Cincinnati Reds continue 2ND HALF TEAR defeat St. Louis Cardinals | Recap, Highlights, Podcast

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Cincinnati enters the second half looking to keep its postseason hopes alive despite a difficult stretch over the past two and a half months. Since May 1, the Reds have gone just 23-41, falling from first place in the National League Central into the fringe of the playoff race. If they cannot make up ground quickly, the organization could shift its focus toward the future ahead of the Aug. 3 MLB trade deadline.

The Rockies find themselves in an even tougher position. Colorado enters the series with the worst record in the National League at 39-59 and is expected to be one of baseball's most active sellers before the trade deadline. The Rockies are also trying to avoid their fourth consecutive 100-loss season, a difficult task despite showing flashes of improvement in recent weeks.

Trade speculation continues to surround several veterans on both rosters. For the Reds, pending free agents Tyler Stephenson, Eugenio Suárez, Nathaniel Lowe, Brady Singer, Pierce Johnson, Caleb Ferguson, and Brock Burke could all become trade candidates if Cincinnati slips further out of contention over the next two weeks.

One player who is no longer part of any trade speculation is rookie ace Chase Burns. The Reds made a major statement before the second half by signing Burns to a seven-year, $105 million contract extension, signaling that the young right-hander is viewed as a cornerstone of the franchise moving forward.

Despite Cincinnati's disappointing first half, closer Emilio Pagán believes the club still has enough talent to make a late-season run.

"We didn't make it easy on ourselves," Pagán said before the series. "We're definitely behind the eight-ball, but we're capable of a big run."

The Reds will hand the ball to veteran right-hander Brady Singer in Friday night's opener. Singer enters the game with a 3-9 record and a 4.72 ERA, but those numbers don't fully reflect how well he has pitched recently.

Over his last seven starts, Singer has posted a strong 2.79 ERA while striking out 40 batters across 38 2/3 innings. His only issue has been a lack of run support, as Cincinnati has struggled offensively during much of that stretch.

Singer is coming off arguably his best outing of the season against the Philadelphia Phillies. He allowed just one run over 7 1/3 innings in a tough 1-0 loss while throwing only 89 pitches.

Reds manager Terry Francona praised Singer's aggressive approach following that performance.

"From the very get-go, he was establishing strike one and his breaking ball was probably as good as we've seen," Francona said. "I thought he pitched his heart out."

Singer has also enjoyed success against Colorado throughout his career. In three previous starts against the Rockies, he owns a perfect 2-0 record with a 1.89 ERA, giving Cincinnati confidence heading into the opener at Coors Field.

The Rockies will counter with rookie right-hander Gabriel Hughes, one of the organization's top pitching prospects. Hughes was selected 10th overall in the 2022 MLB Draft and made his first major league start just before the All-Star break against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The 24-year-old allowed three runs over six innings in that outing and impressed by retiring 16 of the final 17 batters he faced. Earlier this month, Hughes also recorded his first career save after throwing three scoreless innings against the San Francisco Giants.

While Hughes has made only two major league appearances, his power fastball and improving secondary pitches have given the Rockies optimism about his future.

For the Reds, this series represents far more than just another weekend matchup. Facing the National League's worst team provides an opportunity to gain momentum before continuing a challenging road trip. A strong showing in Colorado could keep Cincinnati's playoff hopes alive and potentially influence the front office's approach to the upcoming trade deadline.