Terry Francona revealed Reds’ offseason strategy — and it's already quietly begun

Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona recently made an appearance on the Baseball Isn't Boring Podcast and appeared to reveal the team's roster-building strategy heading into the offseason. While talking about the Reds' pitching staff, Francona turned his attention from trade rumors surrounding Hunter Greene to the lack of bullpen depth.

"Now, the thing we have to do," Francona said. "We have to develop more bullpen arms. If you have to go out an pay for it, one, the volatility of it from year to year is absurd. And the prices are absurd. So the more you can develop, the better off you are."

Tito isn't necessarily saying anything that die-hard Reds fans don't already know. He made it crystal clear, however, during the interview that Cincinnati will continue their plan of drafting and developing homegrown talent, especially relievers.

Terry Francona revealed Reds’ offseason strategy for the Cincinnati bullpen

While some fans would love to see Cincinnati's front office address the lineup that finished 21st in home runs and slugging percentage last season, the bullpen is far and away the biggest question mark with the Reds roster at the moment.

The Reds lost Emilio Pagán and Nick Martinez to free agency, and declined the options to both Brent Suter and Scott Barlow. That's a lot of inning to fill, and if you're reading between the lines, Francona expects the Reds to supplement most of those innings with young hurlers like Connor Phillips, Zach Maxwell, and Luis Mey.

All three of those pitchers received a taste of the big leagues in 2025, but it would seem that Francona expects a huge leap from Year 1 to Year 2. Those three pitchers covered just 56 innings combined last season; a feat that Pagán, Suter, Martinez, and Barlow each achieved individually.

The Reds haven't closed the door to a Pagán reunion, but both he and Martinez may have priced themselves out of Cincinnati's budget. The lack of available funds is a major reason why the Reds agreed to terms with former Chicago Cubs pitcher Keegan Thompson so quickly.

The low-key additions of Thompson, Roddery Muñoz, and Jose Franco is just a preview of how the Reds front office is likely to address the bullpen's shortcomings. Barlow was a late-offseason add last winter, and fans should expect more of the same this year.