In what felt like a must-sweep series against the New York Mets, the Cincinnati Reds were only able to take two of three. Their one loss during the series saw them load the bases in the 9th inning but fail to produce a run in a game they lost by a run. It was a big blown opportunity because Cincinnati would currently be two games back of the final wild card spot with that win instead of four games back.
Instead, the Reds do find themselves four games back, tied with the San Francisco Giants at 72-71 as both (along with the Arizona Diamondbacks and St. Louis Cardinals, who are both 72-72 and 4.5 games back) try to catch the Mets for the final wild card spot.
Cincinnati is heading out west tonight to take on the San Diego Padres. They are holding the second (of three) wild card spots in the National League and are 78-65 on the season. The Padres are six games up on the Reds at this point in time.
There are 19 games remaining this season for Cincinnati. To make up four games on the Mets, they are going to need to go on a run of tons of wins and very few losses unless New York simply stops winning.
If the Mets, who also have 19 games remaining, go 8-11 the rest of the way, Cincinnati would need to go 14-5 to tie them. But they would also have to hope one of the other three teams in the same spot as they are don’t outplay them. The Reds need to play better than they’ve played at any point over a 3-week span this season and they’ve got to do it right now. And even then it may not be enough.
That’s not to say it’s impossible. The Reds have the pitching to go on a run if the offense can show up. That’s been the big issue for much of the season, though.
But what’s been a big issue for most of my life on this blue marble floating around the universe is the dreaded west coast trip. This season the Reds have made two trips out west. They played three games in early April in San Francisco and went 2-1. But that was just a 3-game trip. Cincinnati didn’t get back out west until three weeks ago. Things started out well, taking the first two games against the Angels. Then they went 1-6 against Arizona and Los Angeles.
Starting tonight they simply must avoid anything resembling that trip as they take on the Padres for three games before heading to Sacramento to take on the Athletics for three games. Following that trip they come back east a bit for a 3-game road series in St. Louis against the Cardinals.
The season could be over and done with by the time the Reds board the plane to head to St. Louis. But things could be interesting if they do a lot of winning out west, too. That’s been a rarity in recent memory, but that’s what they’re going to have to do.
