Reggie Sanders did not hold back Saturday when the Reds Hall of Fame class of 2026 was officially inducted ahead of the team’s game. Sanders, Brandon Phillips, Aaron Harang and Lou Piniella were honored together, and Sanders said through tears, “I said I'm not going to cry, but I'm bawling right now,” before thanking his mother in the crowd.
Sanders, 58, spent 1991 to 1998 as an outfielder for Cincinnati and made the All-Star team in 1995. Phillips, who played for the Reds from 2006 to 2016, signed a ceremonial one-day contract on Saturday so he could retire as a Red after winning four Gold Gloves and earning three NIL All-Star selections. Harang, who pitched for Cincinnati from 2003 to 2010, led the NL in strikeouts in 2006 with 216 and led the Reds in strikeouts in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009.
Piniella’s place in the class tied the night back to one of the franchise’s highest points. He began managing the Reds in 1990, and Cincinnati won the World Series that season before he stayed on for two more seasons. “I have so many great memories of this town, this franchise and the team I led,” Piniella said, adding, “I will remember this day the rest of my life.”
The ceremony brought four eras of Reds history together in one room, and it drew a crowd that included several other Hall of Famers, among them Chris Sabo, Bronson Arroyo, Eric Davis, Cesar Geronimo, Ken Griffey Sr., Tony Perez and Johnny Bench. Phillips told the crowd, “I love my fans, I love all of y'all. Thank you for motivating me and inspiring me,” while Harang said, “Standing here tonight feels like home. Cincinnati is home.” Sanders closed his turn with a line that fit the day best: “I'm eternally grateful. You are the reason I'm standing here today.”
