Williams: 3 pressing questions facing Cincinnati Reds in 2026 season

High expectations for the Cincinnati Reds ? Not so fast. A long-suffering fanbase has been there, done that – and seen enough of the Reds’ core group of players to at least have some questions about whether they can return to the playoffs and take the next step and win a postseason series for the first time in 31 years.

Here are three pressing questions about the Reds entering Opening Day on Thursday:

1. The Cincinnati Reds’ September schedule is brutal. Will they have enough gas left in the tank – never mind whether Hunter Greene is back from injury or not – to survive?

Last season, the Reds looked eliminated at least three times in September. But they gutted it out, won 8 of their last 11 regular-season games, got some help from the collapsing New York Mets and clinched a postseason spot.

That experience should help down the stretch this season. Eugenio Suarez ’s bat and playoff experience should help. So should a deep pitching staff – if it stays mostly healthy for that long.

And it still may not be enough to overcome a month that includes 21 games against teams that made the postseason last year. That includes seven games against the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers , six against the Reds-killing Milwaukee Brewers and three against the reigning American League champion Toronto Blue Jays .

A big key to surviving September is being better in close games all season. The Reds were 22-22 in one-run games in 2025. They were just 3-12 in extra-inning games. That must improve to potentially take some of the pressure off in September.

2. The Pittsburgh Pirates are clearly better than last year – and maybe even winning-record better. And the Chicago Cubs made some serious additions to a 92-win team. Even if the Reds are better, will it be enough in a surprisingly tough-looking division?

Cincinnati fans probably haven’t thought much about the Pirates, but an improved Pittsburgh team could be a real problem for the Reds’ hopes of getting back to the postseason.

The Reds already have struggled against the Pirates in recent seasons, going just 23-33 vs. Pittsburgh since 2022. The Pirates now have a significantly upgraded lineup, with the offseason acquisitions of veteran former All-Stars Brandon Lowe , Ryan O’Hearn and Marcell Ozuna .

And the Reds have yet to beat Paul Skenes , the reigning Cy Young Award winner. Skenes is 4-0 with an 0.31 ERA in five career starts against Cincinnati. Skenes nearly spoiled the Reds’ postseason hopes during the last week of the 2025 regular season, when he shut down Cincinnati for six innings in the Pirates’ extra-inning win.

Many contend the defending NL Central champion Milwaukee Brewers will take a step back after they traded ace Freddy Peralta in the offseason. But they’ve dominated the Reds for several years. The Cubs are the popular pick to win the division.

Yes, for all the high expectations being placed on the Reds, it’s possible they’ll finish fourth in the division.

3. Emilio Pagan came out of nowhere last season to take over the Cincinnati Reds closer role out of necessity, finishing with 32 saves. But was that a one-off or can he back it up?

How Pagan holds up could go a long way to answering the first question. The veteran right-hander was outstanding down the stretch last year, not allowing a run in his final 10 appearances of the regular season. He saved two games in the final weekend to propel the Reds to the postseason.

The fact Pagan wanted to re-sign with the Reds this season speaks to how he’s embraced the high-leverage role of closer and how much he enjoys helping to lead a young pitching staff. The Reds front office and manager Terry Francona love the guy and believe strongly in him as the closer.

There aren’t any real concerns about whether Pagan can back it up. But his age and the fact he’s still relatively new to the closing role make this a legitimate question. He’ll turn 35 in early May, and he had almost as many saves in 2025 as he previously recorded in his entire career (33).

Contact columnist Jason Williams at  jwilliams@enquirer.com

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Why Pittsburgh Pirates could spoil Cincinnati Reds MLB playoff hopes