The Cincinnati Reds are keeping their playoff hopes alive with their latest win against the Toronto Blue Jays, and there is a chance that they can sneak in with some help. One reason they should keep hope is not just because of their play, but the track record of manager Terry Francona, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
“In a battle of bullpen meltdowns, the Cincinnati Reds pull out wild one, 5-4, to keep slim playoff hopes alive. Reds manager Terry Francona’s record in final month of a season with a new team: 1997 Phillies 18-12, 2004 Red Sox 21-11, 2013 Guardians 21-6, 2025 Reds 1-0,” Nightengale wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
The Reds are now 70-68, and they entered their game trailing by four games for the third spot in the NL Wild Card. At this point, they're going to have to keep winning and get some help from teams above them.
There are some players on the team who it feels like making it to the Wild Card would mean a lot, and one of them is ace Hunter Green, who signed a $53 million deal in 2023.
Green recently spoke about his play and what it would mean for the Reds to get into the postseason.
“I understand the situation I’m in, and I embrace it,” Greene said, according to USA Today Sports. “This means a lot. I think we all work extremely hard to be put in those positions. With the signing of the extension, I made a promise to myself and the organization that I would try to push us as far as we could. So it’s just understanding that role and embracing that and trying to do the best I can to make this come true.”
The Reds have what it takes to make a run that they need, and if they can close out this series against the Blue Jays on a high note, things could work out in their favor.
