

6 days ago

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.

7 days ago

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.

7 days ago

Noelvi Marte • RF • Reds

Is Noelvi Marte an Early-Season Cut Candidate?

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Noelvi Marte is off to a slow start to the 2026 season, as he's logged zero hits and five strikeouts through his first 10 plate appearances of the year. Perhaps most worryingly for Marte's fantasy profile, he has been out of the Reds' starting lineup in three out of their first five contests and could be stuck on the short side of a platoon with lefty-swinging Cincinnati outfielder Will Benson. A former top prospect, Marte posted a strong .263/.300/.448 slash line with 14 home runs, 51 RBI, 45 runs scored, and 10 stolen bases across 360 plate appearances in 2025. However, the 24-year-old is a converted infielder who is not known for his defensive prowess in the outfield, which could be impacting his playing time. Marte's combination of power and speed provides him with plenty of upside, but he will need to start hitting and earning more playing time quickly to merit a roster spot in most fantasy formats.

7 days ago

Nick Lodolo • SP • Reds

Nick Lodolo to Begin Rehab Assignment in Single-A

Cincinnati Reds left-handed pitcher Nick Lodolo will begin a rehab assignment at Single-A Dayton on Thursday. Lodolo has been sidelined since the end of spring training due to a blister on his left index finger, but the rehab assignment indicates that he's making progress and could be close to returning. Although the Reds now have until the start of May to activate him, it presumably won't take that long. He's expected to throw 60 to 65 pitches on Thursday, so we wouldn't be surprised to see him make one more start at Double-A or Triple-A before re-joining the major league roster. Lodolo is coming off a strong 2025 season in which he made 29 appearances with a 3.66 xFIP, 8.96 K/9, 1.78 BB/9, and 42.6% ground ball rate. The 28-year-old southpaw currently ranks #41 among starting pitchers in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings for 2026.

7 days ago

Chase Burns • SP • Reds

Chase Burns Tosses Five Shutout Innings in Win on Monday

Cincinnati Reds right-handed pitcher Chase Burns allowed zero runs, one hit, and three walks over five innings of work during his start against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday. He struck out seven batters along the way and ultimately earned the win. Burns was cruising, but given that it was his first outing of the regular season, manager Terry Francona pulled him after just 78 pitches. His fastball velocity averaged out to 98.3 mph, consistent with his velocity numbers from his rookie season in 2025. The 23-year-old continues to be an impressive starting pitching option in fantasy baseball, ranking #37 among starters in RotoBaller's latest rankings. He'll return to the mound on Sunday, April 5, against the Texas Rangers.

Mar 31

Connor Phillips • RP • Reds

Connor Phillips Slides into Closer Role on Monday

Cincinnati Reds reliever Connor Phillips worked around two walks to earn the save while pitching a scoreless ninth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday. With the Reds leading by two, manager Terry Francona turned to Phillips for the first save opportunity of his three-year major league career. He had some trouble with control but managed to keep Pittsburgh off the board, preserving Cincinnati's 2-0 lead. Phillips was only used in the ninth inning on Monday because closer Emilio Pagan had pitched each of the two previous days. Going forward, as long as Pagan is rested, he'll get the save situations for the Reds. As a result, managers should not rush to add Phillips in fantasy baseball leagues.

Mar 31

Nick Lodolo • SP • Reds

Nick Lodolo Scheduled for a Rehab Outing on Thursday

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Nick Lodolo (finger) will pitch in a minor-league rehab game on Thursday, according to Charlie Goldsmith of FOX19. He'll make his appearance with the Reds' Low-A affiliate in Daytona, and if all goes well, he'll be activated from the injured list to start a game when the Reds are in Florida to take on the Miami Marlins. Lodolo opened the regular season on the 15-day injured list due to a blister on his left index finger, but the fact that he'll return in the first or second week of April after requiring just one rehab outing is a good sign. He's looking to build off a strong 2025 season in which he made 29 appearances with a 3.66 xFIP, 8.96 K/9, 1.78 BB/9, and 42.6% ground ball rate. The 28-year-old southpaw currently ranks #41 among starting pitchers in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings for 2026.

Mar 30

Noelvi Marte • RF • Reds

Noelvi Marte Out of Lineup Amid Slow Start

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Noelvi Marte is not in the starting lineup for Monday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Marte started each of the first three games of the season, but he was slumping at the plate with a 0-for-6 line and four strikeouts. Given his slow start offensively, we're not surprised to see him get the day off against Pirates right-hander Braxton Ashcraft. It's too early to panic on Marte, though, as he's fully capable of returning to his 2025 form (14 home runs, 10 stolen bases, and 101 wRC+). Perhaps the day off will allow him to reset and turn things around after a small sample size of disappointing results. There's still plenty of upside in the 24-year-old, who ranks #39 among outfielders in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings.

Mar 30

Sal Stewart • 3B • Reds

Sal Stewart Swinging Hot Bat to Begin Season

Cincinnati Reds first-base prospect Sal Stewart has been swinging a hot bat to begin the 2026 season and enters Week 2 as a must-start first baseman in all formats. Over their opening series against the Boston Red Sox (three games), the former 32nd overall selection posted three straight multi-hit performances. He would finish the series going 7-for-10 with three doubles, one home run, and a 2:3 K:BB. The Red promoted Stewart during the back half of the 2025 campaign, and he enjoyed similar success, launching five home runs with a .838 OPS over his first 18 games in the majors. Through 118 games shared between Double-A and Triple-A in 2025, Stewart carried a .309/.383/.524 line with 20 home runs and 17 stolen bases. Given his dominant start and elite minor-league track record, managers should continue to start Stewart with confidence across all formats.

Mar 30

Sal Stewart • 3B • Reds

Sal Stewart in Lineup Despite Sore Forearm

Cincinnati Reds infield prospect Sal Stewart (forearm, wrist) is in the team's starting lineup on Saturday against the visiting Boston Red Sox and right-hander Sonny Gray despite dealing with a sore forearm from being hit by a line drive on Opening Day on Thursday, according to Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer. He's starting at first base and batting in the cleanup spot. The 22-year-old came out of the gates strong on the plate on Thursday, going 3-for-4 with two doubles in the Opening Day loss to Boston. Between first base and designated hitter, Stewart should be a lineup regular for the Reds in his first full year in the majors in 2026, and he has plenty of slugging upside that will play in all fantasy formats, especially if he continues to hit in the heart of the batting order. The former first-rounder in 2022 went 14-for-55 (.255) with five home runs, eight RBI, and 11 runs scored in just 18 games last year in his big-league debut. Stewart is a big part of the Reds' future.

Mar 28

Nick Lodolo • SP • Reds

Nick Lodolo Could Start Rehab Assignment Next Week

Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona said that left-hander Nick Lodolo (finger) will throw a bullpen session on Sunday and could pitch in a minor-league rehab game on Wednesday, according to Charlie Goldsmith of FOX 19. Lodolo opened the 2026 regular season on the 15-day injured list due to a blister on his left index finger, but he's making good progress and should be ready to rejoin Cincy's starting rotation by mid-April, barring a setback once he starts his rehab assignment in the minors. The 28-year-old southpaw could push fellow lefty Brandon Williamson out of the Reds' starting rotation upon his return. Lodolo, a former first-round pick by the Reds in 2019 out of TCU, should be stashed in all fantasy baseball formats for his high-strikeout upside. Injuries have been an issue for the lefty, but when healthy, Lodolo has an above-average 26.2% strikeout rate in his four major-league seasons.

Mar 28

Sal Stewart • 3B • Reds

Sal Stewart Tallies Three Hits on Opening Day

Cincinnati Reds first base prospect Sal Stewart went 3-for-4 on Opening Day with two doubles. Despite facing Boston Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet, Stewart filled the statsheet, hitting a double in his first at-bat against the Cy Young contender. Later in the contest, he would tally another hit off Crochet (a single) and would add his second double in the eighth inning. Stewart made his MLB debut late in the 2025 season and flashed high-end power during this short 18-game stint, hitting five round-trippers. During spring training, Stewart looked just as comfortable, carrying a .327/.450/.592 line with three home runs and four stolen bases over a 20-game sample. Fantasy managers should expect Stewart to remain a key part of the starting nine, seeing time at first, second, and third base. He remains a high-end corner infielder with five-category upside going forward.

Mar 27

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