CINCINNATI, OHIO - APRIL 22: Hunter Greene #21 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches in the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Great American Ball Park on April 22, 2022 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
The Cincinnati Reds have a record over .500, but sit in fourth place in the NL Central due to their struggles to win close games.
Cincinnati finished the 2024 season with a record of 77-85, missing out on the postseason. The Reds recognized the need to make improvements to their roster in order to compete during the 2025 season, and as a result, they were very active in the trade market and free agency.
The Reds made trades for utility player Gavin Lux, relief pitcher Taylor Rogers and catcher Jose Trevino. Cincinnati signed outfielder Austin Hays, relief pitcher Scott Barlow, and re-signed starting pitcher Nick Martinez.
Cincinnati’s offense is led by superstar shortstop Elly De La Cruz, centerfielder TJ Friedl, and utility men Spencer Steer and Lux.
Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter!
A week of sports news in your in-box.
We find the sports news you need to know, so you don't have to.
On paper, the Reds’ offense appears strong, but it has been inconsistent throughout the 2025 season. Cincinnati ranks inside the top 10 for RBIs and runs scored, and it also ranks just outside the top 10 in slugging percentage.
Cincinnati ranks in the top half of the league for hits and home runs, and its batting average is in the middle of the pack. The Reds also rank in the bottom 10 of the MLB when it comes to striking out.
One area where the Reds struggle is in exit velocity, ranking in the bottom five at 88.7 mph.
Similarly to its offense, the Reds’ pitching is strong on paper, but it’s top-heavy. Cincinnati’s pitching staff is led by Hunter Greene and Andrew Abbott, who have both had a strong start to the season.
The Reds are in the top 10 for batting average allowed, walks and hits per inning pitched (WHIP), and hits allowed. It’s just outside of the top 10 for ERA, and it’s in the middle of the league for strikeouts.
Cincinnati recently called up its top pitching prospect, Chase Burns, to the big leagues, so they’re hoping he can provide an impact in the starting rotation.
A significant reason for Cincinnati’s struggles is its inability to hit effectively during close games. The Reds have a record of 9-11 in one-run games, and it’s 0-24 when losing after six innings.
Cincinnati is also dealing with injuries to some of its top players. Third baseman Noelvi Marte and Hays are currently on the 10-day injured list, and Hunter Greene is on the 15-day injured list.
Starting pitcher Rhett Lowder is also on the 60-day injured list after getting called up in August of 2024, where he had an ERA of 1.17. He has yet to make his 2025 debut.
If Cincinnati wants to play baseball this October, it will have to perform better in close games and score runs when it’s down after the sixth inning.
The Reds’ odds of making noise in the postseason are stacked against them. Cincinnati has +525 odds to make the postseason, +6000 odds to make it to the World Series, and +12000 odds to win the World Series.
The publisher receives a commission through recommended links in this content.
On March 25, former U.S. Soccer Secretary General Hank Steinbrecher died from complications of degenerative…
After a disastrous 3-14 season, the Las Vegas Raiders will be looking in a new…
After six years, the Cleveland Browns will go in a different direction following the firing…
On January 15, former NBA Champion Gus Williams died from complications of a stroke. Williams,…
On March 11, University of Louisville Athletics Hall of Famer Junior Bridgeman died from a…
Olympic gold medalist Ryan Lochte recently announced that he would auction off three of the…