Reds got another reminder that the small-market excuse is dead

You don’t have to spend big to win big. This year’s slate of postseason teams, in particular the Mliwaukee Brewers, Cleveland Guardians, and Tampa Bay Rays, are dismantling the notion that small-market clubs can’t compete with juggernauts like the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees. In doing so, they’re challenging baseball execs like Nick Krall to stop making excuses for a poor on-field product.

A close look at how each playoff roster came to be clearly demonstrates that the pathway to success for small-market clubs is through dealing and drafting. The Rays and Brewers, the top seed in each league, feature a combined total of five free agent signings. Rather, the bulk of their rosters (32 of 52 players) were acquired via trade.

Cleveland, on the other hand, has leaned heavily on internal development, as more than half of the roster came up through the Guardians’ farm system. Either way, the Cincinnati Reds have a blueprint they could easily follow.

Small-market teams in the postseason provide a clear pathway for the Reds to find success

Recently, the Reds have tried to compete with the big dogs in free agency. Eugenio Suárez, JJ Bleday, Michael Toglia, and Pierce Johnson all came to Cincinnati via free agency prior to the 2026 season. They combined for 1.7 bWAR. They cost the team just under $24 million. In short, the Reds don’t have the cash to bring in the types of free agents that make a significant difference singlehandedly, and their attempts to buy success bring marginal results.

Instead, the Reds need to play to their strengths. They’ve been able to trade for some diamond in the rough players. Brock Burke, for example, had a career year after coming to Cincinnati in the Gavin Lux deal. Similarly, Dane Myers provided consistency in an outfield that was otherwise in constant flux. These bit players can be just as valuable as the free agents that the Reds have been chasing but come at a fraction of the cost.

Lastly, Cincinnati needs to put some more emphasis on player development. Watching top prospects like Matt McLain and Noelvi Marte sputter once they reach the majors has been demoralizing. There’s significant talent approaching the upper levels of the farm system in the form of Alfredo Duno, Cam Collier, and Tyson Lewis. Fumbling what could become the team’s core would all but guarantee the Reds’ doldrums will continue.

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