Reds could explore a cheap Kyle Schwarber alternative, but it would only annoy fans

Since the offseason began, the conversation in Queen City has centered around one thing: are the Cincinnati Reds finally going to step into the big-boy aisle and add a left-handed slugger to drop into the heart of the batting order? In other words, go get Kyle Schwarber.

Instead, fans assume the front office will be shopping at the clearance rack while talking like they’re ready for Fifth Avenue. As such, a player Ryan O’Hearn feels like the classic “almost good enough” consolation prize that this fanbase has seen too many times. On paper, you can sell it as value. In the stands, it lands more like settling.

Signing Ryan O’Hearn over Kyle Schwarber would send the wrong message to Reds fans

Nobody is saying that O’Hearn is a bad hitter. He’s a solid player coming off a strong season. But when Reds fans hear “lefty slugger,” they’re not dreaming about middle-class upgrades. They’re thinking about a true middle-of-the-order monster who makes every at-bat at Great American Ball Park must-watch TV.

Back in July, the Reds were floated as a potential trade fit for O'Hearn, which made some sense as a short-term rental. Instead, the Reds traded for A's slugger Miguel Andujar and O'Hearn was dealt to the San Diego Padres. The Reds could circle back to O’Hearn now that he’s a free agent, but that's a lot tougher to sell as the big bat fans have been begging for.

From a pure baseball standpoint, O’Hearn checks plenty of boxes. He can handle first base, he hit .281/.366/.437 with 17 homers, 63 RBI, and a 125 OPS+ in 2025, and he posted 2.4 WAR — legitimately useful production for a club that has struggled to get consistent impact from first base. On a two-year deal in the neighborhood of $24–26 million, you can very easily argue the value is there, especially if you believe his recent run is sustainable.

But that’s exactly where the frustration kicks in, because Schwarber isn’t in the same tier — he’s in a different galaxy. The projected price tag for Schwarber, somewhere in the $125–145 million range over 4–5 years (roughly $30 million per season), reflects what he actually is: a franchise-shifting power bat. You don’t bring in Schwarber simply to “upgrade first base” or DH — you bring him in to instantly change your ceiling in October.

And so the comparison becomes unavoidable. Schwarber’s is a major, long-term investment that forces ownership to declare, publicly and loudly, that the Reds are serious about contending at the very top of the National League. Going with O’Hearn instead is like telling the fanbase, “We heard you when you asked for Schwarber… and here’s the discounted version we’re more comfortable with.”