4 disappointing Reds who must live up to preseason hype in order to make playoff push

The Cincinnati Reds will embark on a second-half that sees them just three games back in the chase for the final Wild Card spot in the National League. The Cincinnati fanbase has varying opinions about whether or not the Reds should buy, sell, or stand pat at the upcoming trade deadline, and there's optimism regarding the potential return of last year's rookie Matt McLain.

While the Reds have somewhat underperformed through the first-half of the 2024 season, there is a chance for Cincinnati to right a wrong and put themselves into playoff contention with a strong showing over the next couple of months.

But the Reds cannot rest their hopes on McLain's return or even a player or two who might be added at the upcoming trade deadline. If Cincinnati is going to claw themselves back into the playoff picture, several of the Reds' under-performers from the first-half will have to right the ship post-All-Star break. Which four disappointing Reds players must live up to their preseason hype over the final two months of the regular season?

Noelvi Marte, Reds 3B

Noelvi Marte didn't do himself, nor his teammates, any favored when he got popped for using PEDs. An 80-game suspension put tremendous stress on a roster that was counting on a Rookie of the Year-level performance from Marte this season.

Instead, the Reds' third baseman didn't return to the lineup until late-June, and even though he's back, both Marte's hitting and defense have been abysmal. The 22-year-old is hitting just.175/.209/.254 and has a 28 OPS+. Yikes! Throw in his five errors in less than month, and Marte is in danger of being optioned back to the minor leagues.

The Reds need the version of Marte that everyone saw last September when he made his major league debut. Most pundits expected a 20/20 player this season, but he's been anything but through his first 17 games. David Bell has to be somewhat patient — after all, Marte missed almost all of spring training. But in order for Cincinnati to make a playoff run, Marte must be some sort of threat in the lineup.

Will Benson, Reds OF

It's quite simple — Will Benson is not an everyday player. It was probably a mistake to give Benson the opportunity to showcase his talents against left-handed pitching. Though it's admirable that Benson wanted to turn himself into a more complete player, the Reds outfielder is hitting just .125/.271/.229 against lefties and leads the league in strikeout rate.

With Rece Hinds' emergence, Bell can now afford to keep Benson on the bench against left-handers. But the former Cleveland Guardians farmhand needs to do his part as well. Even against right-handed pitching Benson is barely hitting over the Mendoza line, and his on-base percentage is bellow .300.

Just like Marte, Benson should not be given a lot of leeway during the second half of the season. Hinds' power-packed start, combined with the impending returns of TJ Friedl and Stuart Fairchild will have Benson headed back to the minors if he doesn't live up to the preseason hype.

Frankie Montas, Reds RHP

Frankie Montas was the Reds Opening Day starter this year, but he's playing like a back-of-the-rotation option at the moment. Montas has had his ups and downs this season, but the lack of consistency is the biggest gripe among the Cincinnati faithful.

While Montas is lauded for his leadership and clubhouse presence, that only goes so far — you have to be able to execute when you're on the mound as well. Montas is not getting enough strikeouts, he's walking too many batters, and opposing hitters are barreling up his fastball.

Though most Reds fans expected Hunter Greene, Andrew Abbott, and Nick Lodolo to all take a step forward this season, the team still needs Montas to be better than a replacement-level player. The right-hander is 4-7 with a 4.38 ERA and 1.328 WHIP. Consistency from Montas over the second-half of the season could be the difference between a trip to the postseason and missing out on October.

TJ Friedl, Reds OF

Some Reds fans may say it's unfair to criticize TJ Friedl due to the fact that he can't help being on the injured list. Did you offer Nick Senzel the same excuse? Of course not. While Friedl's absence has certainly been the reason for his lack of production, as was the case with Senzel, the most coveted ability is avail-ability. Friedl has made three separate trips to the IL this season.

There is hope that Friedl will be back on the field later this month. Cincinnati needs his leadership in the dugout and his hustle on the field. Captain Chaos has been missing from this lineup, but Bell needs to be careful where puts Friedl in the lineup upon his return. Jonathan India has been terrific as the Reds' leadoff hitter in Friedl's absence, and the centerfielder may have to settle for a lesser role down the stretch.

The Reds need Friedl on the field — period. While the outfielder has been present in the dugout of late, Cincinnati needs more than a cheerleader over the second-half of the season. If Friedl can get back and be effective, he might be the spark this team needs in order to sneak into the playoffs.

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