Reds’ 1st-place standing marks franchise first since 2002

Story by

Benedetto Vitale, ClutchPoints

Fri, May 1, 2026 at 7:42 PM UTC ·

2 min read

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The Cincinnati Reds are on fire to begin the 2026 campaign, as the club owns a 20-11 record through the first 31 games of the regular season. After securing a 6-4 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Thursday, the club is in first place in the NL Central.

Reports indicate that the last time the Reds were in first place in their division was in 2002 , according to MLB Stats. That’s a 24-year gap since the franchise was playing this well in a given season.

“The Reds begin May with sole possession of first place in the NL Central for the first time since 2002,” proclaimed the popular X account.

Cincinnati is seemingly improving upon the success from last season, after reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2020. The Reds are playing some of their best baseball right now, even with Hunter Greene , Nick Lodolo , and Eugenio Suarez on the IL right now.

Much of the thanks can go to Elly De La Cruz , as the 24-year-old shortstop owns a .282 batting average and .355 OBP through 124 at-bats this season. He’s recorded 35 hits, 10 home runs, 24 RBIs, and eight stolen bases, playing in every single game for the Reds so far this season.

Another beacon of hope comes from rookie infielder Sal Stewart . At just 22 years old, Stewart is serving as one of the Reds’ most consistent options offensively. Through 114 at-bats so far this season, Stewart has recorded 32 hits, nine home runs, and leads all of MLB with 29 RBIs, while also stealing seven bases. He owns a .281 batting average along with a .373 OBP.

The Reds will have another opportunity to add another one to the win column on Friday when they take on the Pittsburgh Pirates on the road. It will be the first contest of a three-game series over the weekend.