Mets collapse covers up Terry Francona’s mistakes as Reds sneak into playoffs

The Cincinnati Reds lost their season finale against the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday, but thanks to the Miami Marlins, Terry Francona's club will be headed to the postseason. The Marlins knocked off the New York Mets 4-0, meaning the Reds now have a date with the Los Angeles Dodgers when the NL Wild Card Series kicks off on Tuesday at Chavez Ravine.

The Reds' playoff berth can be attributed to the Mets' collapse and owning the tiebreaker. Cincinnati bested New York during the regular season, and with the head-to-head matchup being the deciding factor, the Reds get the nod over the Mets despite both teams finishing with a record of 83-79.

If the Reds would've missed the MLB Postseason, Francona's in-game decision making during the season finale against the Brewers would've caused a major stir among the Cincinnati faithful. But none of that matters now, as the Reds are in the postseason for the first time (during a full 162-game season) since 2013.

Reds sneak into playoffs thanks to Mets collapse — but Terry Francona has some explaining to do

Francona's starting lineups have puzzled Reds fans throughout the season, but with the season on the ropes over the past few weeks, there's been increased scrutiny. Keeping Sal Stewart on the bench while trotting out Matt McLain and Ke'Bryan Hayes has been a major source of contention among fans in Reds Country.

But it was Francona's decision to leave Brady Singer in the game that came back to bite the Reds on Sunday afternoon. The Reds were up 2-0 early, but the Brewers rallied in the third, and after a pair of doubles from Jackson Chourio and Brice Turang cut the lead in half, Chase Burns began to stir in the bullpen.

Singer averted disaster and recorded three straight outs to silence Milwaukee's threat in the third. But Francona rolled the dice and sent Singer back to the hill in the bottom of the fourth inning, and that's when disaster struck. The Brewers had a man on third with one out, and Singer's 3-2 offering to Danny Jansen was sent over the wall in left field, giving Milwaukee a 3-2 lead.

Francona then (finally) went to his bullpen, and called upon Nick Lodolo — who's never pitched an inning of relief in the big leagues — to replace Singer. Four batters later, a double off the bat of Andrew Vaughn made the score 4-2.

The Reds failed to rally, but so did the Mets. New York fell behind Miami 4-0 in the fourth inning and never recovered. A 4-6-3 double play in the bottom of the ninth inning at LoanDepot Park in Miami ended the Mets season, as went 38-55 down the stretch. That horrific close to the season gave the Reds an opportunity, Francona's club capitalized, and Cincinnati will be playing baseball in October.

Though some of his decisions decisions can certainly be questioned, all will be forgiven if Francona and Reds advance in the MLB Postseason. They've got to face the defending World Series champions out of the gate, but the pitching matchup should favor Cincinnati. The Reds have a puncher's chance, and with the way the 2025 season has gone, anything is possible.

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