Cincinnati Reds News & Notes 05/17/2026

The Cincinnati Reds currently hold a 24-22 record. The Reds sit tied for fourth place in the National League Central. Over the last 24 hours, the club lost a 7-4 decision to the Cleveland Guardians. A late-inning bullpen collapse erased a mid-game lead.

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MLB Game Recap

The Reds fell to Cleveland 7-4 on Saturday as the bullpen surrendered five unanswered runs over the final four frames. Debut starter Chris Paddack provided a solid foundation, allowing two runs on six hits over 5.0 innings. He had 3 strikeouts and 1 walk with 78 pitches. However, the turning point came in the seventh when Angel Martínez blasted a go-ahead two-run home run off Pierce Johnson. Reliever Sam Moll suffered the loss. Luis Mey struggled in a high-leverage spot. He walked two and hit a batter in a shaky two-run sixth inning.

Standout Performer

Third baseman Spencer Steer provided the Reds’ primary offensive spark, finishing the night 1-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. His biggest moment came in the fifth inning. He laced a two-run double to center field. This hit scored Ke’Bryan Hayes and Elly De La Cruz. It gave Cincinnati a temporary 4-2 lead. Steer now leads the team with 17 doubles on the season and has recorded 17 RBIs.

Key News & Notes

Farm Report

• Triple-A (Louisville): The game against Indianapolis was postponed due to the weather.
• Double-A (Chattanooga): Ruben Ibarra finished 2-for-4 with a solo home run and a double in a 6-2 loss to Pensacola. Ibarra’s fourth homer of the season was a line drive that accounted for half of the Lookouts’ scoring.
• High-A (Dayton): Carlos Sanchez led the offense. He went 3-for-4 with two doubles and two runs scored. The team secured an 8-5 win over Lake County. Sanchez continues a strong stretch, having also doubled in the previous game.
• Single-A (Daytona): Kyle Henley went 1-for-4 with two RBIs as the Tortugas fell 8-4 to the Palm Beach Cardinals. Henley provided the only multi-RBI performance for Daytona in the loss.
• Rookie (ACL Reds): Jirvin Morillo went 3-for-4. He had three RBIs and a run. This powered a 7-3 victory over the ACL Brewers. Morillo raised his season average to .448 with his three-hit performance.

Looking Ahead

The Reds conclude their cross-state series in Cleveland this afternoon at Progressive Field. Brady Singer (2-3, 5.79 ERA) is scheduled to take the mound against Guardians right-hander Gavin Williams (5-3, 3.74 ERA) in the series finale.

The rotation is finding new veterans to eat innings. However, the relief corps must find the strike zone. This will help avoid another late-game meltdown. What do you think?