The Cincinnati Reds may have their young core firmly in place, but that doesn’t mean the roster is immune to change. As the front office looks ahead to 2026, tough decisions loom. The team will need to balance a wave of incoming talent from one of baseball’s deepest farm systems with the realities of maximizing their current major league roster. And in the middle of that balancing act lies a player whose role may no longer be guaranteed: Santiago Espinal.
One reason for that could be the return of Tyler Callihan at the beginning of next season. Callihan’s 2025 season was derailed before it even had a chance to really begin.