When the Cincinnati Reds lost to the Atlanta Braves in the first game of the first round of the 2020 playoffs, Reds manager David Bell used every position player on the team’s bench.
While the playoff rosters in 2020 were set at 28 players, the Reds carried 16 position players and 12 pitchers for the three-game series. The Reds lost the game, but the deeper bench allowed the Reds to use four pinch-hitters, a pinch-runner and two defensive replacements.
If the Reds reach the 2021 Wild Card game, they’d likely apply a similar approach to how they shape their postseason roster.
Entering Tuesday’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals, the Reds had a half-game lead over the San Diego Padres in the NL Wild Card race. According to Baseball Reference, the Reds have a 69.2% chance to make the playoffs due to an easier strength of schedule down the stretch.
