CINCINNATI – It's safe to say two things about the state of the Reds right now. Where they are so far this season isn't how they drew it up before heading to Spring Training. And, that was one very rough month of May for the club.
The month ended with a 6-4 victory over the Braves to stop a three-game losing streak, but was the game also on brand in a way for how things went lately. The Reds held their collective breath after shortstop Elly De La Cruz left in the fifth inning with tightness in his right hamstring. De La Cruz has an MRI scheduled for Monday.
Cincinnati was tied for the second-best record in MLB with the Yankees and Dodgers before May started. Then the month opened with a season-high eight game losing streak and losses in 13 of the first 17 games before finishing it with a 10-17 record.
It's not all doom and gloom because even after the rough month, the Reds (30-28) are still contending. Although in last place and six games out of first place, it's a bunched together National League Central where each club has a winning record. And the NL Wild Card is still very much up for grabs.
“I know we’re not far behind. Everyone’s above .500. Just keep stacking series wins and if you’re winning series, you’ll look up and you’ll be in a spot that you feel good about," starting pitcher Nick Lodolo said.
Lodolo earned the win Sunday with three runs and five hits given up over 6 2/3 innings. He overcame a first-pitch homer allowed to leadoff batter Ronald Acuña Jr. in the top of the first inning.
“I think we’re in a good spot," Lodolo said. "Could you say we could be in a better spot? Yeah, everybody can say that. But there’s also days we’ve won games that we shouldn’t have won. I think it’s still early. We’re just showing up day by day and trying to win that game."
But an issue is the Reds don't know who will show up on a given day. As it waits on De La Cruz's status, Cincinnati has already put several players on the injured list this month – including closer Emilio Pagán, starting pitcher Rhett Lowder and relievers Graham Ashcraft and Pierce Johnson.
In the bullpen, only three of eight relievers from the Opening Day roster – Tony Santillan, Brock Burke and Sam Moll – are still active. After getting through March and most of April with baseball's best ERA, Reds relievers have a 4.98 ERA overall -- 27th in MLB -- while leading all clubs with 139 walks.
Santillan was unable to convert the save in Sunday's win after he gave up one run, two hits and a walk. Moll issued a two-out walk but notched his first save of the season.
“When the bullpen is struggling, [it’s] how much leeway do you give a guy? It gets harder for everybody, not just harder for the players," manager Terry Francona said before Sunday's game. "Harder for me, for the coaches.”
The hitters expected to fill the leadoff and No. 2 spots in the lineup -- TJ Friedl and Matt McLain -- have struggled at the plate. First, they were moved to the eighth and ninth spots in the order but Friedl -- batting .181 with .518 OPS -- has become a bench player.
McLain, who is batting .196 with a .614 OPS, was out of the lineup on Sunday for the third time in Cincinnati's last four games, and replaced De La Cruz at shortstop after his injury.
“I love our guys. I think everybody knows that," Francona said. "But at the same time, you kind of have an obligation to try to do what’s best for your team. And pulling the plug on guys too early, I’ll never agree with. But also, you don’t want to be stubborn to the point where you’re not helping the ballclub. That’s a balance. It’s hard.”
It has prompted some tough conversations.
“I told TJ the other day, ‘I can’t sit here and tell you right now what you want to hear.’ And he goes, ‘I get it. I kind of put myself into this.’ Just try to always be honest and without beating somebody over the head," Francona said. "I don’t think that’s helpful.”
June begins with a three-game series at home vs. the Royals.
"If we can just kind of keep our head down and keep doing what we’re doing and trust in the process, we’ve still got a lot of baseball to be played," said left fielder JJ Bleday, who was 2-for-4 Sunday with two RBI doubles. "But I like where we are right now.”