BREAKING: The Cincinnati Reds have surged into a tie with the New York Mets for the National League’s final wild-card playoff spot after a critical 3-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on September 29, 2023. This dramatic shift comes as the Mets fell 6-2 to the Miami Marlins, leaving both teams with significant stakes in the final days of the regular season.
This moment is pivotal for the Reds, who are aiming for their first playoff berth since the 2020 pandemic-shortened season. With just a few games left, Cincinnati has the advantage in the head-to-head tiebreaker against the Mets, who began the season with a staggering $322.6 million payroll—the highest in Major League Baseball.
“Obviously, I think we can start to feel it a little bit, but at the same time, we’ve got to take care of business,” said Reds left fielder Gavin Lux. “We’re not there yet still. We’ve just got to keep trying to win every pitch and take it game by game.”
Despite a rocky stretch, where the Reds have gone 15-18 over their last 33 games, their recent performance has allowed them to catch up to the Mets, who have struggled with 16 losses in their last 25 games. Once boasting the best record in baseball at 45-24 on June 12, the Mets have faltered significantly, finishing the season with a 37-54 record since that point.
In a post-game statement, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza emphasized the urgency of their situation: “We’ve put ourselves in this position. Here we are. We’ve got to come back tomorrow and the next day now. We’ve got to win the next two and see what happens.”
The Reds (82-78) seek a postseason appearance for the first time in a non-pandemic season since 2013. They have not won a playoff game since 2012 and have not advanced past the first round since 1995. With the pressure mounting, Lux, who has two World Series rings from his time with the Los Angeles Dodgers, delivered a standout performance with two doubles and scoring the go-ahead run.
Reds manager Terry Francona, who previously led the Boston Red Sox to a championship in 2004 and managed Cleveland to the World Series in 2016, acknowledged the tension surrounding the team: “This is as exciting as it gets. To not admit that you’re nervous, I think that would be wrong. I’m nervous as hell.”
As the Reds strive for a playoff berth, they face a significant challenge: they have lost their last 13 series against the Brewers. Ending that streak may be key to securing their postseason future. “It’d be kind of the perfect time to do it,” Reds reliever Tony Santillan stated. “Season on the line, beat them, win against them and advance to the postseason by beating them. I feel like it’s been a while.”
Fans and analysts alike will be watching closely as the Reds prepare for their upcoming games. The stakes are higher than ever as the countdown to the postseason intensifies.
