The Cincinnati Reds are looking more and more for real with every passing day.
Cincinnati, leading the National League Central by one game over the Milwaukee Brewers with a 50-41 record, are reportedly looking into acquiring a starting pitcher to bolster the team's rotation for a playoff push.
The Cincinnati Reds last made the playoffs in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, losing the best-of-three wild-card playoff round in a sweep by the Atlanta Braves.
However, the Reds have surged to the top of their division on the strength of the surprisingly excellent play from their young players. Cincinnati logged a 12-game winning streak in June to vault into contention. The win streak is second to only the Tampa Bay Rays' 13-game winning run to open the season.
While the youthful Cincinnati Reds pitching staff has been holding its own, fueled by rookie starter Andrew Abbott. Abbott is 4-1 with a 2.38 ERA in seven starts since his call-up from Triple-A Louisville.
However, the staff could use an infusion of veteran talent to truly make the Reds a contender during the stretch drive and possibly into the playoffs.
The Cincinnati Reds rank 20th in MLB attendance, averaging 22,140 fans through 44 home games heading into Friday. Those numbers have been seriously boosted over the past month since the winning streak, with the average head count per game going up 3,000 fans.
It's been a long dry spell for the Reds, who have made just five playoff appearances since winning the World Series in a shocking sweep of the powerhouse Oakland Athletics in 1990. Cincinnati drew the smallest crowd in the history of Great American Ballpark, which opened in 2003, in April as only 7,375 fans showed up.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Reds are the first team in MLB history to move into first place alone in nine games or fewer after falling five or more games under .500 while facing a deficit of at least five games.
Or, more simply put, Cincinnati is experiencing a sudden and rather unexpected baseball renaissance.
Cincinnati Reds open second half with NL Central battle
The Reds open the second half with a crucial battle for the top of the NL Central as the Brewers visit Cincinnati for a three-game weekend series.
Milwaukee will host the Reds for a three-game series from July 24-26.