It seems inevitable that the Reds are headed for their third consecutive last-place finish in the NL Central Division. The Reds naturally are not conceding that, although time is growing short in the season.
"You want to try to finish strong in 2017 and build for 2018," Reds manager Bryan Price said before Sunday's game. "We're making every effort ... to get to fourth place."
The Reds began Sunday standing last (fifth) in the NL Central with a 45-65 record, 13 1/2 games behind the division-leading Chicago Cubs. The Reds also stood 8.0 games behind fourth-place Pittsburgh and, with less than two months left in the season, odds are against catching the Pirates.