The Reds fell to the Nationals 10-8 on July 21, 2025, despite offense from Marte & Lux. As the team's skid worsens, GM Brad Meador sets a firm trade deadline plan.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Just when it seemed the pitching had found its footing, the floor fell out. Monday night's 10-8 slugfest loss to the Nationals was a gut punch, snapping an eight-game streak of allowing four runs or less and extending the team's miserable slide to just three wins in their last 13 games. The loss drops the Reds to 52-49, a record that feels particularly painful as the trade deadline clock ticks louder and louder.
We’re not going to hurt ourselves long term by selling our best prospects.
The game was practically over before the first round of beers was finished. The Nationals ambushed starter Brady Singer, piling on seven runs by the third inning, highlighted by a three-run triple from Daylen Lile. Singer's night was short and ugly: 2.1 innings, seven earned runs. While the offense showed signs of life with a five-run fourth inning, stringing together RBI singles from Noelvi Marte and Gavin Lux among others, it wasn't enough to overcome the pitching staff's generosity. The Reds issued eight walks and allowed 15 hits, a recipe for disaster that perfectly illustrates the team's recent struggles.
As fans clamor for reinforcements, General Manager Brad Meador addressed the media Tuesday, outlining a clear but cautious deadline strategy. He confirmed the Reds will be buyers, targeting a 'run-producing bat and bullpen help'—needs laid bare by Monday's loss. However, he delivered a message aimed at soothing long-term fears: the top prospects are off limits. Meador is attempting a delicate balancing act, acknowledging the team's position as fringe contenders while refusing to sacrifice the future. He even floated the idea of being both buyers and sellers, potentially moving players on expiring deals like Nick Martinez or Austin Hays to add pieces elsewhere.
Meador's firm stance is rooted in the state of the farm system. A newly released midseason Top 25 prospects list reminds everyone of the talent in the pipeline, with Chase Burns, Rhett Lowder, Sal Stewart, Cam Collier, and Chase Petty leading the charge. While impressive at the top, the system's upper-level depth, particularly in pitching and the outfield, isn't bottomless. Trading from that top tier would create holes that the organization isn't prepared to fill. With top prospect Chase Burns nearing graduation, protecting the next wave of talent is paramount to the draft-and-develop model the front office champions.
So where does this leave the Reds? Stuck between a rock and a hard place. They are 52-49, tied for third in the Central, and face daunting 10.3% playoff odds according to FanGraphs. The team on the field needs an immediate spark to pull out of this nosedive. The front office, meanwhile, is tasked with finding a trade that can provide that spark without dealing from the top of the deck. The next week will define this season: can the Reds get hot on the field and can Brad Meador pull off a trade that threads the needle between winning now and protecting the future?
