How the Cincinnati Reds Went From First Place to Trade Deadline Sellers

The Cincinnati Reds began the season looking like a serious threat in the National League, finishing April with a 20-11 record and in first place in the NL Central. Now sitting nine games under .500 at the All-Star break, how did things turn south so fast?

Full Bullpen Collapse

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Connor Phillips (34) walks off the field after a pitcher change in the seventh inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Reds' bullpen was one of the best bullpens in Major League Baseball through April. The day the calendar flipped to May, everything changed. On May 2, the bullpen walked seven consecutive batters, including four with the bases loaded. The bullpen surrendered 29 walks during an eight-game losing streak to begin the month. During the second series of the month, closer Emilio Pagan exited the game on the first pitch of the ninth inning with a hamstring injury that sidelined him from May 5 to June 30.

“Everything piled on us at once,” Brady Singer told Charlie Goldsmith of Charlie's Chalkboard. “We worked our butt off trying to come back from it. We just ultimately fell into a rut. Once you hit one of those slides, it can spiral pretty quick.”

Graham Ashcraft and Pierce Johnson suffered elbow injuries, with Ashcraft still sidelined and Johnson returning on June 22 after going on the IL on May 30. Since April, Luis Mey and Zach Maxwell have been nearly nonexistent on the big league club. Connor Phillips has been in Triple-A since May 23.

“He’s just not throwing enough strikes," Manager Terry Francona told Mark Sheldon before the transactions were revealed. "We’re trying like crazy to kind of work with him on the running game and things like that. Because he’s blessed with a really good arm and he can spin it. But until he starts throwing the ball where he wants it, it can be a struggle. The other day, he did great. He’s just got to follow it up and be a little more consistent.”

The Reds currently lead all of baseball in walks allowed by the bullpen with 200 and the sixth-worst ERA in the bullpen with a 4.67 ERA.

“Guys have tried to do maybe a little more than they can do and not stayed within themselves,” Pierce Johnson told Charlie Goldsmith. “When things start to spiral, guys try to do more than they can. It’s a slippery slope. You dig yourself a hole. We did it as a team. We can’t point fingers. Everybody has had their flaws.”

Inconsistent Play and Injuries

Jun 22, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds shortstop Matt McLain (9) walks off the field after striking out in the ninth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

On May 31, Elly De La Cruz left the game with a hamstring injury and was on the IL for the first time in his career. He was placed on the 10-day IL and was out until June 23. After April, the offense began to struggle collectively, and the bullpen collapsed. Most players on the team had an OPS below .700, with Matt McLain, TJ Friedl, and Ke'Bryan Hayes at .500 or lower. Hayes was placed on the IL on May 22. He returned on July 10. McLain has even been moved to the outfield with how inconsistent the outfield has been, even though he has struggled worse than he did in 2025.

McLain slashed .220/.300/.343 last season and has been worse this year. He was placed on the IL on July 10. He is slashing .190/.293/.328. After a terrific rookie season that saw him earn Rookie of the Year votes, his play has severely dipped, and Edwin Arroyo has been playing in his spot at second base, even with how good McLain has been defensively.

More injuries this season include Nick Lodolo going on the IL twice with blisters, Hunter Greene beginning the season on the IL after undergoing elbow surgery to remove bone fragments in his pitching elbow, Caleb Ferguson, Tony Santillan, Eugenio Suarez, Dane Myers, Blake Dunn, and Brandon Williamson.

“We’ve stuck together,” Pagán said. “We believe in everybody. We also feel it. We’re frustrated. We’re angry. We’re trying to figure out what we can do to bring more results. We have a lot of high-character guys. When we’re winning, fans love to hear that. When we’re losing nobody cares. They want to see us win games.”

Things have spiraled out of control ever since the beginning of May. The team is nowhere near a playoff spot, eight games out of the Wild Card and 15 1/2 games out of the division. If the team wants to prepare for the future, they should look to be sellers at the trade deadline and look to retool. Players like Spencer Steer, Lodolo, Suarez, Tyler Stephenson, TJ Friedl, Pagan, Johnson, Ferguson, Lowe, JJ Bleday, and others should all be made available.

The Reds return to action on Friday after the All-Star break to take on the Colorado Rockies. With the trade deadline less than a month away, moves should be made in the coming weeks.

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