Someone’s gotta be last, after all.
Dating back to the 2015 season, one of the Cincinnati Reds or Pittsburgh Pirates has finished last in the National League Central Division in 7 out of 9 years. In one of those other years (2022) they finished tied for 4th place in the 5-team division.
Or, they finished tied for last place in the 5-team division, depending upon your interpretation. So, it should probably come as no surprise that with a week-ish of baseball remaining in the 2024 regular season, one of these two clubs is destined to finish last in the division once again.
As things currently sit, the Reds own 4th place, 14.5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers (who have already clinched the division). They’re at 74-80 on the season.
Pittsburgh, meanwhile, is in the cellar of the division at 72-81. They’re 16 full games behind Milwaukee.
That sets the stage for the final home series in Cincinnati this season, doesn’t it?
Mitch Keller and the Pirates are in GABP to begin a 3-game weekend series, and there’s a chance they could leave town on Sunday with the Reds languishing in last place. That’s what’s on the line here, folks!
Cincinnati will turn to Nick Martinez tonight, though, and he’s been a verifiable ace of the staff for most of the season’s second half. One win in this series would be enough to stave off a ‘Reds in last place scenario’ until the results of their final two series next week, and wouldn’t that be fine howdy-do?
First pitch Friday evening is set for 6:40 PM ET. Lineups below!