Reds' castoff is thriving with Rays and highlights a key offseason need

The Cincinnati Reds are at home watching the postseason where a number of small-market teams are disproving the common refrain that you need to spend big to win big. To add insult to injury, one of those small-market teams, the Tampa Bay Rays, has a breakout player that slipped through the Reds’ fingers last season: Ryan Vilade. The utility man, who played a mere two innings and did not have a plate appearance for Cincinnati, is exactly the kind of player the Reds needed this season.

In mid-June of 2025, the Reds picked up Vilade off waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals, but he languished in Triple-A, blocked by Matt McLain at second and Noelvi Marte in right field. In November, Cincinnati traded him to Tampa Bay for cash considerations. Since then, Vilade has done it all.

He played first, second, third, and corner outfield, and he learned how to drive the ball in the air with a swing tailor-made for the Trop (or Great American Ball Park). He even got a moment to shine in the ALDS sweep over the Yankees when he blasted a go-ahead homer in the Rays’ eventual Game 3 win.

Ryan Vilade is finding long-awaited success with the Rays, much to the Reds’ chagrin

Aside from Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart, the Reds’ position group was sorely lacking in 2026. Non-pitchers for Cincinnati contributed -10 wins above average, the third-worst mark in baseball. Vilade, even as a bench player who played just 96 games for the Rays, would have at least helped the Reds swing that stat back to neutral, as he posted -0.1 WAA in 2026.

Vilade also represents the type of player that the Reds have attempted to create through their farm system. He’s versatile and isn’t afraid to take the extra base, showing good speed for a player of his size.

He’s a little Spencer Steer-esque in his abilities, but he’s built like Rece Hinds. Especially with Marte’s surprising decline this year, a player like Vilade would have come in mighty handy. He isn't even arbitration eligible yet, making him even more appealing.

Time will tell if Vilade can keep up his performance with Tampa Bay, but his solid showing in 2026 and postseason heroics are a good reminder that you often don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.

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