The Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball (MLB) are on a roll.
With a 5-4 win at home against the Colorado Rockies today (Feb. 20), Cincinnati extended its winning streak to nine games, its longest in 10 years and 11 months since the Reds went on a 10-game winning streak from July 19-29, 2012.메이저사이트
With the win, Cincinnati moved to 38-35 (.521 winning percentage) and a half-game lead over the Milwaukee Brewers for first place in the National League Central, a six-game turnaround from fourth place, where they were 26-33 (.441 winning percentage) and six games behind the leaders.
Cincinnati was expected to focus on development rather than performance again this year, which was understandable since the Reds were 83-79 (0.512 winning percentage) in 2021, but had sold off their mainstays after going 62-100 (0.383 winning percentage) last year.
But the prospects given a chance have hit their stride and quickly transformed into a force to be reckoned with, and the growth of the outfield in particular has been frightening.
Second-year player Spencer Steer (25), along with third-year players Jonathan India (26) and T.J. Friedle (27), are playing well together, and even rookies Matt McClain (23) and Eli De La Cruz (21) are developing into team mainstays.
With Cincinnati’s surge, the NL Central title is no longer out of reach, with every team in contention except the St. Louis Cardinals, who have slipped to the bottom of the division. First through fourth place is separated by 3.5 games, meaning a series or two could flip the standings.
After being a “seller” at last year’s trade deadline, Cincinnati has declared itself a “buyer” this year, and the Reds’ rise has thrown the NL Central into chaos.