Offseason

• December 7, 1995: Chris Sabo was signed as a Free Agent with the Cincinnati Reds.
• January 2, 1996: Eric Davis was signed as a Free Agent with the Cincinnati Reds.
• January 9, 1996: Mike Kelly was traded by the Atlanta Braves to the Cincinnati Reds for a player to be named later and Chad Fox. The Cincinnati Reds sent Ray King (June 11, 1996) to the Atlanta Braves to complete the trade.
• January 20, 1996: Vince Coleman signed as a Free Agent with the Cincinnati Reds.
• February 26, 1996: Joe Oliver was signed as a Free Agent with the Cincinnati Reds.
• February 26, 1996: Damon Berryhill was released by the Cincinnati Reds.

Regular season

• April 1 - Seven pitches into the first game of the season, at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, home plate umpire John McSherry
  John McSherry
  John Patrick McSherry was an American umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the National League from 1971 to 1996. Although McSherry originally wore uniform #9 when he entered the National League, he switched to #10 in 1979 when the league reorganized the umpires' numbers and he wore that...
  
   collapses on the field and dies of a massive heart attack
  Myocardial infarction
  Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
  
  . The game between the Cincinnati Reds
  Cincinnati Reds
  The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
  
   and Montréal Expos
  Washington Nationals
  The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
  
   is postponed, along with the rest of the games scheduled for that day. Reds owner Marge Schott
  Marge Schott
  Margaret Unnewehr Schott was the managing general partner, president and CEO of the National League's Cincinnati Reds franchise from 1984 to 1999...
  
   later comes under fire for wanting the game in Cincinnati to continue despite the tragedy (and against the wishes of the players on both teams), saying that she felt "cheated" when it was canceled.

Notable transactions

• April 2, 1996: Scott Service was signed as a Free Agent with the Cincinnati Reds.
• May 27, 1996: Lee Smith was traded by the California Angels to the Cincinnati Reds for Chuck McElroy.
• June 18, 1996: Vince Coleman was released by the Cincinnati Reds.
• July 30, 1996: Kevin Mitchell was traded by the Boston Red Sox to the Cincinnati Reds for Roberto Mejia and Brad Tweedie (minors).
• July 30, 1996: Eric Anthony
  Eric Anthony
  Eric Todd Anthony is a former Major League Baseball outfielder.Drafted by the Houston Astros in the 34th round of the 1986 MLB amateur draft, Anthony would make his Major League Baseball debut with the Houston Astros on July 28, 1989, and appear in his final game on September 27, 1997...
  
   was purchased by the Colorado Rockies from the Cincinnati Reds.

Draft Picks

• June 4, 1996: Buddy Carlyle was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 2nd round of the 1996 amateur draft. Player signed June 21, 1996.

Roster

Starters by position

Other batters

Starting pitchers

Other pitchers

Relief pitchers

Farm system