Derek Johnson OUT as Reds Pitching Coach — Phil Castellini Owns Up to Mistakes | MLB News, Rumors

Trace Fowler and Nick Kirby react to the news that the Cincinnati Reds pitching coach Derek Johnson is not returning and the comments made in a press conference by Nick Krall, Brad Meador and Phil Castellini.

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The Cincinnati Reds are sticking with their strategy, but ownership and the front office acknowledge that the results have fallen short.

After a 75-87 season, Reds CEO Phil Castellini joined president of baseball operations Nick Krall and general manager Brad Meador for their end-of-season media session Thursday. Charlie Goldsmith reported that Castellini joined to demonstrate ownership’s support for the front office and its strategy.

The message: Cincinnati still believes in building through scouting, drafting and player development. The challenge is executing that approach and making better decisions with the resources available.

Castellini said ownership’s responsibility is to generate and allocate resources while allowing the baseball department to make baseball decisions. He expressed confidence in the strategy, emphasized discipline and acknowledged that fans deserve better than what the organization has delivered.

That commitment comes after a disappointing season that failed to build on the previous year’s playoff appearance. The Reds have not advanced in the postseason since 1995, and Castellini said championship baseball should be the expectation in Cincinnati just as it is elsewhere.

He also made clear that his family intends to continue owning the team. He cited the franchise’s importance to Cincinnati and the family’s desire to get it right.

On payroll, Castellini did not offer a specific 2027 figure. He explained that the club considers its entire baseball operations budget, including scouting, development, facilities, technology and personnel, before arriving at a major league payroll number. The allocation remains fluid.

Asked about exceeding the budget again after ownership approved additional spending for Eugenio Suárez last winter, Castellini stressed evaluating whether previous investments produced the intended results. He did not commit to another increase.

He pointed to the ability of clubs with fewer resources to compete successfully. For the Reds, that makes the quality of their investments especially important. The organization cannot afford to repeatedly devote significant money or playing time to players who fail to produce.

Krall acknowledged that the Reds have missed on several mid-tier major league position player acquisitions. Goldsmith noted that Cincinnati paid more than $30 million in 2026 to Suárez and Jeimer Candelario, who had already been released in 2025.

The lineup’s problems extended beyond those contracts. Goldsmith reported that hitters with an OPS of .643 or lower accounted for 1,827 plate appearances, more than 30% of the team’s total. Too many spots in the lineup produced too little offense.

Krall accepted responsibility for the bottom of the roster and said Cincinnati must give Terry Francona more useful options, including players who can complement one another in platoons. He also acknowledged that Noelvi Marte should have been sent down earlier and that TJ Friedl’s season did not work out.

The offensive priority: make more contact, reach base more often and build a more balanced lineup. Krall said the previous emphasis on adding power did not translate into enough runs. Meador acknowledged that the organization had overemphasized impact and needs to return to a stronger team-offense approach.

That means controlling the zone, putting together tougher at-bats, preparing better and converting opportunities with runners on base. Adding power alone will not solve a lineup that struggles to consistently create those opportunities.

Hitting coach Chris Valaika will return in 2027 and continue directing the organization’s hitting philosophy. Krall cited the progress of Elly De La Cruz, JJ Bleday, Tyler Stephenson and Dane Myers, along with Sal Stewart’s emergence, as reasons for confidence.

Assistant hitting coach Will Remillard will not return. Meador said the Reds want to add a coach with more experience and a different skill set. Minor league catching coordinator Corky Miller has also been reassigned to a coaching role.

De La Cruz and Stewart give the Reds two strong, proven lineup foundations. Spencer Steer should be another key piece once he returns from wrist surgery. Meador said the procedure went well and Steer is expected to be ready around the beginning of spring training.

Steer’s ability to move between first base and the outfield could help Cincinnati create better matchups. Francona prefers Stewart at first base, but Stewart may need to play more third base depending on how the rest of the roster develops.

Catcher is an offseason question.