The Reds rank dead last in one area they can’t afford to ignore

The Cincinnati Reds rank last in baseball in defensive runs saved at -40, a disappointing result given manager Terry Francona's emphasis on improving defense and the team's acquisition of elite defender Ke'Bryan Hayes at the 2025 deadline. Despite these efforts, the Reds have shown minimal improvement across multiple defensive metrics since 2024, ranking 20th in fielding percentage and 11th in errors. The team faces a difficult tradeoff: their best defenders like Hayes and Matt McLain struggle offensively and are difficult to keep in the lineup, while replacing them would likely worsen the defense further.

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