The Cincinnati Reds had a miserable holiday weekend

Apr 10, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati mascot Mr. Redlegs poses for a photo before the game between the Los Angeles Angels and the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images You may not have had the opportunity to watch what the Cincinnati Reds were up to all weekend given the holiday, heat, and literal thousands of other things more enjoyable to do than watch this club try to play the sport of baseball. Thankfully, we here at Red Reporter are going to wrap up the weekend’s news for you right now!

class="wp-block-paragraph">Will Benson was designated for assignment

class="wp-block-paragraph">The Reds called time on the Will Benson experiment for good. He joins the likes of Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Rece Hinds as former touted cornerstone pieces of this existential rebuild that have now been cast aside.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Cincinnati’s front office has been trying for years to find a left-handed outfield bat that’s worth a dang, and they continue to be forced to admit their swings and misses. Jake Fraley didn’t pan out. Gavin Lux cost them a fortune to acquire and they dumped him with egg on their face almost immediately. JJ Bleday has shown flashes but just hit .161/.288/.323 across the entire month of June. In Benson, the Reds initially thought they had something when the former 1st round pick excelled in 2023, but he was simply never able to replicate that small-sample excellence.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Hunter Greene returned and got smacked

class="wp-block-paragraph">Cincinnati hoped their resident ace would ride to their rescue immediately after missing the first half of the season following elbow surgery. The exact opposite happened on Saturday against Baltimore.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Hunter Greene was lit up for 8 ER in just 3.1 IP, his short stint forcing the bullpen to cover copious innings in an eventual loss in front of a holiday crowd mostly there just for the fireworks show that followed. Now, the Reds are immediately in the mode where they question just how much they lean on Greene when mired in last place and closer to 10 games under .500 than to a Wild Card spot.

class="wp-block-paragraph">The Reds lost another home series, this time to a dismal Orioles club

class="wp-block-paragraph">The Orioles are essentially the Reds. Flirting with being 10 games under .500, a dozen games back in their division (and, in Baltimore’s case, a half-game out of last place thanks to beating the Reds in GABP), and figuring out which pieces they’ll be better off selling in the next month.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Still, that Orioles club was good enough to come into an opponent’s ball park and take 2 out of 3, which says just about all you need to know about the Reds at the moment.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Sal Stewart and Chase Burns are All Stars

class="wp-block-paragraph">Sal Stewart and Chase Burns were named to the National League’s All Star roster on Sunday, the two certainly deserving of the honors.

class="wp-block-paragraph">The Cincinnati Reds are in last place with less than a month to the trade deadline

class="wp-block-paragraph">It’s about time we all acknowledged the obivious: this team, this franchise has serious problems. More problems than they have solutions. I’m not suggesting that they go full fire-sale right this minute and deal everyone they can for whatever they can get, but it’s time for them to be strategic sellers.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Nick Lodolo just had his best start of the season. Maybe if he strings together 2-3 more, you think about dealing him. He’ll be a free agent after 2028, and do you really think this club can build itself into a contender for next year?

class="wp-block-paragraph">It’s those types of decisions that will be kicked around the front office in the coming weeks. That, and whether or not Terry Francona and his staff are at all the right fit for the roster as it evolves.