The 3rd team from the NL Central I am breaking down are the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds are coming off an good season as they were in the mix for a division crown all season long, but ultimately finished the year tied in 2nd with a 31-29 record. The Reds had a confusing offseason as rumors continuously circulated about the Reds trading away key names of the teams. I say confusing because they had a stacked team and should be in contention for the division crown, or at the very least battle for a wild card spot. However, there were rumors of them trading away Luis Castillo, Sonny Gray, Nick Castellanos, and they traded away Raisel Iglesias and let Archie Bradley and Trevor Bauer walk. They should be competitive, but if the front office decides to blow it all up they will be the some of the most moronic people in baseball.
Projected Starting Rotation
| 1 | Sonny Gray |
| 2 | Luis Castillo |
| 3 | Tyler Mahle |
| 4 | Wade Miley |
| 5 | Jose De Leon |
The Reds have a scary 1-2 punch, as both Gray and Castillo are underrated and very talented pitchers. You know what you’re going to get with them, they will be consistent, give you quality innings, and have great starts. The name I want to look at is Jose De Leon. That name may sound familiar to Dodger fans because De Leon is a former Dodgers prospect. Dodgers traded him away to Tampa Bay for Logan Forsythe. De Leon was plagued by injuries and ended up bouncing from team to team and found a spot in Cincinnati. Hopefully, this year he gets a legit shot at being an everyday starter and seeing what he is capable of. If Miley has a normal Miley-type of year, which is middle of the road type year, and De Leon performs like the top prospect he was, the Reds may surprise some people.
Projected Line-Up
| 1 | LF Jesse Winker | L |
| 2 | RF Nick Castellanos | R |
| 3 | 1B Joey Votto | L |
| 4 | 3B Eugenio Suarez | R |
| 5 | 2B Mike Moustakas | L |
| 6 | SS Nick Senzel | R |
| 7 | C Tucker Barnhart | L |
| 8 | CF Shogo Akiyama | L |
| 9 | P Pitcher | – |
The lineup is a scary one and the only thing that stayed in tact over the offseason. This lineup is all sorts of deep and well balanced. Their 2-6 hitters are hitters that make any lineup dangerous and they are all in one together. The names I want to look at are Joey Votto, Nick Castellanos, and Nick Senzel. Votto, a lifelong Red, has progressively declined throughout the years but last year seemed to turn it around late. Votto is a borderline Hall of Famer but the more seasons he continues to declines, the less of a chance he has making it. He’s an all around good guy and I hope he finds success and turns it around. He is the straw that stirs the drink, for the lineup, and if he’s on that is a great sign for the team. Castellanos is coming off a fantastic season, and had it not been for a pandemic, he would’ve opted out of his contract and sign with another team. Now, he is staying around and keeps the lineup dangerous and deep. I expect Castellanos to continue his success, as Cincinnati’s park is a hitter-friendly ballpark. Senzel, like many I’ve stated before, was a top prospect for some time but had been blocked at every position. Last year he changed positions and became a center fielder, but was plagued by injuries. If he is able to stay healthy, then he can be very productive and a quiet threat in the lineup.
2021 PECOTA NL Central Projections
PECOTA has Cincinnati finishing in 4th place after a 2nd place finish last year. In my opinion, the Reds had the fire power to fight for a division title again after falling short last year. But for some unknown reason, they tried to tear it all down when rumors began circulating that starters Sonny Gray and Luis Castillo were on the trade block, along with guys like Castellanos and Suarez. Now, those players didn’t get traded but they did trade away closer Raisel Iglesias and let reliever Archie Bradley walk in free agency and blew up their bullpen. Because of that, I don’t see Cincinnati have as successful of a season as they did last year. With that being said, I see them finishing in 3rd or 4th place. I don’t see them competing for a division crown, as the Cardinals and Brewers will, but they will battle for a wild card spot and I can see them finishing anywhere between 2nd and 4th. My final prediction will be, Cincinnati finishing in 4th place.
