The Reds keep stacking wins, and now the challenge gets a whole lot bigger with the National League Central-leading Brewers coming to Great American Ball Park.
Cincinnati just wrapped up a series win over the San Diego Padres on Wednesday, giving the club back-to-back series victories as it navigates what has been labeled the toughest remaining schedule in Major League Baseball. The Reds sit 20 games back in the division and would need a miracle to claim the final Wild Card spot, so the path forward is clear: keep playing spoiler and keep beating the teams in front of them.
Friday night opens the series with right-hander Rhett Lowder (6-8, 5.14 ERA) matched up against Brewers left-hander Shane Drohan (7-5, 3.75 ERA). Lowder has won two of his last three starts, and Cincinnati will need that form again if it wants to start the weekend with a victory.
Saturday brings left-hander Andrew Abbott (6-10, 4.49 ERA) against Dustin May (6-9, 4.69 ERA). With a second straight win in the series, the Reds would be on the verge of their third consecutive series victory.
The finale on Sunday features Brady Singer (5-13, 4.83 ERA) against Brewers ace lefty Kyle Harrison (10-4, 3.45 ERA). Singer has taken three losses and has not won in his last five starts, and the problem has been the same one over and over: early trouble that leaves him trying to recover after the damage is already done.
This stretch against Milwaukee is only part of what’s ahead. After a series with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Reds head to Milwaukee next weekend for another three-game set, and then they get the Dodgers again after that.
If Cincinnati were in a real race, this final month would have been enough to earn its place. Instead, it’s a brutal finish - and another chance to make life miserable for everyone else.
In Other News...
Reds Seem Ready To Add A Speed Threat But One Hurdle Remains
Carlos Jorge appears to be on the cusp of joining the Reds, with a broadcaster reporting the defensive-minded outfielder has been called up even though the move has not been made official. A player valued for his speed and glove, Jorge has built a reputation in the minors as a threat once he gets on base, giving Cincinnati the kind of athletic depth teams often chase as the season wears on.
The fit is easy to understand for a Reds club that can use another rangy outfielder and a little more pop in the running game. The only thing standing between Jorge and an actual debut with the big-league club is the paperwork of roster management, since Cincinnati would need to clear space on both the 40-man and 26-man rosters before the move can become official. [Read more 🡒]
Reds May Already Have A New Infielder Fans Need To Watch
The Reds have spent plenty of time lately getting good looks at the next wave of talent, and the infield picture is starting to look especially interesting. Elly De La Cruz remains the headliner, while Sal Stewart and Chase Burns have also added to the sense that Cincinnatis pipeline is trending in the right direction. In that mix, 2026 draft pick Justin Lebron is emerging as a name worth filing away, especially after what he has shown at High-A.
Lebrons offensive production has been encouraging enough to put him on the radar as one of the systems better young infield options, even if the evaluation is not perfectly clean yet. The swing still draws some questions, and the strikeout rate is part of the conversation, but the raw appeal is obvious enough that the Reds are watching closely. For a club trying to build depth around its young core, a developing shortstop with this kind of upside is exactly the sort of player that can become a bigger part of the picture faster than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Suddenly Have A September Audition Worth Watching Closely
September has already given the Reds a couple of fresh looks, and both Brandon Williamson and Juan Brito have made the most of the opportunity in different ways. Williamson returned to the rotation for his first start since April and gave Cincinnati a much-needed stretch of stability, working 5 innings while allowing three runs and striking out seven against the Padres. Brito, meanwhile, has been getting in-game reps at second base because of other absences, which has opened a cleaner path to evaluate what he might bring beyond a brief cameo.
Britos week stood out even more when he launched his first major league home run and added a stolen base in the same series, the kind of all-around flash that can make a late-season look matter more than the calendar suggests. For a club thinking ahead as much as it is trying to finish strong, these are the auditions worth monitoring, especially with Brito potentially in the conversation for the offseason roster and Williamson trying to show he can still be part of the pitching picture. [Read more 🡒]