The Cincinnati Reds just got reminded, loudly, what the big-boy table looks like. Kyle Schwarber went back to Philadelphia on a five-year, $150 million deal, and Cincinnati’s best offer — reportedly five years and $125 million — ended up as a very respectable “thanks for playing.”
That’s the Reds’ reality in one painful snapshot: they can stretch for a star, but they’re never going to be the team that simply out-muscles the Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, or New York Mets when the bidding hits that next tier. If they want a middle-of-the-order monster, they’re either getting in early… or they’re shopping in a very specific corner of the market.