Williams: 3 pressing questions facing Cincinnati Reds in 2026 season
Williams: High expectations? Not so fast. Here are three questions facing the Reds, who hope to take the next step and win a playoff series in 2026.
High expectations for the Cincinnati Reds ? Not so fast. A long-suffering fanbase has been there, done that – and seen enough of the Reds’ core group of players to at least have some questions about whether they can return to the playoffs and take the next step and win a postseason series for the first time in 31 years.
Here are three pressing questions about the Reds entering Opening Day on Thursday: 1. The Cincinnati Reds’ September schedule is brutal. Will they have enough gas left in the tank – never mind whether Hunter Greene is back from injury or not – to survive?
Last season, the Reds looked eliminated at least three times in September. But they gutted it out, won 8 of their last 11 regular-season games, got some help from the collapsing New York Mets and clinched a postseason spot. That experience should help down the stretch this season.
Eugenio Suarez’s bat and playoff experience should help. So should a deep pitching staff – if it stays mostly healthy for that long. And it still may not be enough to overcome a month that includes 21 games against teams that made the postseason last year.