Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

When the Cincinnati Reds brought in veteran manager Terry Francona last offseason, the move was seen as one to help get this team going in the right direction. Francona has seen a lot of success over the years, and with the young cast on the Reds roster, this could be a very solid pairing.

In the first year, Francona led this club to the postseason as they clinched a spot on the final day of the regular season. While Cincinnati fell short in the playoffs, the recipe for success is right there for this team.

The Reds have very solid starting pitching, and it helped carry them this past season. But the offense was extremely inconsistent throughout the year, and it was a real problem for the team.

Entering the offseason, the Reds front office needs to add a few more bats to this club if they want to get over the hump. With Francona in the mix, Cincinnati should be pushing the chips in a little to boost this roster.

However, the Reds have historically sat out of free agency, especially for the bigger names on the open market. This could see Cincinnati look to make a trade to address some of the issues that the roster has.

But this team also needs depth, which can be acquired on the free agent market for cheap. Cincinnati specifically could use some help in the outfield after the team had a rotation of guys play this past season.

Only TJ Friedl was able to play in more than 110 games, showcasing the real need for the Reds to focus on this offseason. Even if Cincinnati brings in a few depth pieces, it could help bolster the club to make another potential playoff run this year.

This is just a prediction, NOT a report!

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Cincinnati Reds Bring Back Jesse Winker

One name that the Reds could look to bring in as a depth piece is former All-Star Jesse Winker. Winker spent last season with the Mets, but he was limited to just 26 games during this past season.

In his time with the Mets this year, Winker hit .229 with one home run and 10 runs batted in. The veteran isn’t the same player that he was a few years ago, but he could still provide this team with some needed depth in the outfield.

Winker was extremely solid in his tenure with the Reds a few years ago, even making the All-Star team in the 2021 season. The veteran could look to revive his career with the team with which he saw the most success.

Adding Winker could give the Reds a veteran bat for cheap due to his struggles and injury history, while also allowing the team to still pursue other options on the free-agent market. This could be a low-risk move for Cincinnati, and if it doesn’t work out, they can always release him down the line.