The Cincinnati Reds have struck out on landing a big fish so far. To be fair, the only time they really tried was in their pursuit of Kyle Schwarber. Instead, the club has shored up its bullpen by bringing back Emilio Pagan, and created an upside outfield platoon by signing JJ Bleday and trading for Dane Myers.
The NL Central feels crowded. The Milwaukee Brewers led the league with 97 victories last season, the Chicago Cubs are seemingly in the mix, and even the Pittsburgh Pirates are throwing money around like never before.
The Reds' marginal moves are nowhere near enough to boost an offense that ranked below average in most categories, and one has wonder if Cincinnati can truly contend in this competitive environment.