“It’s huge,” Stephenson said. “If we can go out there and win as many series as possible, we’re going to be where we want to be at the end of season.”
The Reds (45-39) and Milwaukee Brewers (45-39) shared first place in the National League Central Division through Sunday. Both teams also gained ground in the wild-card race in recent days. They were one game behind the San Francisco Giants (46-38), who held the third spot, 1½ games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers (46-37) and 2½ behind the Miami Marlins (48-37).
The Reds haven’t been in this strong a position to make the playoffs in a 162-game season this late in the season since 2014 when they faced a 1½-game deficit in the division on July 13. A seven-game losing streak derailed their hopes. They finished 76-86.
This is the first time the Reds have been in first place in July since 2012 when they had a one-game lead through July 2 and won the division with a 97-65 mark. That team was expected to contend after winning the division two years earlier.
The success of the 2010 team, which won the division with a 91-71 mark, was a bit of a surprise. The Reds were expected to finish third or fourth that season after nine straight losing seasons.
The 2010 Reds improved by 13 victories. The 2012 Reds improved by 18. If the Reds maintain their current winning percentage of .537, they would finish 87-75. That would be a 25-win improvement after the 62-100 season of 2022 and the best one-season turnaround for the franchise since it went from 67-87 in 1960 to 93-61 in 1961.
Former Reds General Manager Jim Bowden, who now writes for The Athletic, compared the 2023 Reds to the 1999 Reds, one of the most improved and surprising teams in franchise history. The Reds won 96 games after winning 77 in 1998.
“The Reds won the World Series in 1990 and finished first in the division in 1994 and 1995,” Bowden wrote Monday. “After losing to the Braves in the National League Championship Series in ‘95, we put together a five-year plan and thought the team would be ready to contend again by 2000 or 2001, but were pleasantly surprised to win 96 games in 1999.
“That Reds team was filled with young, high-energy players who had breakout seasons, such as third baseman Aaron Boone, center fielder Mike Cameron, left fielder Dmitri Young and first baseman Sean Casey. It also had veteran leader and future Hall of Famer Barry Larkin.”
The 2023 Reds are similar in that they have Joey Votto, a 17-year veteran who has played his entire career with the Reds, and numerous young stars such as Jonathan India, Spencer Steer, Matt McLain, Elly De La Cruz and Andrew Abbott.
The Reds start a four-game series on the road against the Washington Nationals on Monday and then head to Milwaukee for three games before the All-Star break. This stretch is an important one for the Reds, who hope to keep building hope for the second half.
“We know there’s a big one coming up with the Brewers,” Stephenson said, “we all know we’ve got to take care of the Nationals first.”
TUESDAY’S GAME
Reds at Nationals, 11:05 a.m., Bally Sports Ohio, 700, 1410
About the Author
