The Cincinnati Reds have plenty of holes to fill this offseason, and one of their biggest needs is starting pitching.
After a disappointing 2026 season in which the Reds finished with a 75-87 record, the Reds need to find a way to improve their rotation heading into 2027. With Hunter Greene recovering from Tommy John surgery and Brady Singer entering free agency, the Reds need another reliable starting pitcher.
On Tuesday, MLB Trade Rumors released its annual top 50 free agents list, which included contract projections and predictions for where each player could land.
Sep 19, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres pitcher Casey Mize (32) delivers during the first inning against the Miami Marlins at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors predicts the Reds will sign former No. 1 overall pick and 2025 All-Star Casey Mize.
The publication projects Mize to land a two-year, $28 million contract that includes an opt-out clause.
Mize is an interesting name to watch. The 29-year-old looked like he was finally putting everything together with the Detroit Tigers in 2026, posting a 2.70 ERA across 16 starts before being traded to the San Diego Padres.
Things went downhill from there.
Mize struggled mightily after joining San Diego, posting a 7.46 ERA across 10 starts. He finished the season with a 4.32 ERA, leaving plenty of questions about what teams can expect from him moving forward.
The right-hander was an All-Star in 2025, and there's reason to believe his second-half struggles were more of an outlier than a sign of what's to come.
For the Reds, Mize would be an intriguing addition, especially at the projected two-year, $28 million price tag. He's still just 29 years old and has shown he can be a quality starting pitcher at the big-league level. There are certainly concerns about his injury history and how poorly he pitched after being traded to San Diego, but there's also plenty of upside.
The Reds need starting pitching, and taking a chance on Mize could make sense. However, Cincinnati cannot afford to make him its only significant addition this offseason. There are simply too many question marks heading into 2027.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/reds/onsi as Reds Predicted to Sign Former All-Star Pitcher in Free Agency .
