It was a disappointing season for the Cincinnati Reds. Outside of the main core of Elly De La Cruz, Sal Stewart, and Chase Burns, there were even fewer bright spots to speak of. But one offseason acquisition made his mark in 2026 and is looking to build on that success in 2027.

Dane Myers Impact on the Team

Myers was acquired from the Miami Marlins on Dec. 27, 2025, in a trade for outfield prospect Ethan O'Donnell. At first, he was brought in to platoon in the outfield and play center field when TJ Friedl needed a day off. He ended up factoring into the lineup much more than that.

During Dane Myers' first season in Cincinnati, Reds fans learned that the 30-year-old center fielder wasn't afraid of running into a wall or putting his body on the line for a catch. In the city that birthed "Charlie Hustle", this is a style of play that Reds fans truly appreciate and respect.

Dane Myers spoke to Reds beat writer Mark Sheldon about his year. Despite having a strong season, he wasn't as high on himself.

“I felt like I played OK defense, but not quite to my standards," Myers said. "I think there are some plays I’d like to have back. That’s going to happen every year.”

Myers played a career-high 117 games for the Reds. He batted .257 with a .721 OPS and a career-high eight home runs, 75 hits, 11 doubles, 37 walks, and 39 runs scored. Myers was especially effective off the bench in 2026. His 11 hits as a pinch-hitter were tied for second most in MLB, only one behind Randal Grichuk of the White Sox.

Overall, it was a grat season for him.

"I think it went well. Maybe not exactly the numbers I was quite looking for, but I can look back on the year and say I was true to myself and played my game throughout the year," he said. "I feel like I got better as a player and a teammate. Obviously, the end goal wasn’t reached of making the postseason. I think we’ve got some stuff that we know we need to work on and build off of it."

The Plan in 2027

After the 2026 season, Myers had surgery to clean up a joint in his left shoulder. He should be ready to go by spring training 2027. At the very least, he will be competing for playing time between JJ Bleday, Hector Rodriguez, Carlos Jorge, and Noelvi Marte.

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