(Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
The Cincinnati Reds were 62-100 in an absolutely horrible 2022 season.
MLB teams continue to show us, however, that if you do things the right way and build from within, they can show a completely different face the very next year.
That’s what happened with the Baltimore Orioles from 2021 (52-110) to 2022 (83-79) and 2023 (44-27 to this point); and that’s what’s happening with the Reds this year.
Through trades and the development of their own prospects, Cincinnati has won nine games in a row and, with a 38-35 record, have taken over the top spot in the NL Central.
Sure, the division is one of the worst in baseball (though not worse than the AL Central), but the Reds are playing genuinely great baseball right now.
Their hot streak and the situation they were in before it have helped them make some MLB history.
“On June 9, the @Reds were 29-35 and 5.0 games back. They have since won 9 straight and are now alone in first. They are the first team in MLB history to go from being 5+ games under .500 and 5.0+ games out of first to being alone in first place in fewer than 10 games,” OptaSTATS tweeted.
On June 9, the @Reds were 29-35 and 5.0 games back.
They have since won 9 straight and are now alone in first.
They are the first team in MLB history to go from being 5+ games under .500 and 5.0+ games out of first to being alone in first place in fewer than 10 games. pic.twitter.com/p64QNJ4SnI
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) June 20, 2023
Basically, they changed their fortunes in the standings in the blink of an eye: only nine games.
However, their good work started long before the streak.
They developed and/or traded for Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain, Spencer Steer, Jonathan India, TJ Friedl, Hunter Greene, Andrew Abbott, Nick Lodolo, and many others.
They still have Noelvi Marte and Christian Encarnacion-Strand in the minors, too; and just welcomed back veteran Joey Votto.
The Reds may or may not make the postseason, but they will be competitive no matter what.
They were heavily criticized last season, and most of it was very much deserved.
But they have also done a good job with their farm over the years and most of those prospects are now contributing.
The post The Reds Have Quickly Made MLB History With Current Winning Streak appeared first on The Cold Wire.