Could the Battle for the Ohio Cup Be What the Reds Need to Turn Season Around?

The Reds are far from being out of contention.

Cincinnati Reds second baseman Matt McLain rounds third after hitting a solo home run in the sixth inning of the MLB game between Cincinnati Reds and Chicago White Sox at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Thursday, May 15, 2025. / Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

CINCINNATI -- Rivalry Weekend is here in Major League Baseball, and the Reds are hosting the Cleveland Guardians this weekend in the Battle for the Ohio Cup.

Rivalries serve many purposes in every sport. For the Reds, maybe this will be the turning point of their season.

There's still plenty of time left to turn this season around. At 21-24, the Reds are only 4.5 games back in the National Leage Central and the National League Wild Card race. They're right there, and it feels like one big winning streak puts them on the inside track towards the postseason.

It is still only mid-May, so it's maybe too early to start talking about the postseason, but with Memorial Day and the start of summer approaching, this is the time when teams establish who they are and where they stand in the MLB hierarchy and postseason race.

For the Reds, we know they have the talent. We know the starting rotation is as good as any in Major League Baseball. In addition, the young core of TJ Friedl, Matt McLain and Elly De La Cruz is fully capable of turning it on and getting hot.

After the Reds 7-1 win over the Chicago White Sox Thursday, McLain said the he and De La Cruz acknoweleged that if the Reds are going to be good then they both have to play well. Since McLain was moved down to the No. 8 spot in the lineup, he's been hitting the ball better.

In addition, Will Benson, who was just recently called back up and hit his first home run of the season Thursday, told Jim Day postgame that the Reds had a meeting before Thursday's game about how the Reds were doing all the right things and just needed to "click."

This season is far from over. With a rivalry series this weekend against the Guardians, what better way to get some momentum than by winning at home against your in-state rivals? This can be where the season turns a corner.

Positivity still runs high in the Reds clubhouse. They haven't played their best baseball yet this season, but there's still plenty of time for them to do that. They know that. That's why the vibes are still positive.

There hasn't been a win or series that sends a different message to fans that this team is getting things figured out and garnering momentum. That's what this weekend's Battle for the Ohio Cup can be, though.

This is a great time for a rivalry series. Hopefully the Reds can take advantage and start stringing together wins and generating momentum.

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