As it turns out, the Reds are just as cursed as the Braves

Who wants to advance to the NLDS: The Atlanta Braves or the Cincinnati Reds?

It’s been a long time since either the Atlanta Braves or the Cincinnati Reds advanced in October.

If this were a normal MLB postseason, the Reds wouldn’t have even qualified. Thanks to its great starting pitching out of Trevor Bauer, Luis Castillo and Sonny Gray, Cincinnati cliched its first postseason berth since falling to the division rival Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2013 NL Wild Card game. While the Braves three-peated as NL East champs, their postseason futility is ever-present.

Something has to give in this best-of-three series between the Braves and Reds.

Braves Country is well aware of its favorite team’s inability to get it done in October. Since defeating the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2001 NLDS, Atlanta has failed to advance in the postseason in its last 10 attempts. The Braves have made the postseason for the 10th time since 2002. They have lost their last nine NLDS, as well as the infamous 2012 NL Wild Card game.

Atlanta Braves postseason futility since 2001

• 2001 NLCS: Arizona Diamondbacks (4-1)
• 2002 NLDS: San Francisco Giants (3-2)
• 2003 NLDS: Chicago Cubs (3-2)
• 2004 NLDS: Houston Astros (3-2)
• 2005 NLDS: Houston Astros (3-1)
• 2010 NLDS: San Francisco Giants (3-1)
• 2012 NL Wild Card game: St. Louis Cardinals
• 2013 NLDS: Los Angeles Dodgers (3-1)
• 2018 NLDS: Los Angeles Dodgers (3-1)
• 2019 NLDS: St. Louis Cardinals (3-2)

Despite winning more division titles since 1969 than any team in baseball, they have translated into a grand total of five trips to the World Series and one league championship to show for it. What has happened to the Braves in this postseason debacles are some combination of bats going cold, pitching staffs letting Braves Country down and boneheaded decisions in the field.

Even if Atlanta sports fans are hopelessly cursed, the Braves have a best-of-three series in their home ballpark with two NL MVP candidates in the middle of their lineup in first baseman Freddie Freeman and outfielder/designated hitter Marcell Ozuna. Atlanta should advance, but this is Atlanta sports. The Braves are fortunate that the Reds are also a bit cursed themselves.

Cincinnati Reds postseason futility since 1995

• 1995 NLCS: Atlanta Braves (4-0)
• 2010 NLDS: Philadelphia Phillies (3-0)
• 2012 NLDS: San Francisco Giants (3-2)
• 2013 NL Wild Card game: Pittsburgh Pirates

Though perhaps not as painfully frustrating as what Braves fans have endured, keep in mind the Reds have won a grand total of two postseason games since getting swept by Atlanta in the 1995 NLCS. Those two wins came in the 2012 NLDS to the eventual World Series champion San Francisco Giants. Since 1995, the Reds have had six winning seasons. They went 31-29 in 2020.

So what we’re going to see in this best-of-three series in Truist Park is if good pitching beats great hitting. It usually does, which is good news for the Reds and bad news for the Braves. Facing no pressure, Bauer, Castillo and Gray can continue to pitch playoff baseball vs. a juggernaut Braves’ batting order. Outside of left-hander Max Fried, Atlanta’s starting rotation should not be trusted.

Before 2020 went to hell in a hand basket, teams had varying levels of expectations. For Cincinnati, the rotation gave them a chance to be a dark horse contender for the NL Central. Despite being a third-place finisher, the Reds lived up to reasonable expectations. For Atlanta, it’s about advancing in the postseason, and anything short of that would be another colossal failure.

While we are lucky to not get a lone NL Wild Card game this year, Game 1 between the Reds and the Braves could not be more important. Whoever pitches better between Bauer and Fried gives his team a decided advantage. Though both are fortunate to not be on the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres‘ side of the NL postseason bracket, only one cursed team will advance.

If this is indeed another episode of Choketober, please go check on your Atlanta friends, thank you.