Nick Krall's embarrassing comments irritate Reds fans on the heels of new TV deal

The Cincinnati Reds have spent some money this offseason. While it's easy to gloss over the fact that Cincinnati extended a qualifying offer to pitcher Nick Martinez, the fact of the matter is that the Reds are on the hook for his $21.05 million in salary next season.

The Reds also added Jose Trevino, Gavin Lux, and Brady Singer, all of whom received an increase in salary from 2024 to 2025 through the arbitration process. According to Cot's Baseball Contract, Cincinnati's projected 40-man year-end payroll is just over $104 million. The Reds spent $92 million in 2024.

But Reds fans received a bit of good news last week after the team announced a new TV deal with FanDuel Sports Network. It was said that the Reds' new deal would provide some added money and allow Cincinnati to spend some more this offseason.

Nick Krall's embarrassing comments irritate fans on the heels of Reds TV deal

But while making his rounds during the Reds Caravan this week, president of baseball operations Nick Krall spoke about the team's financial situation. Though Krall admitted that there's "a little bit of extra money" available, he surely irritated the Reds' fanbase once he expounded on the notion that Cincinnati was going to make more additions to the roster.

“I think we’ve got really good players on this team, really good players that we’re bringing to spring training," Krall said. "I’m really excited about where we are with some of the young players taking steps forward. I do think we can add but if we don’t add, I feel good about the group we have. We’re always going to look to figure out how to get better.”

Wait a minute. What does he mean by "if we don't add"? How can Krall honestly look at the Reds' current roster and believe that he and the front office have done enough to put a winner on the field in 2025? Is it possible? Yes. Is it probable? No, not at all.

Yes, getting Matt McLain and Christian Encaracion-Strand back will help, but the Reds have to make more moves this offseason. Whether it's an extra bat in the lineup or an extra arm or two in the bullpen, Krall and Co. need to continue to upgrade the roster. The outfield remains a major source of consternation among the fanbase.

There isn't a single team in the NL Central who's taken the bull by the horns this winter and staked their claim as the odds-on favorite to win the division. If the Reds' new TV deal truly put more money into the organization, Krall must invest it into either the free agent market or use the added the funds to help offset increased salary through a potential trade for an outfielder like Taylor Ward or Luis Robert Jr.

The clock is ticking, and the Reds roster is still incomplete. Knowing that Cincinnati has more cash on hand — but are afraid to spend it — will not sit well with a fanbase that's growing increasingly impatient.

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