CINCINNATI — All that’s between the Reds and the 6 p.m. ET Trade Deadline on Thursday are three key games against the superstar-laden Dodgers. But as they’ve often stressed as a club seeking a playoff berth, there was no looking ahead.
First things first meant on Sunday finishing a series against the Rays, and the Reds did that superbly with a 2-1 victory at Great American Ball Park that completed a three-game sweep.
“If you said to me, ‘We won two out of three, you won the series,’ that’s not how I feel,” manager Terry Francona said. “We showed up today wanting to win. Now we’ll regroup. They’ll go [hydrate] or whatever they need to get because it was hot and we’ll face a real good, fun Dodgers team.”
Cincinnati (56-50), which is now six games over .500 for the first time since 2023, has won four games in a row and 10 of its past 14. The Reds are one game out of an NL Wild Card spot.
“Wins at any time of year are super-important, but especially right now when decisions are being made,” said closer Emilio Pagán, who notched his 22nd save. “We like our group. We’re super confident in who we have. Any time you can show some energy going into where we are right now, it’s always a good thing.”
The game started when one of baseball’s fastest players, Chandler Simpson, led off with a single. In a subsequent moment that proved key, Simpson was thrown out trying to steal second base by catcher Jose Trevino.
“An incredible throw. It kind of set the tone for the game almost,” Reds starting pitcher Brady Singer said.
There was little trouble for Singer from there as he carried a two-hit shutout into the eighth inning. It ended, along with his day, with one out when Taylor Walls hit a first-pitch home run to right-center field that cut the Reds’ two-run lead in half.
Singer finished with one earned run and three hits allowed over 7 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out eight during his longest start of the season. He threw first-pitch strikes to 21 of his 26 batters.
In the four-game winning streak, Reds starters Nick Lodolo, Nick Martinez, Andrew Abbott and Singer have combined for a 1.32 ERA with four earned runs allowed over 27 1/3 innings.
“Obviously, winning the series last night was really cool, but to finish it off and sweep is just kind of who we are and what the guys are about. It’s an incredible group,” Singer said. “We love winning. We’re looking forward to the next three games, as well, before the Deadline.”
During the series, the Reds outscored Tampa Bay, 15-5, but hit only two home runs — via Tyler Stephenson and TJ Friedl on Friday. Small ball proved just as effective, including Sunday.
Against Rays starter Shane Baz, Friedl and Matt McLain opened the bottom of the first inning with singles. With one out, Austin Hays hit a chopper to the middle that Walls couldn’t glove. As the ball scooted from Walls, Friedl never stopped running from second base and scored. After McLain stole third base, he scored on Gavin Lux’s awkward groundout to first base with no play at the plate.
“They were meaningful, very meaningful,” Francona said of Cincinnati’s early runs. “And they were kind of hustle plays, too. We didn’t knock the ball around the ballpark, but we run the bases, get down the line, they keep their heads up. Because of that, the music was playing [in the clubhouse.].”
In a sign of how much the Reds wanted Sunday’s game after Singer departed, set-up reliever Tony Santillan and Pagán both pitched for the third day in a row. Santillan got the final two outs in the eighth inning while Pagán worked a perfect ninth.
Although bullpen help is one area where the Reds want to potentially add via a trade, along with a power bat, the current group of relievers has a 2.11 ERA over its past 19 games since July 2.
“We’ve showed fight all year long,” Pagán said. “It hasn’t always worked out for us results wise with wins and losses. But the guys in here want to do something special. We know the type of team we have and we’re playing really good baseball right now. We’re just trying to keep that going as long as possible.”
Pagán noted he has had conversations about the team’s potential with president of baseball operations Nick Krall and general manager Brad Meador.
“They’re just as pumped up as we are. They want to do something special here, too,” Pagán said. “This has been building now for a few years. I think the city and the organization is aware of that.”
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