The Cincinnati Reds are in a bit of an odd predicament as we barrel towards the final 40-some games of this 2018 season, and it has my brain in a bit of a bind regarding how to think about it. At 52-67, they sit a full 15 games out of the NL Central lead, which is a moot point at this juncture. Similarly, they’re behind 11 other NL teams in the race for a Wild Card spot, meaning even the most unlikely of turnarounds at this point wouldn’t land them playing postseason ball.
Normally, when a team’s at that point in the standings while simultaneously in year X of a seemingly endless rebuild, there’s at least the future of the franchise to turn to.