This was the kind of moment that helped lure Terry Francona back into the dugout.
The Cincinnati Reds earned their first playoff berth since the 2020 season Sunday, setting off a wild, champagne-soaked celebration in the visitors’ clubhouse in Milwaukee’s American Family Field. It’s the first time in franchise history the Reds have clinched a playoff berth on the final day of the regular season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
“When you watch those guys, it’s just unbridled joy,” said Francona, the longtime MLB manager who spent the 2024 season from baseball for health reasons before taking over the Reds. “It doesn’t matter the language you speak, what country you’re from. They’re hugging each other, and it’s real. And it’s worth all the heartache and everything we did, just for those couple of minutes.”
The Reds blew an opportunity to clinch a playoff spot on their own when they squandered a 2-0 lead in a 4-2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers, but they still got the National League’s third and final wild card because the New York Mets lost 4-0 to the Miami Marlins.
After Cincinnati’s game ended, the Reds went into the locker room and watched the final inning of the Mets-Marlins game on TV.