After suffering through a disappointing 1921 season, as the Reds finished in sixth place in the National League with a 70–83 record, the club made a couple of big moves over the winter months.
He played a key role for the Giants in their 1921 World Series victory over the New York Yankees, as Burns hit .333 with four doubles, two runs, two RBI and stole a base in eight games.
With the trade opening up a spot at third base, the Reds acquired Babe Pinelli from the Oakland Oaks of the Pacific Coast League.
First baseman Jake Daubert had an excellent season at 38 years old, as he hit .336 with a team high 12 home runs and 66 RBI and 156 games.
Outfielder Pat Duncan hit a solid .328 with eight home runs and a team high 94 RBI in 151 games.
Johnny Couch, an under the radar acquisition by the team, earned a 16–9 record and a 3.89 ERA in 43 games, while 21 year old Pete Donohue, in his first full season as a starting pitcher, led the team with a 3.13 ERA, and posted a record of 18–9, which earned him the best winning percentage by a pitcher in the National League, in 33 games pitched.