Nick Krall, Reds front office receives (one) vote of confidence from their peers

While Nick Krall has been devoted to the Cincinnati Reds—he’s worked for the club for over 20 years—the fans and the pundits haven’t always loved him back. Since he became general manager in 2018, he has come under fire for wishy-washy approach to manager David Bell’s struggles and for his lack of spending.

Krall has been praised for amassing a talented group of young stars and successfully developing prospects. At the end of the day though, he is a fairly middle-of-the-road businessman.

This averageness became apparent when The Athletic (subscription required) polled executives to determine the top 10 front offices in baseball. Krall received one fifth-place vote. More embarrassingly, one executive mentioned that he almost voted for the team but was dissuaded by the club’s on-field performance.

Even Nick Krall’s peers see the Reds’ front office as just OK

On the one hand, you could look at the poll optimistically. The Milwaukee Brewers were the only other NL Central team to garner votes. The wealthy Chicago Cubs couldn’t buy their way into respect, and Paul Skenes does not a front office make. (Obviously, the Cards are in shambles.) Still, the Brewers jumped from sixth place in 2024 to third this year. The Reds, despite their fifth-place vote, fell from 15th to 19th.

Some of the blame for the Reds’ lack of performance (which could contribute to Krall’s reputation) can be placed on unfortunate injuries and other circumstances beyond the president of baseball operations’ control. Krall himself has acknowledged the freak nature of these events, but he hasn’t exactly put the team in the best spot to navigate these losses. 

For example, when Noelvi Marte was suspended and then struggled in his return, Krall did little to pursue third-base options. As of April 19, Reds third basemen have the second-lowest win probability added in the National League. There must have been someone on the market this offseason better than that.

It’s not just about money, though. In his time at the helm, Krall has increased the Reds’ payroll by $14 million, roughly 14%. In that same amount of time, the Brewers have increased their payroll by just 1.4%. The Guardians, another respected small-market team, have actually cut payroll by more than 30%.

Clearly Krall hasn’t figured out the formula that makes the Reds tick. In the poll, the Brewers’ front office earned praise for its versatility as the team has managed to win with firepower and with vintage small ball. The Guardians have managed to hang onto their bigger stars. Krall has attempted these approaches, but until the play on the field matches his best efforts in the office, the Reds will be toward the bottom of the barrel.

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