Cincinnati Reds: Three potential neutral sites for postseason baseball

Reports say that the playoffs could be expanded and neutral sites may be considered. If that’s true, where could the Cincinnati Reds play in November?

Okay, maybe we’re getting a bit ahead of ourselves, but Reds Country felt good about their team’s chances of making the playoffs heading into spring training. With a shorten-season increasingly more likely, the potential exists for the Cincinnati Reds to play their postseason games away from Great American Ball Park. Where might fans have to go to see their team play?

Again, we know this is very optimistic. After all, we don’t even know if or when the 2020 season will commence. However, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, as part of a deal between Major League Baseball and the player’s association, the season can be stretched into the month of October.

Rosenthal also adds that a potential expansion to the playoffs may be part of an agreement and include neutral sites for postseason baseball. Jon Heyman, an insider at MLB Network, is reporting that Major League Baseball may expand the playoffs from 10 to 14 teams this season as a way to boost excitement and increase revenue.

All of this information got us to thinking; where could the Cincinnati Reds play potential playoff games in November? Obviously Novembers in the Queen City are not conducive to playing baseball outdoors, so where the Reds find an autumn home should they qualify for the postseason in 2020?

Truist Park, Atlanta Braves

Heading a few hours south might be enough to escape the brutal November weather of the Ohio Valley. Recently renamed Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves, could be a possible destination for Reds baseball this fall. One major problem exists; what if the Reds were to battle the Braves in a postseason matchup?

Again, so much of this is hypothetical, but the reality is that Reds and Braves are both predicted to be very good in 2020. A potential playoff matchup between Cincinnati and Atlanta would not be out of the realm of possibilities. If that comes to fruition, a playoff series allowing the Braves to play every game at home would offer Atlanta an unfair advantage.

Should that not be the case, Truist Park could be a nice landing site for the Cincinnati Reds if they make the playoffs in 2020. Formerly SunTrust Park, Truist Park was opened in 2017 and has seen playoff baseball the past two seasons. The ballpark is said to favor left-handed hitters, running just 325 feet down the right field line.

That setup could favor a Reds lineup full of talented left-handed bats like Joey Votto, Tucker Barnhart, Jesse Winker and Shogo Akiyama. The November temperatures in Atlanta range from 60 to 42 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s an improvement from the Cincinnati weather which typically ranges from 54 to 36 degrees Fahrenheit during the month of November.

Marlins Park, Miami Marlins

Who wouldn’t want to make a trip to Miami in November? Though the Cincinnati Reds may no longer travel to the state of Florida for spring training, Marlins Park could be a great destination for playoff baseball should the Redlegs make the postseason in 2020. One thing is for sure – the Marlins won’t need it.

While not nearly as close as Milwaukee (392) or Atlanta (460 miles), Miami offers some things that few other venues would. First and foremost, it’s a virtual certainty that the Miami Marlins will not make the postseason. Derek Jeter and company are in the midst of a rebuild and the likelihood of the Marlins making the postseason virtually nil.

Second, it’s an enclosed ballpark. Opened in 2012, Marlins Park has a retractable roof with seating for up to 37,000 fans. Current Reds starter Anthony DeSclafani got his start in the Marlins organization, playing 13 games in 2014 before being dealt to the Cincinnati Reds. Disco, however, hasn’t had much success in Miami, going 1-3 with a 6.17 ERA.

When it comes to pitcher-friendly ballparks, Marlins Park is near the top. While not on par with Petco Park in San Diego or AT&T Park in San Francisco, the Miami Marlins home isn’t a hitter’s paradise like Great American Ball Park.

While it’s no guarantee that the Cincinnati Reds will play in the postseason, or even play home games away from Great American Ball Park, the possibility certainly exists. Major League Baseball and the players remain committed to playing as many games as possible, so extending the season into October is a real possibility.