Cincinnati Reds: 3 players most likely to bounce back in 2021

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CINCINNATI, OH – SEPTEMBER 21: Cincinnati Reds mascot Mr. Redlegs watches the game from the stands. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

The Reds need a bounce-back performance from some of their top players.

With the Cincinnati Reds slashing payroll, fans can give up on the idea of a high-profile free agent signing on to play in the Queen City. Instead, the Reds must rely upon those players who had a down year in 2020, and hope they have a bounce-back performance during the 2021 season. Who are the three most likely players to rebound from a sub-par 2020 season?

When it comes to players on the Cincinnati roster who failed to meet expectations in 2020, the list can get very long very quickly. Though it’s unlikely you’ll find anyone from the starting rotation on that list, right? The likes of Trevor Bauer, Luis Castillo, and Sonny Gray helped take the Reds back to the playoffs for the first time since 2013.

However, the offense, which never got on track, was the downfall of last year’s team. Only one player from the list of Cincinnati regulars, designated hitter Jesse Winker, hit above .250 for the season. Tucker Barnhart (.206) barley eclipsed the Mendoza line and newcomers Nick Castellanos and Mike Moustakas failed to make the impact at the dish most fans were expecting to see.

Joey Votto continued his downward trend, hitting just .226 in the abbreviated 2020 season and also earning a spot on the Cincinnati bench for stretch. While an offensive-minded shortstop may find his way onto the 2021 roster, one player isn’t going to be the difference between the Cincinnati Reds being a contender or a pretender. So, who is most likely to bounce back in 2021?

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – SEPTEMBER 25: Eugenio Suarez #7 of the Cincinnati Reds looks on and blows a bubble of gum. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) /

1. Eugenio Suárez, Reds third baseman

If Eugenio Suárez isn’t atop your list of players in need of bounce-back season in 2021, you and I weren’t watching the same games last year. That’s not to say that Geno had a terrible season, but if the Reds are going be competitive in 2021, Suárez has to be the team’s best player on offense. That was not the case in 2020.

Suárez is Cincinnati’s best player, and though his name has crept into trade rumors this offseason, I fully expect the former All-Star to remain in a Reds uniform heading into next season. If the Reds front office were going to entertain the idea of dealing Geno, doing so after the 2020 season is not the time.

Last season, Suárez slashed .202/.312/.470 with 15 home runs and 38 RBIs. That’s a far cry from the numbers he put up in 2019 when Suárez became the all-time Venezuelan-born single season home run leader. Geno hit .271/.358/.572 and finished 15th in MVP voting in 2019. That’s the version of Eugenio Suárez that Cincinnati Reds Fans are hopeful to see in 2021.

The additions of Mike Moustakas and Nick Castellanos last offseason were assumed to bring a measure of protection for Suárez in the Cincinnati lineup. But, with both free agent signings failing to meet expectations, Suárez did not receive as many opportunities as most folks expected. Look for the Great Bam-Geno to return to form in 2021.

Sep 9, 2020; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Cincinnati Reds second baseman Mike Moustakas (9) celebrates with center fielder Shogo Akiyama (4) and right fielder Nick Castellanos (2) after his three run home run. Mandatory Credit: Quinn Harris-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Reds 2020 free agent signees

When it comes to disappointing 2020 season, Reds fans need look no further than the five free agents the team signed last winter. We’re just going to lump all five players together, though Pedro Strop is no longer with the team.

Collectively, according to Baseball Reference, the quartet of Wade Miley, Nick Castellanos, Shogo Akiyama, and Mike Moustakas accounted for 1.0 WAR last season. Miley and Moustakas were slowed by trips to the injured list, Castellanos came out of the gates on fire, but cooled as the summer heated up, and Akiyama didn’t appear comfortable until the final month of the season.

Bob Castellini spent big last offseason, and it didn’t pay off. That’s why, in my opinion, the Cincinnati Reds owner is hesitant to make any bold moves this offseason. After dropping $125M last season, those five players rewarded Castellini’s investment with a seventh place finish in the National League and a quick exit from the playoffs.

To be sure, those four players were not the only reason Cincinnati came up short in 2020, but their porous play didn’t help. These four players must perform at higher levels in 2021. Miley needs to be a quality starter in the rotation, Akiyama needs to set the table the team’s big boppers, and the duo of Castellanos and Moustakas need to rack up at least 75 RBIs a piece in 2021.

CINCINNATI, OH – SEPTEMBER 20: Nick Senzel #15 of the Cincinnati Reds bats against the Chicago White Sox. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) /

3. Nick Senzel, Reds centerfielder

I struggled with this last selection, as Joey Votto could’ve easily garnered this final spot on the list, but Nick Senzel is a player that must reach his potential in 2021. Heck, I’ll even settle for the youngster making it through the season without landing on the injured list.

Senzel’s first two major league seasons have seen the former first-rounder spend way too much time on the IL. So many of Senzel’s injuries appear to be out of his control, but the 25-year-old can’t play up to his potential if he’s confined to the training room. There’s also the matter of Cincinnati’s overcrowded outfield and no DH in 2021.

Major League Baseball did the Reds a huge favor in 2020. Adding the universal DH allowed David Bell to play all four of his talented outfielders at the same time. For now, it appears as though there will be no DH in the National League during the 2021 season, meaning Bell will have to finagle ways to find adequate playing time for Senzel, Nick Castellanos, Jesse Winker, and Shogo Akiyama.

Senzel has played the outfield exclusively for the past two seasons, and I expect to see vast improvement from the former No. 2 overall pick in that area. Senzel also has the ability to hit atop the lineup. With his speed, Senzel can be a weapon on the base paths and set the table for the likes of Castellanos, Mike Moustakas, and Eugenio Suárez.

Next. Would the Reds really trade Moose?

If Nick Krall is not going to bring elite-level talent to Cincinnati, those players currently on the Reds team will have to elevate their game next season. Hopefully, these players, among others, will bounce back in 2021.

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