Per MLB.com\u2019s own glossary, xwOBA is described as a metric \u201cformulated using exit velocity, launch angle and, on certain types of batted balls, Sprint Speed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cxwOBA is more indicative of a player\u2019s skill than regular wOBA, as xwOBA removes defense from the equation.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s an expected stat, meaning that it\u2019s based more on process than actual outcome, but it\u2019s a measure of the quality of offense generated by batters these days. It\u2019s tracking how hard you hit it, whether it\u2019s a liner or grounder, and how fast the player who hit the ball takes off – all things that are pretty vital to just how effective a team\u2019s overall offense should be over a large enough sample to drown out any noise.<\/p>\n
During the 2025 MLB season, the Cincinnati Reds posted a collective team xwOBA of .300. And while that may be a round number that makes you think \u201chuh, that\u2019s average,\u201d in this case it decidedly is not. That .300 xwOBA ranked 28th among the 30 MLB clubs last year, 3rd worst ahead of only the punchless Cleveland Guardians and, yes, the woeful Colorado Rockies.<\/p>\n
The 2025 Reds offense was mediocre in a number of metrics beyond that one, even though it\u2019s a pretty straightforward indicator of how lacking their lineup truly was. They ranked just 24th overall in wRC+, 24th in ISO, 28th in Statcast\u2019s Hard Hit %, and dead last in EV90, per FanGraphs, though still managed to rank 7th in BABIP (.298) somehow.<\/p>\n
In other words, they didn\u2019t hit the ball very hard, very well, or even end up getting lucky. It was an offense that lacked real thump for the season and was ultimately their downfall next to their pretty spectacular set of starting pitchers.<\/p>\n
The question today, though, is whether they\u2019ve done enough to make that significantly better in 2026.<\/p>\n
They\u2019ll have a fully healthy Elly De La Cruz again, which will help tremendously. They brought in Eugenio Su\u00e1rez in free agency to add some legitimate thump to the lineup, and that, too, should boost things. Sal Stewart has all the hallmarks of an offensive powerhouse in the makings, and adding his bat to this group for a full season will hopefully skew it in a positive direction.<\/p>\n