The Cincinnati Reds leaned on Chase Burns again on Sunday, riding their star rookie to a series victory over the New York Yankees in the Bronx. The win pulled the Reds back within 2 games of the .500 mark for the season as we near its midpoint, and again helped bridge the gap between what they were at their electric start to the season and what they may be again when all their pieces return healthy.
Now, though, begins the stretch of their schedule that will truly define their season. The next two
weeks feature a pair of series against the juggernaut Milwaukee Brewers, sandwiching a trip to Pittsburgh to face Paul Skenes and the Pirates.
The Reds, who are once again last in the National League Central, have been positively abysmal against their division for a minute now. In 2026 alone, they’ve gone just 2-13 in 15 games against division opponents, efforts that include sweeps at the hands of the Cardinals in St. Louis, the Cubs in Chicago, and the Pirates in Pittsburgh. Not just series losses, but outright sweeps.
So, stacking their next 10 games against divisional opponents seems not just daunting, but defining. This stint includes an upcoming 7 game road trip through Pittsburgh and Milwaukee that, given the timing, will define who this Reds team is this season. Yes, they’ll be welcoming back star Elly De La Cruz this week. Yes, they’ve receieved good news about the recoveries of Hunter Greene and Emilio Pagan, respectively. However, none of the three of those developments will mean squat if the last place Reds cannot flip the recent script on how they interact within their division.
Cincinnati, if they’re to be buyers this year, needs to plow through this stretch not just with a modicum of success, but with a wave of it. If they cannot push their way back into a realistic playoff push in the month leading up to the trade deadline, well, they aren’t going to prompt their front office to bolster this squad in any meaningful way.
The above milquetoast vote of meh from the team’s front office is the latest realization that even they don’t know what this team can accomplish. They certainly are not convinced they’ve put together something substantial, and if there’s anything actually substantial there, it’s running out of time to reveal itself.
The next two weeks, though, provide the perfect canvas for a good team to emerge. Elite opponents, backs against the wall, and a dwindling period of time with which to prove oneself.
We’re about to find out exactly what this Cincinnati Reds team really is, for better or worse.
