3 moves the Reds still need to make now that the MLB Winter Meetings are over

3. The Reds still need to upgrade the bullpen

If the Cincinnati Reds truly upgrade the rotation with a frontline starter then this problem fixes itself. The Reds already added Emilio Pagán, and if Cincinnati were to trade for Dylan Cease or Shane Bieber, Nick Martinez likely sees most of his opportunities coming as a reliever rather than a starter.

But, if the Reds believe that Martinez is a better fit in the team's rotation, so be it. However, if that's the case, then Nick Krall needs to add at least one more arm to the relief corps. And while it's not necessary that it be a lefty, it sure as heck wouldn't hurt.

Pitchers like Aroldis Chapman, Jordan Hicks, and Hector Neris could be fine targets in free agency. Cincinnati could also look to upgrade the relief corps through a trade.

If you watched more than a week's worth of Reds games in 2023, it was painfully obvious that Cincinnati's bullpen was overworked. Lucas Sims, Alexis Diaz, Buck Farmer, Ian Gibaut, and Fernando Cruz simply ran out of gas down the stretch.

But if the Reds add just one more veteran reliever, the bullpen will be in very good shape. Adding Sam Moll and Emilio Pagán to the aforementioned five pitchers give Cincinnati a decent bullpen. But one more arm takes it to the next level.

The Cincinnati Reds could then rely on the likes of Daniel Duarte, Lyon Richardson, Tejay Antone, and others to provide depth throughout the season. While Cincinnati's bullpen outperformed expectations last season, they'll need to be even better in 2024.