The Cincinnati Reds play their 20th game on Friday, which will put them exactly one-third of the way through their abbreviated season.
It’s been an underwhelming start with an 8-11 record, tying their season-high mark at three games under .500. The expanded postseason format means they still hold a playoff spot, but they haven’t looked like the team that spent big money in the offseason and became the trendy pick to win the National League Central.
When the Reds began the 60-game schedule with a 1-4 record, Nick Castellanos said maybe players were trying to do too much to live up to the expectations of the team.