Reds are playing their best baseball at the worst possible time

Heading into Friday's series opener against the Washington Nationals, the Cincinnati Reds have won four straight games. The Reds have emerged from the NL Central basement and are just two games below .500. They've climbed to within four games of the final NL Wild Card spot and are playing their best baseball of the season. But the schedule is about to become very unkind to the ole Redlegs.

The Reds head out to our nation's capital on Friday to start a three-game series with the Washington Nationals. The Nats actually have a losing record (23-34) at home this season, and have dropped eight of their last 10 games. There's reason to believe Cincinnati could go into D.C. and win at least 2-of-3, though they'll go up against Washington's best with Cade Cavalli on mound on Friday night.

Next week, the Reds head to the South Side of Chicago for a three-game series against the AL Central's best team. The Chicago White Sox have been the surprise of baseball this season, but have lost three straight and six of their last 10 games.

The Reds return home next weekend for a three-game battle with the Miami Marlins. The Fish have also dropped three straight and are back to .500 on the season with a +0 run differential. This is another winnable series for Cincinnati, and depending on how the teams above them in the standings perform, the Reds could be in the thick of the Wild Card race with a little over a month to go.

But that's where things get tough. The series against the White Sox kicks off a 17-day stretch for the Reds without a day off. Cincinnati will play 18 games during that span — that includes a doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals. If the Reds can somehow survive that test and still remain in the playoff hunt, the final 28 games of the 2026 season will decide their fate.

The Reds' September stretch is absolutely brutal

Beginning on August 28, the Reds will play 25 consecutive games against playoff contenders. It begins with a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field before a six-game homestand against the San Diego Padres and Milwaukee Brewers.

After that, Cincinnati begins a seven-game road trip that includes a three-game bout with the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chavez Ravine and another three-game series against the Brewers at American Family Field. The Reds then return to Great American Ball Park for four more games against the defending World Series champion Dodgers and another three-game series against the Cubs.

Finally, the Reds wrap up their 2026 campaign on the road with a three-game series against the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves before crossing the border into Canada to end the year with three games against the Toronto Blue Jays.

If the Reds somehow, someway find their way back to the playoffs in 2026, they will have earned it. Mind you, they'll likely be without both Hunter Greene (injury) and Chase Burns (innings restriction) for the final month of the season. Yikes.

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