This affiliate content is not influenced by our advertising relationships, but AP and Data Skrive might earn commissions from our partners’ links in this content.

The Reds’ rotation has been its biggest strength this season, but instead of just adding to the bullpen, the team was looking at fortifying its bullpen from within, moving a starter — or two, depending on the status of Hunter Greene — to the bullpen, while adding to the back of the rotation.

The Cincinnati Reds hosted the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday night, which meant two of the most exciting players in baseball—Shohei Ohtani and Elly De La Cruz—were on the field at the same time.

The Reds did all their scoring in the first inning. Austin Hays and Gavin Lux had back-to-back RBI singles to drive in T.J. Friedl to get on the scoreboard, and then Matt McLain for an insurance run, respectively.

Nick Lodolo went the distance and kept the Cincinnati Reds as the only team in the majors that hasn’t been swept this season.

The Reds have been searching for long-term consistency since the Big Red Machine days and the early 2010s. This team has the talent to set the franchise up for sustained success, but that's also going to require beating the best teams, like the Dodgers.

This was not a playoff team in October. Or a contender in September. This was the bad-bullpen, meh-lineup Nationals playing for nothing in July.