Reds work to do ‘what good teams do’
CHICAGO — When the Reds fell behind by three runs against the Chicago Cubs Saturday, Cincinnati manager David Bell huddled together with a few players who were standing near him.
Bell stressed that if the Reds could keep the deficit at three, they could chip away and get the comeback win. Third baseman Nick Senzel nodded, confident they were going to break through against Cubs starter Jameson Taillon. He was right.
Saturday’s 8-5 victory at Wrigley Field was an emotional, meaningful win for the clubhouse. Senzel called the rally another sign the rebuilding Reds are heading in the right direction.
“That’s what good teams do,” Senzel said. “They chip away and add on. Our team is learning how to do that. We will do that. It’s fun to be a part of.”
Rebuilding from scratch is a long process, but the Reds have Jonathan India, Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo and Tyler Stephenson as pillars. With them, the team’s young core is led by a group of players who grew from last year’s failures.
Heading into 2023, the Reds were projected to lose around 100 games again while only competing for a top draft pick. Entering Sunday, the Reds were in third place in the NL Central and four games back of first place.
“It’s one thing to talk about it,” Bell said. “They’re going out every day and playing hard. That’s all it comes down to. They’re working, preparing and going out and playing as hard as they can.”
Bell cited the effort plays that changed the game on Saturday. A stolen base by
Friedl. A flare opposite-field RBI single by Mclain. A diving catch in right field by Jake Fralely on a line drive that Bell initially didn’t think Fraley had a shot to catch. Stuart Fairchild beat out a double play ground ball, kept the inning alive and gave Curt Casali a shot for an RBI single.
All of these moments add up for a team that doesn’t have much star power or a high payroll.
“We have a good team and it’s just fun to play with these guys,” India said. “The momentum carries and I feed off everyone. I just love it.”