Cincinnati Reds defeated Milwaukee Brewers 3-2 in 10 innings, snapping Milwaukee’s franchise-record 14-game win streak. Austin Hays delivered a bases-loaded RBI single to cap a 10th-inning rally after Spencer Steer’s bunt move and two intentional walks loaded the bases. Will Benson reached on a fielding error that tied the game earlier, and Jose Trevino added the eventual game-winner. Graham Ashcraft earned the win after a quality start from Andrew Abbott; Emilio Pagán took the loss. The Reds have now avoided being swept in 40 straight series, the longest streak in franchise history. Up next: Freddy Peralta starts for Milwaukee against the Cubs; Brady Singer will start for Cincinnati against the Angels.

Milwaukee’s 14th straight win buried Cincinnati 6-3 in extras, a historic run paced by a late-game surge and a pinch-hit three-run blast from Andruw Monasterio. The Brewers sit 78-44 and own baseball’s best record, riding a wave of opportunistic offense and errant Reds defense that kept Milwaukee in striking distance all night. The Reds committed several costly miscues that fed Milwaukee’s progress, including a ninth-inning error that sparked a run and a misplayed bunt in extra innings that extended the frame.

Milwaukee’s late inning theatrics began with a 10th-inning rally sparked by Contreras’s leadoff single, then a sequence of Reds’ miscues and a decisive Monasterio homer that turned the tide. Noelvi Marte answered with a solo shot in the 11th, but Monasterio’s pinch-hit clout sealed a history-making win. Jose Quintana is lined up to face Andrew Abbott in the finale, with Milwaukee aiming for a 15th straight win Sunday against Cincinnati.

The Reds should consider trading Hunter Greene this offseason to accelerate a World Series push. Greene’s injury history and the depth in Cincinnati’s rotation make him a tradable asset, and a bold move could unlock a proven run-producer or top prospects while freeing payroll to chase a bat like Kyle Schwarber. Greene’s return this season showed he still carries ferocious upside, but Andrew Abbott has emerged as an upper-tier ace, signaling the Reds can survive a Greene exit if the package lands right.

The plan hinges on smart, baseball-smart leverage: ship Greene for an end-of-rotation starter plus a top prospect, then use roughly $42 million in savings to pursue Schwarber, a Middletown native who would immediately boost run production. Schwarber’s power and winning pedigree would shore up a left-to-right balance, while the Reds’ ownership and front office navigate the tradeoff between peak ceiling and immediate impact. It’s a calculated, high-variance path that assumes Cincinnati is ready to push past the middle and redefine its timeline.

In this context, Castellini and the Reds’ brass would need to balance health risk with upside. The article frames the exit strategy as time-sensitive with Francona’s ongoing leadership in mind, suggesting a window where a bold offseason could reposition the club for sustained contention. It’s not a cakewalk, but the potential payoff—scooping Schwarber and retooling the lineup around a healthy Greene—could alter the Reds’ trajectory for years to come.

Hunter Greene is back, and the Reds need him to deliver down the stretch after a groin strain sidelined him for months. Cincinnati has patiently protected its young ace while Andrew Abbott stepped up as the true staff leader, but a six-game homestand against Phillies and Brewers tests the rotation and the team’s playoff odds. With a $53 million extension hanging over him, Greene faces pressure to become the difference-maker the franchise hoped for when he signed the deal. The Reds’ mix of depth and resilience has kept them in wild-card contention even as the rotation evolves without its top prospect.

Abbott has punctuated his breakout season with a sub-2.50 ERA across 21 starts, cementing himself as the frontman while Greene knocked on the door. Cincinnati’s path to October hinges on Greene rediscovering his live fastball and command, while the rest of the rotation holds up. The Phillies and Brewers loom as stern tests, and the Reds’ ability to ride Greene’s return—without overextending him—could define their postseason fate.

Phillies hold a 5.5-game edge in the NL East as they kick off a three-game set in Cincinnati against the Reds. Cincinnati sits 1.5 games back of the final NL wild-card spot, turning this series into a crucial swing for both clubs.

The marquee matchup pits Taijuan Walker against Andrew Abbott. Walker carries a 3.53 ERA but a pronounced ERA-FIP gap and a 1.304 WHIP that suggest regression is coming. Abbott has been electric, with a 2.34 ERA and a 1.127 WHIP, giving Cincinnati a strong chance in the series opener at Great American Ball Park.

The betting backdrop leans Reds at home, with the Reds favored to hang on to a wild-card pulse and Philadelphia facing a left-handed matchup that historically dips Phillies OPS. A 14-run burst by Cincinnati against the Pirates hints at renewed life as they chase, while Philly’s offense is put to the test against lefties. For fantasy and DFS, Abbott is a notable streaming play, while Walker carries risk that could tilt this game toward Cincinnati if regression hits early.