Reds could gain Tyler Stephenson for stretch run, but big offseason storm is brewing

The Cincinnati Reds finally have a sliver of good news in what’s been an up-and-down campaign. Catcher Tyler Stephenson, who’s been sidelined since mid-August with a fractured thumb, is on the verge of returning.

After getting through a simulated game with right-hander Chase Burns, himself recovering from a Grade 1 flexor strain, Stephenson is scheduled to began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Louisville on Wednesday, September 3.

For a Reds team still hovering around .500 and clinging desperately to its Wild Card hopes, any reinforcement is welcome. Stephenson’s bat and presence behind the plate could give them a much-needed spark down the stretch, though the postseason math still isn’t in Cincinnati’s favor with just over 20 games remaining.

Tyler Stephenson’s return may not solve Reds’ long-term catcher crisis

But here’s where things get complicated: Stephenson’s return solves nothing beyond September. Once this season wraps, the Reds will have to stare down a serious organizational dilemma at the catcher position.

Cincinnati has two major problems. First, Stephenson is under contract only through 2026 and will hit free agency after next season. Second, the Reds have virtually no catching depth behind him. Their top catching prospect, Alfredo Duno, is years away from sniffing the big leagues. That means every time Stephenson lands on the injured list, as he has with frustrating regularity — the Reds are left scrambling for answers.

They can’t realistically shop him on the trade market either, not unless they want to punt on the position entirely. That leaves the front office staring at the upcoming free-agent pool of veteran catchers: J.T. Realmuto, Gary Sánchez, Danny Jansen, and Austin Barnes. Realmuto, even at 35, would provide real production but is almost certainly out of the Reds’ budget. That makes a “value” play, someone like Sánchez or Barnes, the likelier route if they want insurance.

The real question looming over Great American Ball Park this winter is whether the Reds should extend Stephenson at all.

If the front office believes in 2024 Stephenson, the version that finally delivered on years of promise with a .258/.338/.444 slash line, 19 home runs, and 66 RBI across 138 games, they absolutely should. Production like that is rare at a position where most teams settle for defense and durability over offensive punch.

But the skeptics have plenty of ammo. In 2022, Cincinnati cycled through seven different catchers after Stephenson went down, and his injury history since then hasn’t quieted those concerns. The version fans remember most clearly? The one who’s missed significant time in both 2022 and 2025. Committing long-term to that player feels like reopening old wounds the organization has tried to close.

For now, Reds fans can breathe easier knowing Stephenson is likely to be back in uniform before the season ends. But his return is only the calm before a much larger storm. The Reds can’t afford to ignore the catcher position this offseason, not if they want to turn a .500 team into a serious contender. Whether that means extending Stephenson, finding a stopgap, or pulling off a bold surprise move, Cincinnati’s front office has no margin for error.

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