Overview

• Cincinnati’s season ended in a two-game Wild Card sweep by Los Angeles, capped by an 8-4 loss at Dodger Stadium.
• The Reds went 4-for-17 with runners in scoring position and struck out 25 times in the series, highlighting their run-production shortfall.
• Francona praised his players’ competitiveness and said the club is “not the finished product” after his first year in charge.
• Year-one under Francona delivered an 83-79 record after 77 wins in 2024, with a playoff berth helped by the Mets’ late collapse.
• Local commentary is pressing the Castellini ownership to fund a power bat, while some coverage projects a conservative offseason approach.