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If the Cincinnati Reds (64-60) fall short of a Wild Card berth by the end of the season, they may very will remember their brutal August series versus the Milwaukee Brewers as the defining point of their campaign. And it is not even done yet. Although it may seem impossible to beat the molten-hot Brew Crew — and technically it has been in this month — Terry Francona's club had a prime opportunity to insert itself into the playoff picture with two big wins in front of the home crowd.
One night after blowing an early 8-1 lead, Cincy squandered a one-run advantage in the ninth inning and ultimately fell 6-5 to its divisional foe. Emilio Pagan walked two batters, Elly De La Cruz allowed the tying run to score with his 17th error of the season and Andruw Monasterio belted a three-run pinch-hit home run in the top of the 11th to lift the Brewers to their franchise-record 14th consecutive win. Though, there was one particularly devastating moment that encapsulates the Reds' last two games, and it proved to be a huge difference-maker.
Outfielder Jake Fraley failed to field a William Contreras base-hit in the 10th and then promptly rolled his ankle, enabling Milwaukee to take a 3-2 lead. It remains to be seen what his status is following the unfortunate sequence. The Reds committed three errors each in the last two games. If this club is going to sneak into October, it must play fundamentally sound baseball. Not every team is capable of imitating the 2025 Brewers, but a Francona-managed unit should operate with more composure.
Brewers grab the lead in the 10th after Jake Fraley misplayed the ball and then rolled his ankle trying to get the ball in pic.twitter.com/Z4NRINEJY9
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) August 17, 2025
Reds must wake up quick
Fraley has been pushing through a torn labrum in his shoulder that he suffered earlier in the season, so this latest setback could be especially brutal. Cincinnati as a whole is reeling right now. What could have been the most exciting two-day stretch of the year instead turns into a painful reminder that this franchise has not made the playoffs in a full 162-game campaign in 12 years. The Reds have enjoyed a burst here and there, but they just cannot get over the hump.
These back-to-back debacles are hardly the first opportunities this squad has squandered since the All-Star break. During that time, Cincy lost a series to the Washington Nationals and Atlanta Braves and dropped two of four to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Playoff-caliber teams are supposed to capitalize on those type of chances.
The good news is the Reds are only one and a half games behind the New York Mets for the final National League Wild Card slot. They must use these nightmarish performances as motivation and try to salvage the end of this homestand.
