The name that’s created a lot of buzz around the city of Cincinnati is hometown kid Kyle Schwarber, a native of Middletown who was one of the best hitters in MLB in 2025. He went off the market Tuesday after re-signing with the Philadelphia Phillies for the next five seasons, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
Schwarber, 32 years old, hit 56 homers and finished second in NL MVP voting last season while scoring 111 runs and driving in 132.
“He’s a really good player that obviously fits on any team,” Krall said. “He’s a middle of the order bat.”
When asked if the Reds have a shot, Krall said that he wasn’t sure. Those chances are now over and the Reds must move to their next target.
The next step for the Reds entering 2026 includes bolstering their lineup. They also have to replace two of their more dynamic hitters during the second half of last season in Miguel Andujar and Austin Hays with those two veteran players on the free agent market.
Another opportunity for the Reds to upgrade their lineup would be on the trade market.
“There are a lot of teams looking to make major league for major league deals and a lot of teams trying to figure out how to take a step forward or sustain where they are,” Krall said. “We’ve talked to every team trying to figure out if there’s a match up for a trade and talked to every agent.”
Krall disagreed with the idea that the Reds have a surplus of starting pitching at the big league level. Behind the top four in the Reds’ rotation, Chase Burns is entering his second pro season, Rhett Lowder, Brandon Williamson and Julian Aguiar missed all of 2025 with injuries and Jose Franco and Chase Petty are prospects.
“If you move a starter, you have to fill that with a starter somewhere else,” Krall said. “You’re robbing Peter to pay Paul. Does that make sense? It’s a hard thing to do unless you’re figuring out how to fill multiple holes.”
While the Reds are working with a limited budget, there are also openings in the bullpen with Nick Martinez, Scott Barlow and Brent Suter now on the free agent market. The Reds re-signed closer Emilio Pagán last week, but the Reds still only have three experienced big league relievers on the 40-man roster.
Aside from Jeimer Candelario, who the Reds released last season after a Reds’ career that was a bust, the Reds have had a good amount of success on the free agent market over the last few years with deals like Hays, Barlow, Martinez and Pagán.
The Reds are looking to re-create some of that success on the free agent market this winter as Krall sells free agents on joining the Reds.
“You’re trying to sell how you can best maximize that player and put them in the best position to win,” Krall said. “Put them in the best position to get their next contract. Whatever it is, you’re selling them on your organization and who you are all the time.”
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