Marlins' aggressive offseason shift could help Reds solve nagging roster dilemma

Unlike the Cincinnati Reds, the Miami Marlins are planning to spend big this offseason. One of the most frugal franchises over the past decade, The Athletic (subscription required) is reporting that Miami is looking to spend this offseason and is active in the closer market, while talking with free agent starting pitchers, and also weighing upgrades at first and third base.

Fans in the Queen City only wish Nick Krall and the Reds front office were planning to be that aggressive this offseason, but the Marlins' spending spree could help Cincinnati solve one of their biggest roster conundrums.

To say the Reds have a plethora of corner infielders would be an understatement. Even after moving Noelvi Marte to right field midway through the 2025 season, the Reds enter the offseason with Spencer Steer, Sal Stewart, Ke'Bryan Hayes, and perhaps even Gavin Lux jockeying for playing time at either first or third base. The Reds also just added Edwin Arroyo and Leo Balcazar to the 40-man roster.

Marlins' aggressive offseason plans could help Reds shed some dead weight

One name that continues to linger on the Reds roster, however, is Christian Encarnacion-Strand. A former top prospect in the Reds' pipeline, Encarnacion-Strand's struggles from 2024 carried over to this past season, and one has to wonder if he even still has a future in Cincinnati.

Some Reds fans will continue to go to bat for Encarnacion-Strand, and that's understandable. There might not be a better power-bat in the entire organization, and considering how pathetic the Cincinnati lineup was in 2025, one has to wonder if Encarnacion-Strand could provide exactly what this team was missing last season. But with Steer, Stewart, Hayes, and Lux in the fold heading into next season — barring injury — it's tough to see a path forward for Encarnacion-Strand.

It's not as if he set the world on fire after being optioned to the minors last season. In 64 games with the Louisville Bats, Encarnacion-Strand hit .245/.310/.493 with 11 home runs and 37 RBI. Those numbers aren't bad (and the power numbers look great), but they're also not good enough to warrant playing time ahead of the aforementioned players who are in front of him on the depth chart.

If the Reds and Marlins could work out a mutually beneficial trade that would send Encarnacion-Strand to South Beach while bringing a competent reliever back to Cincinnati, Krall and Co. would have to consider it. Whether it's the Marlins, or another organization, there's a good chance that someone will be looking at Encarnacion-Strand as buy-low trade candidate this offseason.