Cincinnati Reds News Roundup — September 26, 2026

Elly De La Cruz joined an exclusive club Friday night, becoming the eighth shortstop to record 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases, accomplishing the feat in just 141 games—fewer than any other shortstop to reach the milestone. De La Cruz's achievement gives the Reds two members of the 30-30 club alongside Barry Larkin, making Cincinnati one of only two franchises with multiple shortstops in that group.

The Reds bounced back from Friday's loss to Toronto with a dominant performance Saturday, defeating the Blue Jays 5-1 behind Rhett Lowder's six shutout innings on 79 pitches. Lowder, who had struggled through much of September after returning from injury, allowed just three hits while walking two. Hector Rodriguez provided crucial run support with a two-run triple in the fifth inning, and J.J. Bleday added his 24th home run of the season.

Off the field, the Cubs claimed right-handed pitcher Julian Aguiar off waivers from Cincinnati, adding the 25-year-old prospect to their roster less than a week after his major league debut. Aguiar spent most of 2026 at Triple-A Louisville following Tommy John surgery that sidelined him for all of 2025. Because he was added after September 1, he is ineligible for Chicago's postseason roster.

Looking ahead to the offseason, general manager Nick Krall may have more freedom to pursue trades if owner Bob Castellini follows through on recent statements about allowing baseball decisions to be made by baseball leaders. Relief pitcher Emilio Pagán and outfielder Dane Myers have been identified as potential trade candidates. Meanwhile, manager Terry Francona's decision to hand over in-game duties to bench coach Mike Napoli during Friday's game appears to signal that Napoli is being groomed as his eventual successor.

The Reds' 19-33 record against NL Central opponents this season, the worst in the division, exposed a persistent weakness that has plagued the team over the past five years. Cincinnati finished last in the division for the first time since 2018 and failed to post a winning record in any series against a divisional rival.