The Cincinnati Reds kicked off their season with a tough 3-0 loss to the Boston Red Sox. While predictions varied from .500 to 90 wins, the Reds have plenty of games left to prove themselves.
Friday's off day gave us time to catch up on national predictions. Over at Fangraphs, 25 staff members weighed in, with no one picking the Reds for the World Series.
Seattle and Los Angeles were the favorites there. Andrew Abbott and Sal Stewart did get some nods for Cy Young and Rookie of the Year, though.
In the National League Central, only three voters saw the Reds snagging a wild card spot, and none thought they'd finish in the top two. Dan Szymborski's ZiPS projections also painted a challenging picture, tying the Reds with the Cardinals at 76-86 and a slim 16.5% playoff chance, partly due to Hunter Greene's injury.
The Athletic's poll of 24 staffers had just one picking the Reds to win the NL Central, with most favoring the Cubs. Three others saw them making the playoffs, but only a few teams had fewer votes.
ESPN’s “Stock Watch” was cautiously optimistic, putting the Reds in the "We’re saying they have a chance" tier with a 78.4 win projection and a 20.2% playoff chance. Breakouts from players like Matt McLain, Elly De La Cruz, and Sal Stewart are key.
ESPN staff picks were less favorable, with only two of 30 seeing the Reds as a wild card contender. The Cubs dominated the division predictions.
Tim Kurkjian was optimistic, noting the Reds' improved offense with Eugenio Suarez's addition and strong performances from young talents like Sal Stewart and Elly De La Cruz. Despite rotation concerns without Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo's blister issue, Kurkjian believes the Reds can piece it together for a playoff run.
For individual awards, Sal Stewart drew some attention for Rookie of the Year, ranking fourth among six contenders.