Can Rejuvenated Cincinnati Reds Stay Hot Ahead of All-Star Break?

The next month of games sets up nicely for Cincinnati to make a run and be buyers at the deadline.

Austin Elmore | Jun 11, 2024

Cincinnati Reds second baseman Jonathan India (6) and Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell (25) embrace during team introductions against the Washington Nationals on Opening Day, Thursday, March 28, 2024, at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. / Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY

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Cincinnati Reds

CINCINNATI — The Reds have rebounded from a disastrous month of May and have put themselves in position to be competitive again in the National League. Now the question is, how do they get over the hump and become a true contender?

Injuries have hampered the club all season long and the Reds pitching staff has been a major part of keeping the team afloat during that stretch. Now they’re feeling some of the pain, too. Emilio Pagan landed back on the injured list, Brandon Williamson had a setback with no timetable for a return, and Graham Ashcraft was sent to Triple-A Louisville and will be given “space” to figure out his issues on the mound.

On top of that, former All-Star closer Alexis Diaz has been shaky at best as of late. The club decided to push Hunter Greene’s start back from Tuesday to Friday to give him rest. Manager David Bell said it wasn’t Greene’s decision, but it’s one the club is making with the bigger picture in mind.

These things happen over the course of a season. Players get hurt, they slump, teams go cold. Reds fans know it well. Cubs fans are experiencing it now. That’s life in Major League Baseball.

Now that the offense has shown signs of life and the Reds are getting back to their identity in the batter’s box, it’s time to start mapping out the next month of the season and how they can set themselves up for a stretch run that keeps them in contention and avoid the dreaded June swoon.

Entering June, they needed to do everything they could to get back to .500 by July. After a seven-game winning streak by June 9, their expectations have likely shifted. How many games above .500 can they get to before the start of July, and what does that mean for the trade deadline?

The rest of June brings some first place clubs on the schedule, starting with Cleveland and Milwaukee this week. Then three in Pittsburgh, a big weekend homestand with Boston, followed by the Pirates again. Four games in St. Louis against the Cardinals will wrap up the month. Those teams are a combined 143-116 on the season.

Can the Reds get to three or four games above .500 by then? If they do, the final 13 games before the All-Star Break gives them a chance to end on a high note. They start July with three in New York against the Yankees, but then come home for a 10-game homestand against teams that are struggling: Detroit, Colorado, and Miami.

The National League is extremely tight as mid-June approaches, with all but two teams within three games of a playoff spot.

If the Reds can create even more distance between themselves and the .500 mark by the All-Star break, will that be enough to convince Nick Krall to make a move before the trade deadline on July 30?

Last year the Reds made one move, acquiring Sam Moll from Oakland. Moll was nearly perfect for the Reds, giving up a run just once after coming to Cincinnati. The Reds were known to be having conversations with teams, but Nick Krall stayed put. One of those teams was the Chicago White Sox, who were asking astronomical prices for their players.

Chicago is selling again this year, with slugger Luis Robert Jr. reportedly on the block and left-hander Garrett Crochet drawing interest. Last year, Krall had time on his side and a rich minor-league system to draw from. That’s not the case this year.

The expectations shifted in 2024, and the Reds have not been shy that their goal is to return to the postseason for the first time since 2020. While Noelvi Marte is expected back at the end of June, there’s no guarantee Matt McLain will be back in August as they have hoped.

Cincinnati barely missed the playoffs last year and saw the Arizona Diamondbacks sneak in and go on a run to the World Series. Arizona was very active at the deadline last year and it paid off. Could Krall take a page out of their book and try to recreate that magic in the Queen City?

The Reds have posted a 12-4 record over the last few weeks. They’ve been playing loose, having fun, and looking like the team they were expected to be coming into this season.

Now that they’ve climbed back into it, can they climb over the hump?

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