Reds Hold Wild-Card Tiebreaker; Swept by Dodgers

The Cincinnati Reds surged into a tie with the New York Mets for the National League's final wild-card spot and hold the head-to-head tiebreaker. Manager Terry Francona's club celebrated reaching the postseason but was promptly swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the best-of-three wild-card series. A young core — including Elly De La Cruz, Sal Stewart and Noelvi Marte — alongside pitchers Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, Andrew Abbott and Chase Burns provides a foundation for future contention. Most of those core players are under contract through 2026, leaving only a few notable impending free agents and offering offseason continuity. With a modest payroll versus elite competitors, the Reds will likely target added power and bullpen stability to try to end their postseason series win drought.