The Cincinnati Reds lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-4 on Wednesday, ending their season. The National League Wild Card series ended thanks to Los Angeles' dominant offense, as another comeback attempt from Cincy was thwarted. After his first season with the Reds, Terry Francona spoke about his club.

“It's hard to know what to take away right now because it's so fresh and raw. Everybody's hurting, only one team can go home at the end on their own terms. And it's not us this year. The season does not wind down; it just comes to a crashing halt. And that's kinda hard sometimes to make your peace with. I thought our group from Day 1 was a special group. We did not accomplish what we set out to do, but that takes away nothing from me and the coaches feel about those guys.”

The Reds fired David Bell after their disappointing 2024 season, bringing in the World Series Champion Francona to lead their young core. It worked immediately, improving from 77 wins to 83 and sneaking into the postseason thanks to a New York Mets collapse.

Article Continues Below

The Reds' pitching dominated in September, but could not handle the Dodgers when the postseason began. Their offense was not great down the stretch and did not score enough runs to keep up with the defending champs. In both games, they got to the Dodgers' beat-up bullpen, but could not pull off the comeback in either game.

The Reds head to the offseason with holes to fill, but they likely will not spend the money to get the best possible players. Francona will be in the managerial chair once again with a young team that has mounting expectations.

The Dodgers are moving on to face the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Division Series. The Reds, meanwhile, are headed home.