Given their records coming into the game, it was no surprise that the Cincinnati Reds were soundly defeated by the Milwaukee Brewers in Friday’s series opener between the National League Central rivals. But while the winning and losing teams were not surprising, the final score turned some heads.
The Brewers routed the Reds, winning 20-0.
The Cincinnati Reds’ Performance Was Widely Panned
Naturally, the Reds were the subject of a lot of jokes and lamenting on social media.
“All the Reds need is a few Joe Burrow to Ja’Marr Chase deep balls and they’ll be right back in it,” James Rapien of First Word Cincy joked.
“17-0 Brewers. The #Reds should really just pack it up and go home. No hot take. Just reality. What an absolutely miserable season,” Lance McCalister of 700 WLW said, before things got even worse.
“What stinks about being bad in baseball is that you can’t even get too excited about landing a top draft pick. Unlike other sports, the payoff usually isn’t immediate. Even the best prospects can take years to reach the big leagues, and there’s no guarantee they ever become impact players,” the Reds Daily X account said.
“The #Reds got beat 20-0 in Milwaukee tonight. They had 2 hits compared to MKE’s 23. And by they, I mean Sal Stewart. Sal Stewart had all 2 of their hits. This team needs a dramatic makeover,” the Nati Sports X page opined.
It’s Been a Brutal Two-Game Stretch for Cincinnati
As bad as losing 20-0 is, it was the latest in what’s been an awful run for the Reds.
The loss was Cincinnati’s fourth straight, with the last two being particularly embarrassing. The 20-0 loss to the Brewers came on the heels of a 14-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Nugget Chef X account put the abysmal pair of games into perspective.
“The Reds have a -33 run differential over the last 2 GAMES. The Yankees have not had a -33 run differential (or worse) in a SEASON since 1991,” the X post said.
Tyler Reed had an even bleaker outlook in his write-up of the game on SI.com.
“In their last outing, the Reds could only put one run on the board while the Dodgers racked up 14. It was nearly the same game on Friday night, but it felt a lot more painful. I think everyone had a feeling that it could get this bad. Now, the only hope is that they can show a little bit of fight while trying to finish this season,” Reed said.
“If a lockout is inevitable in 2027, the lasting memories of the 2026 season for this fan base may make them happy that the game won’t be played,” continued Reed.
If there’s a positive to take from the last two games for the Reds, it’s that — more likely than not — things can’t get a lot worse.
Cincinnati Reds Ripped After Latest Embarrassment: ‘Just Pack It up and Go Home’