The Cincinnati Reds had a very disappointing season in 2022. After recording their first full winning season since 2013, the Reds bottomed out and finished with more than 100 losses.
The team saw a few players take a step back. And in the offseason, they took chances on players in need of a rebound in 2023. If the team has any designs on posting a winning season again, they'll need those players to bounce back.
There is no real reason this team can't put together a decent season. Sure, the Reds are far from World Series contenders. But the talent on this team is better than 100 losses when they are playing at their best.
With that said, let's look at three players who the Reds need to have a bounce-back season in 2023.
3. Cincinnati Reds outfielder Wil Myers
Wil Myers is one of those players the Reds took a chance on for the 2023 season. He came over in the offseason after spending the last eight years with the San Diego Padres.
Myers played just 77 games for a Padres team that absolutely loaded up last season. He hit seven home runs, 41 runs batted in, and maintained a batting average of .261. This performance earned him a one-year contract with the Reds.
Myers has performed much better in the past, even when playing fewer games. In the COVID-shortened 2020 season, the Reds outfielder received MVP votes for his 15 home runs and .288 average in 55 games.
Myers does not need to be an MVP candidate for Cincinnati in 2023. However, he does need to take advantage of this opportunity and contribute meaningfully for a team desperate for offensive firepower.
2. Cincinnati Reds second baseman Jonathan India
Jonathan India had an incredible 2021 season with the Reds. He won the National League Rookie of the Year that year, and it wasn't even close. He earned 29 of a possible 30 votes for the award.
In 2022, however, he took a step back. India hit 10 home runs and 41 runs batted in while playing 103 games. The Florida baseball product maintained a batting average of just .249.
India did suffer through some injuries during the 2022 season. Most of the first half of the season saw him struggling with a hamstring issue. And he suffered a bone bruise on his shin during the Field of Dreams game. Staying healthy is obviously the first step toward a resurgent season.
India has the potential to be the long-term answer for the Reds at second base. The organization certainly views him through that lens. If he wants to remain in that conversation, bouncing back in 2023 is an absolute must.
1. Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto
Joey Votto is not only a bounce-back candidate, he's someone who has a history of re-establishing himself as a force in the Reds lineup. Injuries shortened his 2022 season, but he looks healthy entering 2023.
Votto isn't too far removed from a post-All-Star break tear in 2021. He hit 25 home runs after the Midsummer Classic while maintaining an OPS of 1.057 to close out that season.
Votto always seems to find a way to remind us why a spot in Cooperstown could certainly be his. 2023 could be another notch in that ever-growing Hall of Fame case for the career-long Reds star.
This is also a vital season for Votto outside of any Hall of Fame case. The Reds hold a $20 million team option on the soon-to-be 40-year-old. There is a non-zero chance this year is the last we see of Votto in a Cincinnati uniform.
Whether a divorce between team and player occurs remains to be seen. The upcoming 2023 season is certainly an important one for Votto and the Reds no matter which way you look at it.
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