3 Reds players stuck in Terry Francona’s doghouse who are set to hit the trade market

During Terry Francona's first year as the Cincinnati Reds manager, fans got to see exactly how the future Hall of Famer prefers to fill out his lineup card. It became apparent early on that Francona favors players who take a certain approach to hitting — one that doesn't align with every member of the Reds roster.

As Francona enters his first full offseason as the Reds' skipper, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him look to offload a couple players who's profile don't necessarily fit his style of play. Tito didn't hide his dislike for some of these players during the regular season, and their lack of playing time was a good indicator of that.

There were at least three Reds players who found their way into Francona's doghouse this past season, and their next stop could be on another Major League roster this offseason.

3 Reds players stuck in Terry Francona’s doghouse who could be traded

Will Benson, Reds outfielder

Will Benson was so deep into Francona's doghouse that the Reds manager even pinch-hit for him while in the middle of an at-bat during Game 2 of the Wild Card Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Francona lifted Benson in favor of Miguel Andujar after LA called upon a left-handed reliever with the count sitting at 1-2.

Benson spent a considerable amount of time at Triple-A this past season, but when he was given an actual chance to be part of the everyday lineup, performed quite well. Benson failed to sprint out of the box earlier this season, and that put the Reds outfielder in Francona's doghouse. It would seem rather foolish to move on from Benson this winter, but one has assume that option is on the table.

Rece Hinds, Reds outfielder

Much like Benson, Rece Hinds never really received a fair shake from Francona in 2025. The hard-hitting slugger has a ton of swing and miss, but is arguably the best power-hitter in the Reds organization. Francona, however, seems to prefer contact hitters, and Hinds may not be a good fit heading into next season.

Hinds appeared to correct that issue in the minors, and had a tremendous run during the final month of the season at Triple-A. Will that performance be enough to sway Francona, or will the Reds' skipper just remember Hinds' 52.7% whiff rate and 47.7% strikeout rate from his time in the big leagues last season?

Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Reds infielder

Francona seemed exasperated at times by Christian Encarnacion-Strand's inability to lay off pitches outside the strike zone in 2025. The Reds' slugger owned a 46.6% chase rate in 2025, and his lack of speed and defense didn't help his cause either.

Moreover, Cincinnati would already seem to have a suitable replacement for Encarnacion-Strand after calling up Sal Stewart at the end of the year. Spencer Steer also played Gold Glove-caliber defense at first base during the 2025 season, and that could spell the end of CES's tenure in the Queen City.

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