WEEKEND ROUND-UP: Terry Francona Joins Exclusive Club as Reds Win Series and Homestand

CINCINNATI -- Despite managing just a 4-3 record on the home-stand against the Miami Marlins and Colorado Rockies, it's still a winning home-stand for the Reds to get to 50-47 at the All-Star Break.

Let’s look at the key takeaways from the Reds’ weekend series win over the Rockies, their overall homestand, and the first half of the regular season in this weekend round-up.

Takeaways From The Reds Weekend Series Win, Winning Home-Stand And First Half Of The Season

1. Congratulations to Terry Francona. With the Reds 4-2 win on Sunday, Francona became just the 13th manager in Major League Baseball history to win 2,000 games.

It's truly a remarkable accomplishment when you look at the names he joined on Sunday. Of the now 13 managers with 2,000 wins, 10 of them are in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Francona has proven to be a difference-maker for this Reds club. When it looked like, on multiple occasions, the Reds were going to fall out of contention, he steadied the ship and got the Reds back to .500 and then above that mark.

He's been around long enough to know that nothing is won in the season's first 97 games. What Francona has done, though, is put the Reds in a position where they can vault into one of the three National League Wild Card spots.

In the three seasons Francona led the Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Guardians to American League pennants, winning two World Series with Boston, Francona's teams averaged 45 wins after the All-Star Break. If the Reds win 45 games in their final 65 games after the All-Star Break, that means the Reds would finish 95-67.

Doable? Yes. This team is talented enough, and they have a manager leading them who has been there before. That matters.

2. A player who steadied the ship Wednesday night when the Reds were sitting at exactly .500; Andrew Abbott. The Reds left-handed All-Star went 7 2/3 innings and allowed just one earned run while throwing 69 of his 100 pitches for strikes.

Abbott pitched like an All-Star that night, getting the Reds back on track from a four-game losing streak and getting them back over .500. That's what you want from your staff ace.

Speaking of which, Abbott is this Reds team's ace. With Hunter Greene spending time on the injured list multiple times, Abbott has stepped up and assumed that role. Not to mention, Abbott was also on the injured list to start the season.

Since coming back in mid-April, though, the Reds left-hander has been outstanding with an 8-1 record and 2.07 ERA. Ever since he came up to the Major League level in early June of 2023, Abbott has not been afraid of the moment. He goes right at hitters and pitches deep into games, highlighted by a complete game shutout at Cleveland on June 10th this season.

If the Reds are going to make the Playoffs this season, Abbott will be a significant reason why they get there.

3. I'm hopeful Noelvi Marte nails down being this Reds team's everyday third baseman. He plays like a third baseman should, at least in my eyes. In saying that, his defense still needs improvement, but there is still plenty of time for him to get better fielding at the hot corner.

Marte hit home runs in the first two games against Colorado this weekend, and he also reached on fielding errors to walk the Reds off winners on Saturday and give them the lead on Sunday.

He's come a long way as a hitter, even as injuries have limited him to 28 games this season. He's hitting .284 with six home runs and 22 RBIs, while only striking out 17 times against eight walks.

Having that right-handed power hitter will be a difference-maker in the second half of the regular season, and Marte is showing he can be that. That's what you want from an everyday third baseman.

4. I'm really interested to see what Chase Burns can be in the second half of the regular season. We know he is going to be on an innings limit, but what if he is pitching so well that it's a key reason why the Reds move up to one of the three NL Wild Card spots? Do the Reds still shut him down, or do they increase the innings limit and give them the opportunity to experience pitching in the thick of the Pennant Race?

Burns has bounced back really nicely after his second start in Boston when he was chased after pitching just 1/3 of an inning. He throws strikes, throws hard and also has the ability to throw nasty off-speed pitches.

Watching him continue to develop as a Major League pitcher is going to be really fun to watch throughout the second half, and it's going to be fascinating to watch him pitch in high-leverage games.

5. Scott Barlow continues to impress every time he comes into the game and inherits a tough situation. Sunday against Colorado, he came into the game in the top of the sixth inning with two runners on base and the Reds clinging to a 3-2 lead. He got out of the inning unscathed.

Barlow has a 3-0 record this season, and win-loss records do matter for relievers. He's become a reliable pitcher in the sixth and seventh innings for the Reds this season, and he will pitch in a lot of high-leverage situations in the Pennat Race.

6. I really want to see Elly De La Cruz in the Postseason. It would be great for Major League Baseball if a player of his stardom plays in October.

7. Nick Lodolo is an x-factor going into the Pennant Race. If he can pitch six or more innings consistently, just as he did Thursday against Miami in a shutout, the Reds' pitching rotation is going to be one no opposing lineup wants to see over the next two-and-a-half months.

8. If Matt McLain recaptures his 2023 form in the second half of this season, look out. That will make the Reds top of the lineup one of the best in Major League Baseball.

9. All Reds fans want is winning baseball. For the third time in five seasons, the Reds have a winning record at the All-Star Break. The Reds are in contention for a National League Wild Card at just 2.5 games out of the third Wild Card. They have a shot at making the Playoffs, and that's worth being hopeful and getting excited about.

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