It was a big day for offseason news for the Cincinnati Reds.

The Reds announced on social media that they declined the mutual options on right-hander Pierce Johnson and infielder Eugenio Suarez, making both players free agents. Cincinnati’s 40-man roster now sits at 35 players.

Johnson had an $8 million option, while Suarez’s option was worth $16 million. Neither decision comes as much of a surprise, although it wouldn’t be crazy to see Suarez return on a cheaper deal.

Just before that news broke, Emilio Pagan announced that he would be declining his $10 million option.

Pierce Johnson’s Production Didn’t Justify the Price

Johnson simply didn’t pitch well enough in 2026 to make the Reds want to bring him back for $8 million.

The veteran finished with a 4.62 ERA and a 1.356 WHIP across 56 appearances. He allowed eight home runs and walked 19 batters in 48 2/3 innings while striking out 42.

The Reds need bullpen help, but that doesn’t mean they should commit that kind of money to a reliever who didn’t give them the results they needed.

With multiple areas of the roster to address, Cincinnati should be looking for a better use of those dollars. Declining Johnson’s option was a pretty easy decision.

Could Eugenio Suarez Return on a Cheaper Deal?

Suarez’s situation is a little more interesting.

His first half was disappointing. He slashed .208/.285/.388 with 11 home runs and 35 RBIs in 67 games before the All-Star break. For a player brought in to help the offense, that simply wasn’t enough.

The second half was much better. Suarez hit 15 home runs and drove in 39 runs in 58 games while posting a .333 on-base percentage and a .490 slugging percentage. His .823 OPS after the break showed that he still had something to offer offensively. Unfortunately, most of that production came when the Reds were already out of the postseason picture.

That second half gives the Reds a reason to consider bringing him back. It just doesn’t mean they needed to do it for $16 million.

It wouldn’t be crazy to see the two sides revisit things at a lower price.

Still, the Reds can’t bring him back and assume his second-half production will carry over for an entire season. They need more consistency from their offense, and any reunion would need to fit into a larger plan to improve the lineup.

Declining these options makes sense. What matters now is how the Reds use that flexibility to put a better team on the field in 2027.