5 Reds players with the most to lose in the second half (ranked)

With the All-Star break in the rearview mirror, the Cincinnati Reds are now set to begin the second-half of the 2026 season on the road with a visit to Coors Field. The team's performance to date (43-52) has all but dashed their postseason aspirations, and the Reds are likely to be sellers at this year's trade deadline.

The roster is littered with under-performers, but there are a handful of players who need to have a strong second half or they might be on the outs with the organization after the 2026 season comes to a close.

Ranking the Reds facing the most pressure after the All-Star break

In other words, the players listed below need to prove their worth over the final two months of this season if they hope to be part of the Reds Opening Day roster in 2027.

Let's rank these players with No. 5 being the least likely to lose his roster spot — regardless of second-half performance — and No. 1 being on the proverbial hot seat with 67 games left in the season.

5. Ke'Bryan Hayes, Reds third baseman

Ke'Bryan Hayes was sidelined for several weeks after suffering a lumbar spine injury, but was activated just before the the All-Star break. Prior to his placement on the IL, the two-time Gold Glove Award-winner had been one of the worst hitters in all of Major League Baseball.

Hayes reworked his swing during his time away from the team, and had some productive at-bats during a brief rehab stint. But it's going to take more than some minor swing adjustments to fix what's been ailing Hayes for his entire career. Prior to last summer's trade, Hayes owned a mediocre .676 OPS during his six-plus seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Hayes' contract runs through the 2029 season, which makes the idea of cutting him unlikely. But there's an outside chance that Cincinnati could release him after the 2026 season comes to a close, especially if his defense continues to lag behind as well. Hayes has been worth 0 OAA this season after leading all third basemen with 21 OAA in 2025.

4. Nick Lodolo, Reds left-handed pitcher

Nick Lodolo will begin the second half of the 2026 season in the same place he began the first half; on the injured list, with the same injury, no less. Lodolo has battled blister issues throughout his career, and suffered another setback during his last start before the All-Star break.

Rhett Lowder will slide back into the rotation to begin the second half of the season, but the Reds have to hope that Lodolo's recovery from his latest blister is quick one. Both Lowder and Chase Burns are operating on borrowed time and will likely be shut down at some point due to innings-restrictions.

Injuries have defined Lodolo's career to this point, and one has to wonder what the future holds for the once-promising lefty. There's no way Lodolo can be counted on to be a reliable part of the Reds rotation moving forward, but he's too talented to just cast aside. Quite the conundrum, huh?

3. Noelvi Marte, Reds outfielder

The Noelvi Marte outfield experiment has gone about as well as the Nick Senzel outfield experiment; which is to say, it's been bad. Marte proved to be a subpar fielder at third base last season, so the Cincinnati coaching staff made the decision — during the middle of the season — to move their former top prospect to the outfield.

Marte's time in the outfield has been a mixed bag. While he certainly has the athletic ability and arm strength to be a top-tier defender, it takes more than just speed and a cannon for a right arm to be an effective outfielder.

Furthermore, Marte's plate discipline continues to be a problem. Heading into the All-Star break, he was hitting just .195 with a 64 wRC+ and a 25.5% strikeout rate. Reds fans keep waiting for Marte to figure it out, but one has wonder if that time will ever come. Héctor Rodríguez is practically begging for a Major League call-up, and it could come at Marte's expense.

2. Matt McLain, Reds second baseman

Has there been a more disappointing player on this Reds' team than Matt McLain? The club placed McLain on the IL just before the All-Star break due to a calf strain, but even before the injury, he was nowhere close to the player fans remember from his rookie season in 2023 (or the player he was during spring training).

Upon his return, will McLain even have a regular spot in the lineup? Before landing on the IL, McLain was already splitting playing time with rookie infielder Edwin Arroyo. It's taken the Reds' top infield prospect some time to get acclimated to the speed of the big-league game, and while he's shown flashes, Arroyo's hit just .240/.280/.290 since his promotion.

Unless Arroyo flips a switch during the second half, McLain will likely be given a chance to win back his spot at the keystone. But a lack of consistency has dogged his steps since he returned to the diamond in 2025. McLain is due a raise through arbitration this next winter, but a poor second-half performance could turn him into a non-tender candidate.

1. TJ Friedl, Reds outfielder

McLain has been Cincinnati's most disappointing player, but TJ Friedl's not too far behind. Last year's breakout star has fallen well short of expectations in 2026 and was hitting just .181/.258/.243 before the Midsummer Classic.

Friedl is one of the leaders in the clubhouse and is considered by many to be the heart and soul of the team. He was also the Reds' leadoff hitter last season, a role he lost after putting up such discouraging numbers to begin the year.

The Reds have already sent Friedl back to the minor leagues once this season, and with Dane Myers and Blake Dunn on the mend, he could be optioned once again if he fails to finds his footing during the second half. Much like McLain, Friedl could be in danger of being non-tendered this offseason.

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