MID-WEEK ROUND-UP: Cincinnati Reds Offense Continues to Struggle in Series Loss vs Texas Rangers

CINCINNATI -- Even though key members, or projected key members of the Reds lineup, are on the injured list or out of the lineup on given days, the Reds offense is sputtering right now.

Legendary former Cincinnati Enquirer sports columnist Paul Daugherty once referred to Great American Ball Park as Great American Small Park, for the hitters park that it is.

And yet, the Reds have been shut out in back-to-back home games. They lost to the Rangers 1-0 on Tuesday and Wednesday. That comes after scoring 14 runs on Monday night. Now, the Reds haven't scored a run in 19 straight innings.

Here are some other takeaways from the Reds series loss to the Texas Rangers in this week's edition of the Mid-Week Round-Up:

1. The first homestand of the season for the Reds was supposed to be for them to get off to a good start on the season. Instead, the Reds are now 2-4 and about to embark on a seven-game road trip at Milwaukee and San Francisco. Not ideal.

2. That said, 2-4 is not a record that creates a feeling that the season is already over. It shouldn't be that way, at least. Heck, the 1998 New York Yankess, who many consider the greatest team in Major League Baseball history, started that season 1-4. They didn't lose their 40th game until September 6th that season. It's not all doom and gloom for the 2025 Reds just yet.

3. Aside from TJ Friedl, Matt McLain and Elly De La Cruz, there really isn't another player in the Reds lineup that is consistently producing right now. That's a problem. The Reds can't just rely on those three players to carry this team. Other players behind them in the lineup need to step up to provide protection, making it tougher for opposing pitchers to get Friedl, McLain and De La Cruz out.

4. The Reds starting pitching has been stellar so far this season. Through the first six game this season, Reds starting pitching has produced four quality starts (six+ innings and three or fewer runs). That's a good sign early in the season with the Reds starting pitching already posting stellar performances. It creates hope that once the bats start to consistently produce, this team is going to to be okay.

Hunter Greene looks like an ace. He's pitched magnificently through two starts this season, and that's a great sign going forward.

But that's what makes Wednesday's loss, in particular, so frustrating. Your ace pitches an outstanding game on get-away day, with a chance to win the series and to get back to .500, but you still lose 1-0.

5. Milwaukee and San Francisco have not been kind to the Reds in recent seasons. But because this team is already 2-4, they're going to have to find a way to have a winning road trip to stay around .500. We're going to really find out about this Reds team, managed by Terry Francona, and what they're going to be like on this road trip.