How do Reds stack up against NL Central entering '24?

This story was excerpted from Mark Sheldon's Reds Beat newsletter, with Joe Trezza filling in this week. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

With so many teams determined to contend in 2024, it’s already been quite a busy winter in the National League Central.

Just follow the money. If you disregard the mind-boggling $700 million the Dodgers committed to Shohei Ohtani, Major League teams have spent $906.85 million on other free agents already this winter (as of Monday). Nearly $200 million of that has been spent in the NL Central, an outsized 22 percent of non-Ohtani money.

The Reds are a big part of that, having committed $87 million to Nick Martinez, Emilio Pagán and Jeimer Candelario. But it’s the entire division. Everyone is trying to get better, with four teams (excluding Pittsburgh) seemingly positioning themselves to contend next season. Only the Cubs haven’t signed a big league free agent this winter, and they committed a record $40 million to their new manager.

Surely, the wheeling and dealing is far from over. But with less than two weeks left in 2023, let’s take an opportunity to zoom out for a broader view of the contenders in the NL Central -- which is poised to be one of baseball’s most exciting divisions next year -- and how Cincinnati matches up at this point.

Brewers
2023 standing: 1st
Notable additions: LHP Wade Miley, OF Jackson Chourio, DH Jake Bauers, RHP Taylor Clarke, RHP Joe Ross
Notable subtractions: Manager Craig Counsell, RHP Brandon Woodruff, 1B Rowdy Tellez, OF Mark Canha, 3B Josh Donaldson, OF Jesse Winker, 1B Carlos Santana, 1B Darin Ruf, 3B Abraham Toro, LHP Andrew Chafin
Remaining needs: Corner infielders, rotation depth

It’s certainly a new era in Milwaukee, with Counsell bolting for Chicago after eight seasons, but are the Brewers in transition? That answer largely hinges on whether they trade Corbin Burnes later this winter and $82 million top prospect Chourio’s arrival in the big leagues. Either way, new skipper Pat Murphy’s 2024 roster will look a lot different than the one that won the Central last season for the third time in six years.

Cubs
2023 standing: 2nd
Notable additions: Manager Craig Counsell
Notable subtractions: Manager David Ross, RHP Marcus Stroman, 1B Cody Bellinger, 3B Jeimer Candelario, RHP Brad Boxberger, RHP Michael Fulmer
Remaining needs: Impact bat, rotation help, bullpen depth

After missing out on Ohtani, the Cubs must now move on to subsequent offseason priorities. Will they re-sign Bellinger? Reel in Matt Chapman? Win the Yoshinobu Yamamoto sweepstakes? Chicago won the offseason’s first headline by wooing Counsell with a record deal to replace Ross. But after nearly making the postseason this year, the Cubs now see two huge pieces in Bellinger and Stroman on the open market, and they still have a need for rotation help and bullpen reinforcements.

Reds
2023 standing: 3rd
Notable additions: 3B Jeimer Candelario, RHP Nick Martinez, RHP Emilio Pagán, C Austin Wynns
Notable subtractions: 1B Joey Votto, INF/OF Nick Senzel, CF Harrison Bader, C Curt Casali, RHP Buck Farmer
Remaining needs: Even more arms

Cincinnati is still looking to add more pitching after spending $42 million on Pagán and Martinez and shelling out $45 million for Candelario despite an established infield logjam. The goal is to improve a staff that ranked 28th in MLB in ERA last season, and to provide support for the exciting group of prospects who debuted last summer. The Reds see an opportunity following their much-improved 2023, perhaps for their first division title since 2012. They signaled that it’s a new day in Cincinnati with their first move of the winter: declining longtime star Votto’s $20 million option.

Cardinals
2023 standing: 5th
Notable additions: RHP Sonny Gray, RHP Lance Lynn, RHP Kyle Gibson, RHP Ryan Fernandez
Notable subtractions: RHP Adam Wainwright, OF Tyler O’Neill, RHP Dakota Hudson, RHP Jake Woodford, 1B/DH Juan Yepez, RHP Drew VerHagen
Remaining needs: Relief help

When the winter began, the perennially contending Cardinals immediately looked to distance themselves from their worst season in 28 years by signing a triumvirate of veteran starters in Gray, Lynn and Gibson. They should be younger and more athletic next season with Jordan Walker and Masyn Winn assuming larger roles. And they still have stars like Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt and Willson Contreras. St. Louis isn’t expected to make any more big moves this winter, though it could be active on the trade market for relief pitching. Either way, in terms of competitiveness, the Cardinals seem determined to ensure that '23 was more a blip on the radar rather than the new normal.