The Cincinnati Reds Have Lost 10 of 11 Games: Something Needs to Change

On April 29th, the Cincinnati Reds were riding high after an impressive performance by Nick Lodolo, who delivered seven innings of one-run baseball, striking out 11. Elly De La Cruz hit his 8th home run of the season, leading the Reds to a 5-2 victory over the Padres, improving their record to 16-13 for the year.

However, just a little over two weeks later, the Reds find themselves at 17-24, holding the third worst record in the National League.

Where did it all go wrong so fast?

April 30th – Reds lose 6-4 to the Padres

Nick Martinez was forced to start this game with Frankie Montas placed on the injured list. This probably wasn’t a game most Reds fans were expecting a win.

May 1st – Reds lose to The Padres 6-2

Series loss. The Reds were tied 2-2 late, until the Padres scored four runs off Fernando Cruz in the seventh. The Reds offense was only able to tally four hits on the day.

May 3rd – Reds lose to the Orioles 3-0

What has happened to the Reds offense? This game was tied going into the seventh inning, but the Orioles scored 3 in the 7th off Emilio Pagan and that was plenty enough. The Reds mustered only two hits all afternoon long, both by Elly De La Cruz.

May 4th – Reds lose to the Orioles 2-1

Another day allowing three runs or less and another loss. The Reds were held scoreless until the 9th inning. They had six hits on the day, but only one of them going for extra bases. At this point, it certainly feels like the Reds offense is lost and the team is wasting some great starting pitching performances. They surely can’t afford to get swept at home.

May 5th – Reds lose to the Orioles 11-1

This has to be the low point of the season, right? Five straight losses. Swept at home. Another game scoring one run. Another game with four hits or less. On this day, the Reds had five different players hitting under .200. Maybe the Reds simply ran into a great opponent? That is what Jake Fraley seemed to think.

“We’re all big leaguers,” Reds right fielder Jake Fraley said. “A pitcher doesn’t go six or seven innings with one, two-hit baseball without hitting their spots. Guys are throwing really well and we’re going up there and trying to give it everything we’ve got. They’re atop of the AL East for a reason.”

May 6th – Off Day, The Reds Option Sam Moll to Louisville

Sam Moll had thrown five scoreless innings this year, but he was one of the only guys who had minor-league options left. This wasn’t a popular move by Reds fans.

May 7th – A Flurry of Moves, Reds lose to the Diamondbacks 6-2

- The Reds Optioned Nick Martini to Louisville

- The Reds Called Up Conner Capel

- The Reds Optioned Bubba Thompson to the Chattanooga Lookouts

- The Reds activated TJ Friedl from the injured list.

- The Reds activated Frankie Montas from the injured list.

Okay, the Reds are getting healthy. This is what they needed. Nope. Once again, the Reds scored two runs on three hits. This game was never really close. The spark that everyone thought would come from a Friedl return and a couple of roster moves? It didn’t. The Reds have now lost six-straight games.

May 8th – Reds lose to the Diamondbacks 4-3, Christian Encarnacion-Strand to the IL

Encarnacion-Strand was hit by a pitch in the wrist about a week prior. They did a follow up scan to reveal he had been playing with a fractured wrist. The Reds placed him on the injured list and called up Mike Ford. Ford has been a favorite of Reds fans and is someone people wanted the front office to call up. After being released twice, the Reds signed him to a Major League Deal and he was back. It didn’t matter. The offense seemed to perform a little better, compiling nine hits and three runs, but it wasn’t enough. They fell 4-3 and fell to 16-20 on the season. Their seventh-straight loss.

"We didn't really know there was a new fracture."@Reds infielder Christian Encarnacion-Strand will miss some time because of a new fracture in his wrist. Initially, he tried playing through it, but after last night's game, a check-up revealed the new injury. pic.twitter.com/ztmJjquoI3
— Bally Sports Cincinnati (@BallySportsCIN) May 8, 2024

May 9th – Reds lose to the Diamondbacks 5-4

Another day. Another game where the Reds fell behind early. They trailed 4-1 in the seventh when the Reds rally and showed some life to tie the game up at four. Surely, this is where the losing streak will end, right? Wrong. The Diamondbacks took the lead immediately back in the eighth inning off of Cruz and never surrendered it. The Reds lost their eight straight and fall to 16-21 on the season. When will the streak end?

May 10th – The Reds defeat the Giants 4-2

THE REDS HAVE WON A BASEBALL GAME. THE LOSING STREAK IS OVER. They took the lead in the fourth inning and never looked back. Stuart Fairchild had an epic inside-the-park- home run and the vibes were back!

Both Reds Inside the Park Home Runs this year…

This is so cool. #Reds pic.twitter.com/qwkN3hJA9c
— Reds Daily (@RedsDaily4) May 11, 2024

May 11th – The Reds lost to the Giants 5-1

Lodolo gave up a grand slam in the first inning and that was the ballgame. The Reds made numerous baserunning mistakes to end rallies and could only score one run. They fall to 17-22 on the season.

May 12th – The Reds lose to the Giants 6-5

The Reds had a 3-0 lead in the first only for the Giants to answer with five runs in the fifth. The Reds once again showed some life scoring runs in the seventh and then a Ford home run tied the game in the eighth. The Reds failed to get the runner to third with less than two outs in the 10th and they didn't score. It looked like they were going to get out of the 10th when Lucas Sims threw a fastball in the middle of the plate that was smashed over Spencer Steer's head for a walk-off hit. TJ Friedl also left this game after getting hit in the thumb.

CASEY SCHMITT CALLED GAME 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/C09L5mFFDe
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) May 12, 2024

May 13th – TJ Friedl back to the IL, Reds lose to the Diamondbacks 6-5

TJ Friedl has a fracture in his thumb and he is going right back to the injured list. The Reds trailed most of this game until Jeimer Candelario doubled and Ford tripled to give Cincinnati a two-run lead in the eighth. At almost 12:30 am ET. Reds fans once again finally had life. A Ford triple will get anyone excited! Then, the ninth happened. Alexis Diaz hit the first batter he faced. He got Eugenio Suarez to line out to left field on a 3-2 pitch. He walked the next two batters to load the bases. Kevin Newman ended the game with a walk-off single for his fourth hit of the night. The Reds fall to 17-24 after being 16-13 just two weeks earlier.

🚨 First career triple for Mike Ford 🚨 pic.twitter.com/w5mhVkqgiu
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) May 14, 2024

What Has Gone Wrong?

It feels like this team just can’t put everything together at the same time. When the starting pitching is good, the offense is bad. When the offense is good, the bullpen blows it. When the bullpen is good, they make silly outs on the basepaths. When the baserunning is good, they play poor defense. Good teams find ways to win. It sure seems like this Reds team is finding ways to lose.

The Reds still only sit 3.5 games out of a Wild Card spot, but if they don’t want the season to spiral out of control, something needs to change and it needs to happen now.

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