PERFECT FIT: Cincinnati Reds Must HIRE Carl Willis to FIX Pitching

Cincinnati Reds’ pitching future could hinge on a bold move: will Terry Francona’s connection help land Carl Willis as the next pitching coach? With five Cy Young winners developed under his watch, Willis would be the top candidate to revitalize a Reds staff plagued by walks and underperformance in 2026. Jeff Carr spotlights the urgent need for pitching leadership and examines how Willis’ philosophy could mesh with Nick Krall’s run prevention mandate. Meanwhile, the hype builds for Sal Stewart, as he captures Sporting News NL Rookie of the Year honors—are 32 homers and 111 RBIs enough to silence the critics? Plus, prospect Luke Holman rockets up the Reds’ radar after dominating in the Arizona Fall League. Can Holman become the next breakout arm with his new splitter drawing national attention? Locked On Reds breaks down roster moves, prospect buzz, and why strong coaching could define Cincinnati’s 2027 outlook. Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms… Everydayer Club If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join the Locked On Reds community: https://lockedonreds.supercast.com BOOKMARK Sports Illustrated’s Cincinnati Reds site, Cincinnati Reds Talk! https://www.si.com/mlb/reds/ - Also follow @jefffcarr and @soffenbaker on Twitter 00:00 Carl Willis - Next Reds Pitching Coach? 10:10 Sal Stewart Rookie of Year? 22:44 Luke Holman Prospect Hype Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Gameday Mens Health Gameday Men’s Health is a real, in-person men’s health clinic that looks at the full picture before developing a treatment plan. Book your complimentary test and consult at https://join.gamedaymenshealth.com/reasons_to_choose_gameday-1201?utm_source=lockedon&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=MLB&utm_network=lockedon&utm_adgroup=corp&ghl_tag=national,corp Indeed Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast. KALSHI For a limited time, Download Kalshi and use code Locked On to get $25 when you trade $25. Kalshi. Trade what’s next. Odoo Great organizations win because operations matter. And that’s why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon. 5-Hour ENERGY Spice up your season with rich pumpkin flavor and bold cinnamon swagger in every sip. Pumpkin Spice 5-hour ENERGY®️ shots are available for a limited time in stores and on https://5hourENERGY.com or Amazon. LarineCo Larine is a better-for-you chewing gum . Larine is offering our listeners up to 50% off at https://buylarine.com/LOCKEDONMLB. FanDuel This season, FanDuel is making the excitement go beyond what happens on the field with the all-new FanDuel Rewards Club, featuring exclusive offers, surprises, and more. Every week, check the FanDuel app to see what’s waiting for you or visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) #Reds #CincinnatiReds #MLB Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.