Reds complete improbable run to postseason with help from Mets

Are the Reds the team of destiny in 2025?

Every postseason, there’s one team playing with “house money,” and the Reds likely are that team. According to OptaStats, the Reds are the first team in baseball history to enter the playoffs with no qualified batter hitting .270, no batter hitting 25 homers, no pitcher winning 15 games and no pitcher to reach 200 strikeouts. 

The Reds also managed to make the playoffs while being an average offense, ranking 10th in the National League in OPS (.706), 11th in batting average (.245), and eighth in RBI (677). Their pitching was roughly the same, ranking seventh in ERA (3.86), home runs allowed (190) and strikeouts (1,380) and 11th in walks (494).

The Reds have tough competition in the Los Angeles Dodgers 

Taking on the Dodgers in the wild-card round, the Reds will have their work cut out for them, as the Dodgers beat them in the season series 5-1. 

The Reds will get the Dodgers' best in the first two games, with left-hander Blake Snell and right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto likely starting Games 1 and 2. Shohei Ohtani is likely to pitch Game 3, if necessary. 

With the series starting on Tuesday, the Reds need their A-game to make it to the division series.