Bleacher Report's free agent prediction for the Reds is a mistake waiting to happen

Among many other offseason needs, the Cincinnati Reds desperately need to add some power to their lineup. Elly De La Cruz led the Reds in home runs with just 22 this past season, and only he and Spencer Steer hit 20-plus. Overall, the team ranked 21st in MLB in home runs (167), 21st in slugging percentage (.391), 24th in ISO (.146), and 24th in wRC+ (92).

The outfield corps was even worse. Austin Hays led the bunch with just 15 home runs, as that group ranked just 22nd in slugging percentage (.386), 23rd in ISO (.140), and 21st in home runs (51) among their MLB cohorts.

For a team that plays in such an offense-friendly ballpark like Great American, that's a harsh indictment of the lineup Terry Francona ran out onto the field on a nightly basis in 2025. As such, it should come as no surprise that Bleacher Report writer Joel Reuter assigned the Reds a power-hitting outfielder in his article where he attempted to patch the biggest hole on every roster with one perfect free agent fit. The only issue? That "perfect fit" is apparently Trent Grisham.

The Reds should avoid Trent Grisham in free agency at all costs

Grisham's 2025 breakout with the New York Yankees may look peachy on the surface, but for a Reds team with serious payroll concerns, buying into the soon-to-be 29-year-old's contract season is a mistake waiting to happen.

This past season, the center fielder slashed .235/.348/.464 with 34 home runs, good for a 129 wRC+. The three years prior? He hit below the Mendoza line with a cumulative wRC+ of 88. In addition, Grisham's worst tendencies reared their heads in the Yankees' shorter-than-expected playoff run. He hit just .138/.219/.207 with a 31.3% strikeout rate en route to a 22 wRC+ in 32 plate appearances.

In effect, Grisham is like Jeimer Candelario two years ago — a quality bat entering free agency off the heels of a career-best season. There's no reason to buy into the hype again; there are better fits who can fill the Reds' needs at a similar cost.

Impending free agents like Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Cedric Mullins, Luis Robert Jr. (club option), and Mike Yastrzemski all possess similar floors to Grisham and can likely be had at a fraction of the cost. Even someone like Miguel Andujar would make more financial sense for the team, even if he's limited to DH duties at this point in his career.

There's enough swing and miss in the Reds' lineup already. Grisham will get a pretty penny in free agency after his 2025 efforts -- not to mention a potential qualifying offer from the Yankees -- with little chance of living up to the cost. The front office should turn its attention elsewhere as it tries to beef up the roster for a 2026 postseason run.