Matt’s Take: Reds fan favorites shall soon depart – prepare yourself

By Matthew McAdow
HCP columnist

Reds fans, it’s time to prepare yourself for some faces that you love to leave this organization – as they should in a lost season.  

We have to stop fooling ourselves as fans as well and think that we’re going to trade bad players for a good return.  

It’s time for the front office to understand that this team doesn’t mesh well and it’s time for some fan favorites to hit the road. I hate to see it, as we all grow to love the human side of each player, but you know what I would love more than watching a team full of reoccurring faces?...I’d enjoy watching a winning baseball team.  

Something I and many others in my generation have rarely seen, much like Halley’s comet. I’m tired of talking about the Big Red Machine, I want to talk about the present Reds, and I haven’t been able to do so in quite some time. I want winning baseball in Cincinnati and trading expiring contracts will help this team get closer to that goal.  

Updated predictions

In baseball, trade predictions are very hard. Let’s see if I get any of these correct:

With Will Smith (Dodgers) hurt, I predict Tyler Stephenson will find himself traded to the Dodgers.  

Eugenio Suarez finds himself traded to the Red Sox.  

Spencer Steer gets traded to the Mariners or Guardians.  

Brady Singer gets traded to the Pirates as they try to end their playoff drought. 

Nathaniel Lowe finds himself as a DH and gets traded to the Yankees or Marlins.  

JJ Bleday stays a Red and doesn’t get traded.  

Hunter Greene stays a Red. I know he’s never healthy, but unless someone is giving us a haul, I’m not willing to move him based off how good we know he is when he is healthy.  

Pierce Johnson finds a new home and Pagan might find one as well – the Reds do need to worry about innings being pitched for 2026.  

Reds' season over?

Look at the Red Sox and their amazing comeback story. Is this Reds season over?  

I want to believe they can go on a run, but time and time again, they prove me wrong. They have enough talent to do so even with the above trades, but what is the missing formula for this team to be a contender? Bullpen arms? Power outfield bats? 

Why does this team always slump together as a group? I can’t understand it, but I do know TJ Friedl shouldn’t be on this team while Will Benson is in AAA. Not to say Benson is the answer, but I’ll take him over an occasional bunt-hit and 4 strikeouts any day of the week.  

Maybe drafting and acquiring shortstops all the time isn’t a good approach. I don’t think this Reds team makes it back to .500; but for the sake of summer, I pray that they do. Our time with Elly De La Cruz is ticking each day that passes. And it feels like a future Hall of Famer's time in Cincinnati will be wasted. Sound familiar?