CINCINNATI — The numbers are in on the Cincinnati Reds’ 2026 season, and they tell the story of a team that could hit home runs but couldn’t do much else.
Cincinnati finished fourth in the majors with 213 home runs, yet ranked last in the National League in runs per game at 4.11. The Reds posted the worst batting average in baseball (.229) and the worst on-base percentage (.305), along with the NL’s most strikeouts (1,544) and baseball’s highest walk total (668).
The pitching was no better: a 4.84 team ERA ranked 28th, the rotation’s 4.97 ERA ranked 28th, and the staff allowed the fifth-most home runs in MLB. Defensively, the Reds finished fourth-worst in defensive runs saved (minus-32).
“We have to get tougher,” manager Terry Francona said. The wreckage doesn’t erase the bright spots: Elly De La Cruz posted a 30-30 season, Chase Burns went 15-3 with a 2.86 ERA as an All-Star, and Sal Stewart hit .263 with 32 home runs and 111 RBIs in a campaign that could win him Rookie of the Year. Whether it’s enough to build on is the question facing the franchise this winter.
