The Cincinnati Reds took a step forward in 2025, with a record of 83-79 and making the playoffs for the first time since 2020. Ultimately, they lost to the now World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League wild-card round (2-0).
The defeat should fuel the Reds to be better in 2026 and the front office to supplement its emerging core of shortstop Elly De La Cruz, outfielder TJ Friedl, RHP Hunter Greene, LHP Andrew Abbott and RHP Chase Burns with veterans to get them over the hump and past the Dodgers.
Doing this should do the trick, as the Reds also have one of the better coaching staffs in baseball. They are led by two-time World Series-winning manager Terry Francona. Shuffling up his staff after bench coach Brad Mills, a lifelong friend of Francona, retired, the Reds possibly have a future manager in waiting on their staff in Mike Napoli, who received a promotion for next season.
Mike Napoli looks to be the next big managerial hire in Major League Baseball
Napoli was a veteran of 12 MLB seasons (2006-17) with four different teams: the Cleveland Indians (Guardians), the Boston Red Sox, the Texas Rangers and the Los Angeles Angels. He didn’t take long to get into coaching afterward, getting hired by the Chicago Cubs in 2019 as their quality assurance coach for the 2020 season.
Spending the next five seasons (2020-24) on the Cubs coaching staff, Napoli worked his way up to being their first base coach, holding that position from 2022 to 2024. Joining the Reds for the 2025 season as an “all-purpose coach,” Napoli received a promotion for 2026 to assistant bench coach with Mills’ retirement.