The Cincinnati Reds face critical offseason decisions as player options and free agency loom. Should the team bring back Austin Hays at $12 million, or let him walk after an injury-plagued season that produced barely above league-average results? Relief pitchers Scott Barlow and Brent Suter have club options worth considering, while closer Emilio Pagán enters free agency after a strong 32-save campaign. Jeff Carr and Steven Offenbaker analyze each decision, making a compelling case for Miguel Andújar as the perfect fourth outfielder after his impressive .359/.400/.544 slash line in 34 games with Cincinnati. The hosts also debate Ke'Bryan Hayes' Gold Glove award and whether his elite defense justifies keeping him despite offensive struggles that produced a 65 OPS+ in 2025. The conversation repeatedly emphasizes one crucial point: none of these complementary moves matter unless the Cincinnati Reds first acquire a power-hitting outfielder capable of 30-35 home runs. The team's current roster construction resembles "a bunch of fourth outfielders" rather than a competitive lineup. Tune in now for expert analysis on how the Cincinnati Reds should navigate these roster decisions and finally address their glaring outfield weakness. Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms… 🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/locked-on-reds/ https://www.youtube.com/@LockedOnReds?sub_confirmation=1 Locked On MLB League-Wide: Every Team, Prospects & More 🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnMLB BOOKMARK Sports Illustrated’s Cincinnati Reds site, Inside the Reds! https://www.si.com/mlb/reds/ Also follow @jefffcarr and @soffenbaker on Twitter JOIN THE DISCORD SERVER: https://discord.gg/STMcRDyMCt For your next listen, check out the Locked On MLB podcast. Get Sully’s take on MLB! He has it all covered every single day. Click HERE to listen now. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day. 0:00 Intro 2:21 Austin Hays mutual option decision 6:19 Hays as baseline, not feature move 8:06 Scott Barlow and Brent Suter options 11:05 Miguel Andújar as complementary outfield piece 15:22 Andújar's platoon splits and potential role 18:22 Emilio Pagán's market value discussion 21:17 Ke'Bryan Hayes wins Gold Glove again 25:35 Trading Hayes for major league help 29:38 Sal Stewart at third base possibility Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! PrizePicks Download the PrizePicks app today and use code LOCKEDONMLB to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup.PrizePicks — Run Your Game.Click Link Here: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/LOCKEDONMLB Gametime Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONMLB for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime. FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Football season is around the corner, visit the FanDuel App today and start planning your futures bets now. 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.
