Reds - Pirates

USA - MLB

Three pivotal days for the Reds during the crucial final seven-week stretch of the regular season are likely to be Thursday, Monday, and the upcoming Thursday, August 17th, all of which are scheduled as off-days.

A grueling sequence of 27 games in just 28 days, coupled with an extensive reliance on the bullpen throughout the season, may finally be taking its toll on Cincinnati. Despite Graham Ashcraft's impressive seven-inning performance, his efforts were ultimately in vain as the Marlins handed the Reds a 5-4 defeat on Wednesday at the Great American Ball Park.

In the eighth inning, reliever Sam Moll yielded a game-tying three-run home run, followed by Alexis Díaz surrendering the go-ahead run via a ninth-inning homer. The Reds lost two out of three games in the series and have now faced defeat in eight of their last nine games.

Within the past nine games, all of which have occurred since the August 1st Trade Deadline, Ashcraft has contributed two out of the three quality starts, with Brandon Williamson delivering the other on Monday against Miami. Five of the remaining starts lasted fewer than five innings.

Concurrently, in this same period, the Reds' bullpen has amassed a record of 0-4 with a 7.36 ERA and has had to pitch more than three innings on six occasions. While for much of the season, they admirably shouldered the burden of the rotation, recent flaws in their performance have become apparent.

In his most recent outing against the Nationals on Friday, Ashcraft returned for the eighth inning while holding a two-run lead, only to concede a game-tying two-run homer. This time, having thrown 103 pitches, another inning was beyond his capacity, especially given the humid conditions and the 36-minute rain delay preceding the first pitch.

The upcoming off-day on Thursday precedes a critical three-game series in Pittsburgh. The following week, the team will enjoy two more days off during a homestand against the Guardians and the Blue Jays.

The upcoming weeks hold immense significance for Cincinnati's team. The question remains whether the offense will manage to provide strong support for the bullpen, a test that starts with tonight's opening game of the series against Pittsburgh.