Noelvi Marte must fix this glaring weakness before the Reds 2026 season

The Cincinnati Reds have made it clear they are building around their young core, and they’ve never lost sight of Noelvi Marte being a key piece of that future. Just turning 24 years old, Marte represents the kind of player development payoff the Reds have been waiting for. The problem? Marte’s 2025 campaign revealed a weakness so glaring it threatens to undo some of that progress if he doesn’t address it before the 2026 season.

The Reds know they’ll only go as far as their young hitters take them. With Elly De La Cruz drawing national attention and Sal Stewart beginning to push for more at-bats, Marte’s development is critical in keeping the Reds competitive in a tightening NL Central.

But unlike those teammates, Marte’s struggles against left-handed pitching became impossible to ignore. For a right-handed hitter, the side of the platoon split that typically eats up southpaws, Marte’s numbers were shockingly poor.

Reds need Noelvi Marte to fix glaring lefty problem to unlock full potential

Across 104 plate appearances against lefties in 2025, Marte slashed a meager .232/.288/.274, good for a 55 wRC+. He rarely drove the ball with authority, and looked out of sync in at-bats where most right-handers are expected to thrive. In contrast, Marte was an entirely different hitter against right-handed pitching, posting a .275/.305/.516 line with 13 home runs and 37 RBI. That split makes his struggles even harder to explain — and even more important to fix.

The Reds don’t need Marte to suddenly dominate left-handed pitching, but they do need him to reach league-average levels of production in those matchups. Even modest improvements — cleaner pitch recognition, better balance in two-strike counts, and more intent to drive the ball to the opposite field would unlock a more complete version of Marte. If he makes those adjustments, Cincinnati’s lineup gains length and flexibility. If not, the Reds risk having another talented player turn into a platoon liability instead of a cornerstone.

Going into 2026, that’s the crossroads Marte faces. The talent is undeniable, the flashes against right-handers are encouraging, and his place in Cincinnati’s future is still secure. But for the Reds to truly break through in the NL Central, they need Marte to erase that glaring weakness against lefties. Otherwise, his role may shrink just as the Reds’ window to contend is opening.

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