CAUTION: Cincinnati Reds Front Office WARNINGS as Option Savings Might Never HIT the Roster

Cincinnati Reds face a pivotal offseason after declining options on Eugenio Suarez, Pierce Johnson, and Emilio Pagán—freeing up ~$40 million but leaving fans skeptical about ownership's willingness to spend. Is Nick Krall ready to invest in a contender, or are the Reds bracing for a low-budget year ahead of potential CBA turmoil? The conversation spotlights Suarez’s declining power, Pagán’s risky bet on free agency, and the glaring closer vacancy with names like Graham Ashcraft, Tony Santillan, and Tejay Antone lacking durability. With Ke'Bryan Hayes’ contract looming large and bullpen depth a concern, can the Reds develop a sustainable post-lockout strategy, or is another offseason of cutbacks on the horizon? Get the honest evaluation on player moves, payroll speculation, and what it means for Elly De La Cruz, Sal Stewart, and the future of the franchise. 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 Reds Decline Contract Options 12:41 Suarez Option Performance Debate 25:15 Reds Closer In-House Candidates Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! 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. 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.