The Cincinnati Reds Offense Is Leading MLB in the Wrong Category

Not good....

Sep 15, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds catcher Jose Trevino reacts after striking out during the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the ninth inning at Great American Ball Park. Jose Trevino wore number 21 in honor of Roberto Clemente day. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Everyone in Cincinnati knows the Reds' offense is pretty bad. How bad? Well, they are leading all of Major League Baseball in the wrong way.

Historically Bad Offense

It's no secret that the Cincinnati Reds have been setting historically bad records in 2026. The Reds currently have four players who have logged 200 or more plate appearances and are hitting below .200 for the season, according to Matt Wilkes: TJ Friedl, Ke'Bryan Hayes, Noelvi Marte, and Matt McLain. The only other team to do so in the last 115 years was the 2014 Chicago Cubs. Not good.

Moreover, the Reds also reached another dubious milestone in 2026. They also have two players batting under .165 for the season with 200 or more plate appearances. Friedl is batting .162, and Hayes is batting .148. The only other team to do this is the 1968 Detroit Tigers. Ironically, this Tigers team went on to win the World Series. This is not the fate of the 2026 Reds.

More Terrible Stats

Cincinnati Reds center fielder TJ Friedl (29) hits into a ground out in the second inning of the MLB National League game between the San Diego Padres and the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

On Tuesday, the Reds were shut out 4-0 by the Los Angeles Dodgers. This marked the 17th time the Reds have been shut out in 2026. This is the MLB-leading number of times, and it is also the most the Reds have been shut out since 2014. The 2014 Reds went 76-86, led by Bryan Price, who was in his first year as manager after the Reds got rid of Dusty Baker.

2026 has been terrible for many reasons, but this leading-the-league stat really shows how uncompetitive they have been. Outside of Elly, the Cincinnati Reds do not have enough offense to win baseball games or even just be in games. They only scored one run against the Dodgers on Monday thanks to a moonshot by Elly De La Cruz. If they did not get that contribution, the Reds would have been shut out again.

The Reds have a -152 run differential this season. Although this stat does not always tell the whole story, it shows that the Reds are not a good baseball team, as opponents are scoring way more runs than they do. If you are headed down to watch some baseball at Great American Ballpark, Elly is definitely worth the price of admission, according to Mark DeRosa. Outside of that, you might want to wait until next season.

Fortunately, this nightmare of a season is almost over. The Reds have some serious questions to answer as they head into the fall.

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