Reds are doing the unthinkable and it should scare the league

The Cincinnati Reds entered the 2026 season looking to seriously contend. More than simply backing into the playoffs as they did last year, the club wanted to compete for the NL Central crown and make some noise once October rolled around. They're set up to do just that, even though very little has gone according to plan.

Heading into Tuesday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays, the Reds' retooled lineup has produced just 84 runs thus far, good for 25th in the league. Only three players  — Sal Stewart, Elly De La Cruz, and Eugenio Suarez  — have wRC+ marks over 100. They've already cut bait on Noelvi Marte, sending him down to Louisville after having high hopes that this would be the year he finally breaks out.

What about Cincinnati's vaunted starting rotation? That hasn't been good either, with the unit owning a 4.19 ERA, good for 20th in MLB. That's not what anyone had on their bingo card when the season got underway.

Yet the Reds are off to their best start in 20 years. It's incredible, but true, and it's actually an extremely good thing.

The Reds are winning despite multiple struggles

Weirdly, there are a lot of positives to take from the scuffling lineup and struggling rotation. Manny Machado (and several others) predicted Stewart would win the NL Rookie of the Year this season, but no one thought he'd be setting up to blow right past that awesome milestone and instead set his sights on an MVP trophy.

In the rotation, only two starters have an ERA under 4.00. The good news is, the ones who are excelling  — youngsters Chase Burns (2.42 ERA) and Rhett Lowder (3.10 ERA)  — were the two most questionable members; these early returns fuel hope that they will immediately live up to their sky-high potential.

Another reason to be bullish on the rotation's future is the fact that they've been without what some would say are their top two starters, Nick Lodolo and Hunter Greene. Lodolo will be back soon, while Greene should be available for the stretch run.

It also should be said that the bullpen, a contingent that was thought to be Cincy's weak link, has not only been the top-performing group on the team, but is also leading the league in ERA with a 2.23 mark.

Somehow managing to avoid struggling in the win-loss columns while actually struggling on the field has given the Reds an incredible leg up. When things inevitably pick up in the lineup and the rotation, they won't be digging out of a hole, but rather expanding on their progress. The fact that key young players are driving the early success is another huge boon.

There is a draw-back, however. While the Reds are in first place in the NL Central as of April 20, the entire division has a winning record, with the last-place Milwaukee Brewers coming in with a 12-9 record. Only two games separate the entire division. Essentially, Cincinnati hasn't been able to reap the full benefits of the hot start. Should they falter later on, they might be passed by.

Not just surviving but thriving while not playing their best baseball is a great sign for the Reds, and although there's a lot of games left to be played, they're off to a great start in their quest to achieve their goals.

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