Cincinnati Reds defeated Los Angeles Angels 4-1, stretching their series victory run to nine straight against the Angels and nudging one game behind the Mets for the last NL playoff spot with 36 games left. Hunter Greene returned from a groin injury to start again, while Brady Singer delivered six solid frames in another strong showing. Gavin Lux supplied a bright moment with a first-inning two-run shot that set the tone for the open of the set, but the Reds pulled away behind timely hits and shutdown pitching. The Mets sat idle, giving Cincinnati a clear, albeit narrow, chase window as the season winds down. The Reds have momentum and a path forward, while the Angels remain in the mix but short on late-season spark.

Looking ahead, Cincinnati’s playoff push hinges on continued rotation depth and productive days from its lineup, as the Reds try to snag a few more wins against contenders and keep pace with a competitive NL field. The series against the Angels offered a microcosm of the Reds’ late-season strategy: bullpen stability, solid innings from the rotation, and bite from the lineup when it matters most. For fantasy managers, Greene’s health and Singer’s form are the immediate catalysts, with any Reds surge potentially shifting how mixed rosters are balanced late in the year.