The Cincinnati Reds are facing a very tough decision this offseason as they enter free agency. One of their starting pitchers, Brady Singer, is hitting the open market, and the Reds need to decide whether they will pursue a new contract with him. They also need to decide if they're going to offer him the qualifying offer, which could keep him in Cincinnati for upwards of $20 million.
Singer was really good for the Reds in 2025, as he started 32 games and held a 4.03 ERA with a 3.0 WAR. He was able to eat innings and give the Reds a chance to win more often than not. But this year, he regressed to a shell of his former self. The veteran righty held an ERA near 6.00 as he lost 15 games and was worth negative WAR.
As a result, Spotrac projects Singer to sign a deal worth $33 million over two years, which seems like the fair market value for a veteran pitcher without much of an injury history.
Sep 17, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds pitcher Brady Singer (51) throws against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
It would be shocking to see the Reds offer Singer the qualifying offer based on the way he finished the season. He allowed at least three earned runs in each of his last 12 starts of the year. That kind of production won't help the Reds win games, especially if they give him upwards of $20 million of their limited payroll.
Instead, Singer could find himself a one- or two-year deal on a contending team that has a few top arms but needs an innings eater in the bottom half of their staff. If there is one thing that Singer is good for, it's chewing up innings. He's made at least 30 starts in three consecutive seasons.
The New York Yankees and New York Mets have the money to throw at risky options like Singer. The Milwaukee Brewers could look to take a chance on him if they see something that could be tweaked to make him serviceable again. There are plenty of teams that could use a pitcher with no concerning injury history.
While Singer and the Reds might not be the perfect match going forward, there should be a market for the righty.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/reds/onsi as Reds Veteran Pitcher Shockingly Projected to Sign 2-Year, $33 Million Contract .
