The Cincinnati Reds made a few roster moves last week, but it was the San Diego Padres who dominated this year’s trade deadline. True to form, Padres GM A.J. Preller took a bold approach, making a series of aggressive deals before the July 31 cutoff in an effort to strengthen the team for the final stretch of the season.
San Diego upgraded its bullpen by acquiring right-handed reliever Mason Miller from the Athletics and pulled off a major deal to land two of the Baltimore Orioles’ top hitters. With those moves, the Padres look poised to make a serious push for the NL West title, trailing the division-leading Los Angeles Dodgers by just three games entering Monday’s action.
Helping their cause even more is a favorable remaining schedule. The Padres’ upcoming opponents have a combined winning percentage of just .478 — the second-easiest slate in the league. That includes seven games against the lowly Colorado Rockies and six more against an Arizona Diamondbacks team that’s clearly shifted into rebuild mode. It could be smooth sailing from here.
Following Monday’s victory over the Chicago Cubs, the Reds sit three games behind the Padres in the race for the final National League Wild Card spot. Given that Cincinnati faces the toughest remaining schedule in the majors, overtaking San Diego may prove unrealistic. However, the New York Mets remain a more attainable target.
The Reds are currently four games back of the Mets, whose upcoming schedule is more comparable to Cincinnati’s. While the Reds still have six games left against the Cubs and Brewers, the Mets will play seven more games against the Phillies. New York also has series ahead against both the Brewers and Cubs, along with a three-game visit to Great American Ball Park in early September.
With 49 games left on the schedule, Cincinnati can’t afford to be distracted by the standings. If Terry Francona’s squad focuses on stacking wins, the playoff picture could shift in their favor. As for Reds fans, they’ll be watching intently, hoping the team catches fire down the stretch.