NL Wild Card Race Goes Down to the Wire
In what developed into a strikingly close playoff down the line, the Cincinnati Reds have triumphed and clinched the final postseason spot in the National League by going into Milwaukee, beating the team with the best record in the league twice. Where one season continues, another ends as the team that passed the New York Mets will be heading home early this year. The Reds, helmed by manager Tito Francona, were able to succeed with quality pitching and a good mix of timely hitting down this stretch run. Their reward is that they get to play the Dodgers in a best-of-three series in Los Angeles. While we know what the immediate future holds in store for the Reds, we cannot say the same for their vanquished foe in New York. What almost felt impossible has come to fruition.
For as bad as the Mets played in the dog days of July and August, there was still a belief that they would right the ship. Then, slowly and surely, their lead started to shrink. For the same token, it seemed both inevitable and impossible, till it happened. Eventually, they lost the playoff spot, then came back, taking two of three from the Cubs to regain control of their own destiny. Going into the weekend with a one-game lead, all they had to do was take care of business against a lowly Marlins team. Yet they wound up losing two of three.
Ultimately, this team fell short of making the playoffs. This could have all been avoided if they had been able to help themselves. While the team itself deserved this kind of finish, the fans, for whom this is all too familiar, did not. All that can be said now is that there will be a new team next year, and it will look different. How different it is going to be up to owner Steve Cohen and the president of baseball operations, David Stearns.
Key pieces of this year's team, Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz, both have opt-outs in their contracts, and Starling Marte’s contract is finally up. While it certainly would be beneficial for the team to retain those first two players, it is very clear that big changes need to be made. The only question is in what fashion? The easiest step would be to shore up a rotation that was bolstered by a couple of young call-ups from the minor leagues. Every single starter on the roster from the beginning of the year either underperformed, got hurt, or both. How David Stearns plans to improve the rotation is unknown, especially considering his aversion to granting longer-term contracts to pitchers. As far as the Reds, this is a step forward for a team that has not made the playoffs in a full season since 2013. Looking forward, they have a strong group of young, talented players, including Elly De La Cruz, and the ability to add more playmakers in the offseason.
