Cincinnati's Bullpen Plunged From Top-5 to 29th: This Is How Fast A Season Can Spiral

Okay, seriously, what is happening out there? The Cincinnati Reds, who were looking pretty solid back in April, are in a complete freefall right now, and they're bringing the equally struggling Arizona Diamondbacks along for the ride. These two clubs are about to kick off a series, and trust me, neither team is looking to make new friends. The big news? Cincinnati's bullpen, which was looking like a top-tier unit just last month, has absolutely imploded.

The Reds' Early Season Promise Crumbles

Can we talk about the Reds for a minute? They've lost six of their last seven games, including a tough 5-4 defeat to the San Diego Padres recently in the decisive game of their series. This team climbed nine games over .500 at the end of April, and now? They're three games *under*. Ouch. Reds manager Terry Francona isn't sugar-coating it, saying flat out, "The results are not what we want." He emphasized they'll "struggle together" and "figure it out together." That's the spirit, but the numbers are kinda screaming otherwise right now. And here's where it gets wild. Remember that bullpen? Through April, their relievers boasted the fifth-best ERA in all of Major League Baseball, a rock-solid 3.44. Today? They're sitting at a dismal 29th in the majors with a 5.13 ERA. Twenty-ninth! That's a nose-dive. Reliever Caleb Ferguson is trying to keep things in perspective, talking about "skids" and how "we're really, really close." He even thinks they're "two to three pitches from winning all these games." And hey, as a fan who watches every Mariners game here in the Emerald City, I totally get that feeling, that thin margin between victory and defeat. We've seen it at T-Mobile Park, when those crucial pitches just aren't there and the momentum slips away. But man, those stats, going from fifth to twenty-ninth? That's not just a skid, that's a collapse that needs more than just a few pitches to fix. It's agonizing to watch a team lose its way so quickly.

Diamondbacks Facing Their Own Demons

Meanwhile, the Diamondbacks aren't exactly cruising either. They didn't even start as strong as Cincinnati, and now they've hit their own rough patch. Arizona just got shut out twice, back-to-back by the Miami Marlins, and they've dropped five of their last six overall. They're back to .500, a spot they haven't seen since May 18. Talk about losing momentum! They haven't even won a series since sweeping the San Francisco Giants way back on May 25-27, which had them sitting pretty at 31-24. Arizona is sending left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez to the mound for the series opener. He's got a 5-2 record with a solid 2.52 ERA, which still ranks him fifth in the National League. But even he's had a recent stumble, giving up four runs and six hits over 6 1/3 innings in a 6-1 loss to the Washington Nationals. Manager Torey Lovullo reflected on maybe pulling him earlier, but wanted him to "work through it." Rodriguez has faced the Reds three times in his career, holding a 1-1 record with a 3.00 ERA.

Who Can Stop The Slide?

The Reds are countering with left-hander Nick Lodolo, who has a 2-1 record and a 5.51 ERA. He did not receive a decision in his last outing, after giving up four runs and 10 hits over five-plus innings against the St. Louis Cardinals. This isn't just a regular series, folks. Both these teams are in desperate need of a turnaround, especially Cincinnati as they start a six-game homestand. Every pitch, every out, every single game in this series is going to feel like a make-or-break moment. You gotta wonder which team will finally snap out of it first.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.