Just like the Undertaker would come out of the casket, the Cincinnati Reds are back from the dead and approaching .500 baseball. At 32-34, they are currently in a Wild Card playoff spot, but have eyes on still winning the National League Central. It is very much still in play and with a road trip against the Brewers approaching this weekend, the most important series of the season thus far is about to begin. In 2023, Cincinnati lost 10 of 13 to Milwaukee and in 2022, Cincinnati lost 15 of 19 against the Brewers. I don’t know about you, but I am tired of losing to the Brew Crew and now is the time to change the narrative. You simply cannot win the Central with this type of play against a divisional opponent and now is the time to make up ground. At 6.5 games back, Cincinnati just needs to remain hot and continue to put up runs, as the pitching will take care of itself. The Reds are back and I am eager to see this team continue to build on their momentum.

Cubs Series

The Cincinnati Reds and Karen Forgus specifically have continued to be very helpful in regard to Matt’s Take, and over the weekend I was able to attend my first game with my son while taking in the game for my column. The Pampers Nursing Suite was an amazing benefit for my wife and the Reds certainly do everything the correct way when it comes to accommodating the fan experience. Creed joined me in slapping the table, slept through the entire game, slept through the fireworks, and while it may not be Jeff Ruby’s, he enjoyed some Similac for a post-game celebration.

While sweeping the Cubs would have been ideal, taking 3 of 4 was huge for the momentum of the season. Chicago ended the winning streak at seven games, but a new streak begins on Tuesday as Cincinnati fights to get back to .500 baseball. Cincinnati doesn’t see Chicago again until late July and both teams have the same record as of June 10th. I have to admit, I despise hearing the Cubs chants at GABP, but I have to give credit to how well Chicago fans travel. I am glad GABP is so accommodating and continues to be a ballpark that opposing fans want to travel to.

Fast Facts

The Reds are 8-2 in their last 10, tying the Yankees with the best record in all of baseball over the last ten games.

Jonathan India is batting .333 over the last 15 days and leads the team in RBIs over that span.

TJ Friedl has 3 home runs over the last 15 days and the highest OPS on the team over that span at .918. He means more to this team than many fans realize.

Hunter Greene has the 14th most strikeouts in all of baseball, currently at 84. His batting average against stands at .209, ranking him 15th in all of baseball. Elite…

Blake Dunn became the first Red since 1958 to score a run in each of his first 4 games.

Cincinnati only plays 2 teams the rest of June with a winning record (Cleveland and Milwaukee)

Q&A with Blake Dunn

Blake Dunn, Reds recently called-up outfielder, kindly joined Matt’s Take for a second time this week. He has immediately made an impact on this team with his hustle and is a true major league player. His speed being alongside Friedl, Fairchild, Benson, Hurtubise, and Fraley makes one of the fastest outfields that I can recall in recent Reds history. It was a pleasure to interview him again in 2024, this time on the big league roster:

Q: How did it feel to get your first big league hit and how did you know to turn for 2nd?

A: “It was amazing, something I’ve dreamed of for a very long time. And I knew right away out of the box that I was going to get a double and I went for it.”

Q: If you could define your style of play with just 3 words, what would they be?

A: “Aggressive, relentless, and fast.”

Q: How is this Cincinnati team remaining to keep the bats alive night in and night out and getting this team right back into the race?

A: “I think it comes from the attitude of always fighting through every at bat to do something productive for the team. And that mindset gets us ready for every at bat.”

Q: How much preparation is put in place before a game regarding watching tape on opposing pitchers?

A: “There’s a lot, we go over what the pitcher has, how he likes to attack, what his pitches are like. And also what his pickoffs and times to the plate are like so that the guys who are stolen base threats are ready to steal during the game.”

Q: If you had to predict the next call-up, who do you believe it would be and what advice would you give them?

A: “I’m not sure who would be the next to come up but whoever it is, I would give them the advice to just play their same game that got them to the big leagues. The bigger stage doesn’t require you to change into anything different. You just got to go out there and play your game.”

Q: What are your goals for the remainder of the season now that you’ve made the big league roster?

A: “I want to help this team win as many games as possible. That’s really the only thing I’m focused on is trying to do whatever I can to help be a positive impact on the team and the result of the game.”

This column appears in several newspapers in southwest Ohio.