70 games into the season and the upstart Reds are currently sitting at .500 and a half game out of first in the unimpressive NL Central, while riding a six-game winning streak, the longest active streak in baseball.
Gotta say, I'm pleasantly surprised.
The team is lead by their plethora of young talent, many of whom were called up from the minors within the past few weeks. The oldest player in the regular rotation is Kevin Newman, who's only 29. That will obviously change once Votto returns from his rehab assignment. The well-acclaimed prospect Elly De La Cruz made his big league debut ten days ago and thus far has lived up to the hype. Despite De La Cruz's star power, the team's best player thus far, in my opinion, has been Matt McLain.
Hunter Greene continues to flourish as the team's ace, while other newcomers like Brandon Williamson, Ben Lively, and Andrew Abbott, who became only the second pitcher since 1901 to pitch three shutouts through his first three big league starts, have demonstrated their prowess on the mound as well. Lastly, Alexis Diaz has been the best closer in baseball in 2023, successfully saving his last 21 save opportunities.
As we close in on the halfway mark of the season, I don't think even the most optimistic of Reds fandom could've foreseen this. With the penny-pinching methods of the Castellinis, combined with two of the top four highest paid players currently not on the roster (Mike Moustakus and Ken Griffey Jr.), and the other two being inactive (Joey Votto and Wil Myers), as well as a sluggish start to the season, what this squad has accomplished in the past month and a half has been mightily impressive.
As much flak as he gets, you have to tip your cap to David Bell. He's let the young pitchers find their way, not pulling them the instant they make a mistake, and has managed the lineup and batting order marvelously during this stretch.
Will the Reds win the division and make the playoffs? Too early to tell. I've seen crazier things happen before. With how wide open the Central is, it's anyone's race. As much as I would love to see them playing October baseball, even if they fail to make the dance, this team has such a bright future you need sunglasses just to look at their roster. Regardless, this has been the most fun I've had watching this team in a decade.
