Cincinnati Reds Offense Among Worst in Major League Baseball Since All-Star Break

The Reds are 12-11 since the All-Star break, but their offense has been one of the worst in all of Major League Baseball over that stretch.

This Reds team lacks power. Whether it's their hitting philosophy or whether they just don't have enough players to hit for extra bases consistently, it's becoming a serious problem.

Since the All-Star break, their batting average actually ranks 13th in Major League Baseball, and their on-base percentage ranks 10th. However, they rank 27th in OPS, 29th in slugging, and dead last in ISO (isolated power).

Pitchers in today's game are too good to be able to hit 4-5 singles in a row. In order to be a successful offensive team, you need to string together extra-base hits along with singles. This team has struggled with that.

“The home runs are what they are,” Spencer Steer told Charlie Goldsmith of Charlie's Chalkboard. “It’s not like we’re trying to kick the ball around the yard. Homers come from a good approach. We’re all trying to hit line drives in the gap. Those turn into home runs. It’s not from a lack of effort. Homers happen when they happen. I don’t think that as an offense, your whole approach is ‘let’s see how many homers we can hit.’ I don’t think that works. The home runs show up when they show up. That comes from a good approach. They help win ball games, but I don’t think it’s an end all be all.”

Tyler Stephenson is the only player with 30 or more at-bats since the break to have an OPS of over .800.

Matt McLain, Steer, Elly De La Cruz, Austin Hays, Ke'Bryan Hayes, and Jose Trevino all have an OPS of under. 700 during that time.

McLain and De La Cruz each have just one home run in the second half. For this team to be successful offensively, they need more production out of Steer, McLain, Hays, and even need De La Cruz to play more like he did in the first half.

The Reds are 62-58 and two games back of the New York Mets for the third and final National League Wild Card spot.

Their pitchers continue to carry the team, but if they want to make the postseason, the bats are going to have to get hot in a hurry.