The Cincinnati Reds now control their path to the postseason. However, Terry Francona isn't celebrating until the Reds have officially punched their ticket.
To him, the most important matter at hand is Tuesday's matchup against the Pittsburgh Pirates. A win would move Cincinnati to 81-76 and in crucial pole position entering the stretch run. With the New York Mets holding an identical record, and the Arizona Diamondbacks just one game back, the Reds cannot afford to stumble.
Francona understands that things won't be perfect and that making the playoffs is a truly difficult endeavor. However, he also knows his team is up for the task, as they could be given an even harder challenge, via Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19.
“This will probably shock your socks off, but the best thing we can do is win tonight,” Francona said. “We're going through some stuff for the first time. But it's baseball, not calculus.”
The Reds are entering Tuesday's game on a five game winning streak after sweeping the Chicago Cubs in a four-game series. Now taking on the Pirates for their next three, Francona's club will have a real opportunity to bolster their postseason changes. But afterwards looms a crucial three-game set to end the regular season against the Milwaukee Brewers. Those three games could ultimately decide whether Cincinnati makes the playoffs or not.
But Francona isn't looking that far ahead. Heck, he isn't looking beyond Tuesday. The Reds have gotten themselves to this point by battling back and refusing to quit in the second half of the season. While they may be close to the finish line, Francona still wants the team to take things a game at a time.
The Reds will be looking to set the tone for their playoff push on Tuesday. A sixth consecutive win would surely have spirits up in Cincy.
