Editing Cincinnati Reds (section)

==History==
{{Main|History of the Cincinnati Reds}}
{{see also|List of Cincinnati Reds seasons}}
{{More citations needed section|date=July 2021|talk=Recent cleanup of history section}}

===The birth of the Reds and the American Association (1881–1889)===
{{Stack|[[File:1888 Reds.jpg|thumb|right|The 1888 Cincinnati Reds]]}}

The origins of the modern Cincinnati Reds baseball team can be traced back to the expulsion from the National League of an earlier team bearing the same name. In 1876, Cincinnati became one of the charter members of the new [[National League (baseball)|National League]] (NL), but the club ran afoul of league organizer and longtime president [[William Hulbert]] for selling beer during games and renting out its ballpark on Sundays. Both were important in enticing the city's large [[Over-the-Rhine|German]] population to support the team. While Hulbert made clear his distaste for both beer and Sunday baseball at the founding of the league, neither practice was against league rules at the time. On October 6, 1880, however, seven of the eight team owners adopted a pledge to ban both beer and Sunday baseball at the regular league meeting in December. Only Cincinnati president W. H. Kennett refused to sign the pledge, so the other owners preemptively expelled Cincinnati from the league for violating the new rules even though they were not yet in effect.<ref>{{cite web |title=1869-1999 |url=https://www.mlb.com/reds/history/timeline |website=MLB}}</ref>

Cincinnati's expulsion incensed ''Cincinnati Enquirer'' sports editor [[O. P. Caylor]], who made two attempts to form a new league on behalf of the receivers for the now-bankrupt Reds franchise. When these attempts failed, he formed a new independent ball club known as the Red Stockings in the spring of 1881 and brought the team to St. Louis for a weekend exhibition. The Reds' first game was a 12–3 victory over the St. Louis club. After the 1881 series proved successful, Caylor and former Reds president Justus Thorner received an invitation from Philadelphia businessman Horace Phillips to attend a meeting of several clubs in Pittsburgh, planning to establish a new league to compete with the NL. Upon arriving, however, Caylor and Thorner found that no other owners had accepted the invitation, while even Phillips declined to attend his own meeting. By chance, the duo met former pitcher Al Pratt, who paired them with former [[Pittsburgh Alleghenys]] president H. Denny McKnight. Together, the three hatched a scheme to form a new league by sending a telegram to each of the owners who were invited to attend the meeting stating that he was the only person who did not attend, and that everyone else was enthusiastic about the new venture and eager to attend a second meeting in Cincinnati. The ploy worked, and the [[American Association (1882–1891)|American Association]] (AA) was officially formed at the Hotel Gibson in Cincinnati. The new Reds – with Thorner now serving as president – became a charter member of the AA.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Stewart |first1=Wayne |title=The History of the Cincinnati Reds |date=2002 |publisher=Creative Paperbacks}}</ref>

Led by the hitting of third baseman [[Hick Carpenter]], the defense of future [[Hall of Fame]] second baseman [[Bid McPhee]] and the pitching of 40-game-winner [[Will White]], the Reds won the inaugural AA pennant in 1882. With the establishment of the [[Union Association]] in 1884, Thorner left the club to finance the [[Cincinnati Outlaw Reds]] and managed to acquire the lease on the Reds' [[Bank Street Grounds]] playing field, forcing new president Aaron Stern to relocate three blocks away to the hastily built League Park. The club never placed higher than second or lower than fifth for the rest of its tenure in the American Association.

===The National League returns to Cincinnati (1890–1911)===
[[File:Cincinnati Reds.jpg|thumb|left|Cincinnati Reds baseball team in 1909]]

The Cincinnati Red Stockings left the American Association on November 14, 1889, and joined the National League along with the [[Brooklyn Bridegrooms]] after a dispute with St. Louis Browns owner [[Chris von der Ahe]] over the selection of a new league president. The National League was happy to accept the teams in part due to the emergence of the new Player's League, an early failed attempt to break the [[reserve clause]] in baseball that threatened both existing leagues. Because the National League decided to expand while the American Association was weakening, the team accepted an invitation to join the National League. After shortening their name to the Reds, the team wandered through the 1890s, signing local stars and aging veterans. During this time, the team never finished above third place (1897) and never closer than {{frac|10|1|2}} games to first (1890).

At the start of the 20th century, the Reds had hitting stars [[Sam Crawford]] and [[Cy Seymour]]. Seymour's .377 average in 1905 was the first individual batting crown won by a Red. In 1911, [[Bob Bescher]] stole 81 bases, which is still a team record. Like the previous decade, the 1900s were not kind to the Reds, as much of the decade was spent in the league's [[first division (baseball)|second division]].

===Redland Field to the Great Depression (1912–1932)===
[[File:Edd Roush, Cincinnati NL (baseball) LCCN2014716308.Cropped.jpg|thumb|upright|Hall of famer [[Edd Roush]] led Cincinnati to the 1919 World Series.]]

In 1912, the club opened Redland Field (renamed [[Crosley Field]] in 1934), a new steel-and-concrete ballpark. The Reds had been playing baseball on that same site – the corner of Findlay and Western Avenues on the city's west side – for 28 years in wooden structures that had been occasionally damaged by fires. By the late 1910s, the Reds began to come out of the second division. The 1918 team finished fourth, and new manager [[Pat Moran]] led the Reds to an NL [[Pennant (sports)|pennant]] in 1919, in what the club advertised as its "Golden Anniversary." The 1919 team had hitting stars [[Edd Roush]] and [[Heinie Groh]], while the pitching staff was led by [[Hod Eller]] and left-hander [[Slim Sallee|Harry "Slim" Sallee]]. The Reds finished ahead of [[John McGraw]]'s [[1919 New York Giants season|New York Giants]] and then won the [[1919 World Series|World Series]] in eight games over the [[1919 Chicago White Sox season|Chicago White Sox]].

By 1920, the [[Black Sox Scandal|"Black Sox" scandal]] had brought a taint to the Reds' first championship. After 1926 and well into the 1930s, the Reds were second division dwellers. [[Eppa Rixey]], [[Dolf Luque]] and [[Pete Donohue]] were pitching stars, but the offense never lived up to the pitching. By 1931, the team was bankrupt, the [[Great Depression]] was in full swing and Redland Field was in a state of disrepair.

===Championship baseball and revival (1933–1940)===
[[Powel Crosley, Jr.]], an electronics [[business magnate|magnate]] who, with his brother [[Lewis M. Crosley]], produced radios, refrigerators and other household items, bought the Reds out of bankruptcy in 1933 and hired [[Larry MacPhail]] to be the general manager. Crosley had started [[WLW]] radio, the Reds flagship radio broadcaster, and the [[Crosley Broadcasting Corporation]] in Cincinnati, where he was also a prominent civic leader. MacPhail began to develop the Reds' [[minor league baseball|minor league system]] and expanded the Reds' fan base. Throughout the rest of the decade, the Reds became a team of "firsts." The now-renamed Crosley Field became the host of the first night game in 1935, which was also the first baseball fireworks night. (The fireworks at the game were shot by Joe Rozzi of Rozzi's Famous Fireworks.) [[Johnny Vander Meer]] became the only pitcher in major league history to throw back-to-back no-hitters in 1938. Thanks to Vander Meer, [[Paul Derringer]] and second baseman/third baseman-turned-[[pitcher]] [[Bucky Walters]], the Reds had a solid pitching staff. The offense came around in the late 1930s. By 1938, the Reds, led by manager [[Bill McKechnie]], were out of the second division, finishing fourth. [[Ernie Lombardi]] was named the National League's Most Valuable Player in 1938. By 1939, the Reds were National League champions but were swept in the World Series by the [[1939 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]]. In 1940, the Reds repeated as NL Champions, and for the first time in 21 years, they captured a world championship, beating the [[1940 Detroit Tigers season|Detroit Tigers]] 4 games to 3. [[Frank McCormick]] was the 1940 NL MVP; other position players included [[Harry Craft]], [[Lonny Frey]], [[Ival Goodman]], [[Lew Riggs]] and [[Bill Werber]].

===1941–1969===
[[World War II]] and age finally caught up with the Reds, as the team finished mostly in the second division throughout the 1940s and early 1950s. In 1944, [[Joe Nuxhall]] (who was later to become part of the radio broadcasting team), at age 15, pitched for the Reds on loan from Wilson Junior High school in Hamilton, Ohio. He became the youngest player ever to appear in a major league game, a record that still stands today. Ewell "The Whip" Blackwell was the main pitching stalwart before arm problems cut short his career. [[Ted Kluszewski]] was the NL home run leader in 1954. The rest of the offense was a collection of over-the-hill players and not-ready-for-prime-time youngsters.

[[File:Ted Kluszewski 1953.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.7|[[Ted Kluszewski]] (1953)]]

In April 1953, in a political climate increasingly dominated by anti-Communism, the Reds announced a preference to be called the "Redlegs", saying that the name of the club had been "Red Stockings" and then "Redlegs", The team hoped to avoid any association between the team and the [[Red Scare|political connotation of the word "red"]] to mean [[Communism]], but as the ''New York Times'' reported, "The political significance of the word 'Reds' these days and its effect on the change was not discussed by management".<ref>{{cite web | access-date = November 3, 2024 | url =https://www.mlb.com/news/reds-redlegs-nickname-origin | date = November 19, 2020 | website = Major League Baseball | title = How the Reds became the Redlegs | first= Mark | last = Sheldon}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |work=The Day (New London, Connecticut)|title=Ins and Outs |last=DeGange |first=John|page=10|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=F-wgAAAAIBAJ&pg=1920,2741323&dq=red+legs+name+change |date=April 16, 1953 |access-date=May 27, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url =https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1953/04/10/83716752.html |access-date = November 3, 2024 | newspaper = New York Times | date = April 10, 1953 | title = Red Stickings Become Redlegs in Cincinnati }}</ref> From 1956 to 1960, the club's logo was altered to remove the term "REDS" from the inside of the "[[Wishbone-C|wishbone C]]" symbol. The word "REDS" reappeared on the 1961 uniforms, but the point of the "C" was removed.<ref>{{cite news|last=Sheldon|first=Mark|title=How the Reds became the Redlegs|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/reds-redlegs-nickname-origin|publisher=[[MLB Advanced Media]]|website=[[MLB.com]]|date=November 19, 2020}}</ref> The traditional home uniform logo was reinstated in 1967.

In 1956, the Redlegs, led by National League [[MLB Rookie of the Year Award|Rookie of the Year]] [[Frank Robinson]], hit 221 home runs to tie the NL record. By 1961, Robinson was joined by [[Vada Pinson]], [[Wally Post]], [[Gordy Coleman]] and [[Gene Freese]]. Pitchers [[Joey Jay]], [[Jim O'Toole]] and [[Bob Purkey]] led the staff.

The Reds captured the 1961 National League pennant, holding off the [[1961 Los Angeles Dodgers season|Los Angeles Dodgers]] and [[1961 San Francisco Giants season|San Francisco Giants]], only to be defeated by the perennially powerful [[1961 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]] in the [[1961 World Series|World Series]].

The Reds had winning teams during the rest of the 1960s, but did not produce any championships. They won 98 games in 1962, paced by Purkey's 23 wins, but finished third. In 1964, they lost the pennant by one game to the [[1964 St. Louis Cardinals season|St. Louis Cardinals]] after having taken first place when the [[1964 Philadelphia Phillies season|Philadelphia Phillies]] collapsed in September. Their beloved manager [[Fred Hutchinson]] died of cancer just weeks after the end of the 1964 season. The failure of the Reds to win the 1964 pennant led to owner [[Bill DeWitt]] selling off key components of the team in anticipation of relocating the franchise. In response to DeWitt's threatened move, women of Cincinnati banded together to form the [[Rosie Reds]] to urge DeWitt to keep the franchise in Cincinnati. The Rosie Reds are still in existence, and are currently the oldest fan club in Major League Baseball. After the 1965 season, DeWitt executed what is remembered as the most lopsided trade in baseball history, sending former MVP Frank Robinson to the [[Baltimore Orioles]] for pitchers [[Milt Pappas]] and [[Jack Baldschun]], and outfielder [[Dick Simpson]]. Robinson went on to win the MVP and Triple Crown in the American League in 1966, and led Baltimore to its first-ever World Series title in a sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Reds did not recover from this trade until the rise of the "Big Red Machine" in the 1970s.

[[File:Crosley Field 1969.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|[[Crosley Field]] (pictured in 1969), the Reds' home stadium from 1912 to 1970]]

Starting in the early 1960s, the Reds' farm system began producing a series of stars, including [[Jim Maloney]] (the Reds' pitching ace of the 1960s), [[Pete Rose]], [[Tony Pérez]], [[Johnny Bench]], [[Lee May]], [[Tommy Helms]], [[Bernie Carbo]], [[Hal McRae]], [[Dave Concepción]] and [[Gary Nolan (baseball)|Gary Nolan]]. The tipping point came in 1967, with the appointment of [[Bob Howsam]] as general manager. That same year, the Reds avoided a move to San Diego when the city of Cincinnati and Hamilton County agreed to build a state-of-the-art, downtown stadium on the edge of the Ohio River. The Reds entered into a 30-year lease in exchange for the stadium commitment keeping the franchise in Cincinnati. In a series of strategic moves, Howsam brought in key personnel to complement the homegrown talent. The Reds' final game at Crosley Field, where they had played since 1912, was played on June 24, 1970, with a 5–4 victory over the [[1970 San Francisco Giants season|San Francisco Giants]].

Under Howsam's administration starting in the late 1960s, all players coming to the Reds were required to shave and cut their hair for the next three decades in order to present the team as wholesome in an era of turmoil. The rule was controversial, but persisted well into the ownership of [[Marge Schott]], echoing the [[New York Yankees]] policy that persisted until February 2025.<ref>Mather, Victor. "Yankee Clipper Muted: Team Ends Beard Ban That Rankled Players." New York Times, 22 February 2025, B7.</ref> On at least one occasion, in the early 1980s, enforcement of this rule lost the Reds the services of star reliever and Ohio native [[Rollie Fingers]], who would not shave his trademark handlebar mustache in order to join the team.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/02/22/sports/sports-people-fingers-won-t-conform.html | work=The New York Times | title=Sports People; Fingers Won't Conform | date=February 22, 1986 | access-date=April 30, 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024135635/http://www.nytimes.com/1986/02/22/sports/sports-people-fingers-won-t-conform.html | archive-date=October 24, 2012 | url-status=live }}</ref> The rule was not officially rescinded until 1999, when the Reds traded for slugger [[Greg Vaughn]], who had a goatee. Much like when players would depart the Yankees, players who left the Reds took advantage with their new teams; [[Pete Rose]], for instance, grew his hair out much longer than would be allowed by the Reds once he signed with the [[Philadelphia Phillies]] in 1979.

The Reds' rules also included conservative uniforms. In Major League Baseball, a club generally provides most of the equipment and clothing needed for play. However, players are required to supply their gloves and shoes themselves. Many players enter into sponsorship arrangements with shoe manufacturers, but until the mid-1980s, the Reds had a strict rule requiring players to wear only plain black shoes with no prominent logo. Reds players decried what they considered to be the boring color choice, as well as the denial of the opportunity to earn more money through shoe contracts. In 1985, a compromise was struck in which players could paint red marks on their black shoes and were allowed to wear all-red shoes the following year.<ref name="NYTimes2">{{citation|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/02/28/sports/scouting-times-change-but-reds-don-t.html |title=SCOUTING; Times Change, But Reds Don't |author1-last=Rogers |author1-first=Thomas |date=February 28, 1986 |website=[[The New York Times]] website|access-date=April 21, 2018 |quote=For years, the Reds were the only team that permitted no color other than the standard black on their uniform shoes. But last year they allowed the players to paint red stripes on the shoes, and this year they're going to all-red models. 'The shoes are all supposed to match our red stockings,' says a cautious Mrs. Schott. 'I just hope they don't come out shocking pink.' |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180421234326/https://www.nytimes.com/1986/02/28/sports/scouting-times-change-but-reds-don-t.html |archive-date=April 21, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===The Big Red Machine (1970–1976)===
[[File:Riverfront Stadium Cincinnati Ohio 1974.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|[[Riverfront Stadium]] (pictured in 1974), the home stadium of the Reds from 1970 to 2002]]

In {{baseball year|1970}}, little-known [[Sparky Anderson|George "Sparky" Anderson]] was hired as manager of the Reds, and the team embarked upon a decade of excellence, with a lineup that came to be known as "[[the Big Red Machine]]." Playing at Crosley Field until June 30, 1970, when they moved into [[Riverfront Stadium (Cincinnati)|Riverfront Stadium]], a new 52,000-seat multi-purpose venue on the shores of the [[Ohio River]], the Reds began the 1970s with a bang by winning 70 of their first 100 games. [[Johnny Bench]], [[Tony Pérez]], [[Pete Rose]], [[Lee May]] and [[Bobby Tolan]] were the early offensive leaders of this era. [[Gary Nolan (baseball)|Gary Nolan]], [[Jim Merritt]], [[Wayne Simpson]] and [[Jim McGlothlin]] led a pitching staff that also included veterans [[Tony Cloninger]] and [[Clay Carroll]], as well as youngsters [[Pedro Borbón]] and [[Don Gullett]]. The Reds breezed through the 1970 season, winning the NL West and capturing the NL pennant by sweeping the [[1970 Pittsburgh Pirates season|Pittsburgh Pirates]] in three games. By the time the club got to the [[1970 World Series|World Series]], however, the pitching staff had run out of gas, and the veteran [[Baltimore Orioles]], led by Hall of Fame third baseman and World Series MVP [[Brooks Robinson]], beat the Reds in five games.

After the disastrous {{baseball year|1971}} [[1971 Major League Baseball season|season]] – the only year in the decade in which the team finished with a losing record – the Reds reloaded by trading veterans [[Jimmy Stewart (baseball)|Jimmy Stewart]], May and [[Tommy Helms]] to the [[Houston Astros]] for [[Joe Morgan]], [[César Gerónimo]], [[Jack Billingham]], [[Ed Armbrister]] and [[Denis Menke]]. Meanwhile, [[Dave Concepción]] blossomed at [[shortstop]]. 1971 was also the year a key component of future world championships was acquired, when [[George Foster (baseball)|George Foster]] was traded to the Reds from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for shortstop [[Frank Duffy (baseball)|Frank Duffy]].

{{multiple image
 | direction = horizontal
 | footer    = Hall of Famers (l-r): [[Johnny Bench]], [[Joe Morgan]], [[Tony Perez]]
 | footer_align = center

 | image1    = Johnny Bench.jpg
 | alt1      =
 | width1    = 190

 | image2    = Joe Morgan Reds 1972.jpg
 | alt2      =
 | width2    = 180

 | image3    = Tony Perez reds.jpg
 | alt3      =
 | width3    = 150
}}
The {{baseball year|1972}} [[1972 Cincinnati Reds season|Reds]] won the NL West in baseball's first-ever [[1972 Major League Baseball strike|strike-shortened]] [[1972 Major League Baseball season|season]], and defeated the [[1972 Pittsburgh Pirates season|Pittsburgh Pirates]] in a [[1972 National League Championship Series|five-game playoff series]]. They then faced the [[1972 Oakland Athletics season|Oakland Athletics]] in the [[1972 World Series|World Series]], where six of the seven games were decided by one run. With powerful slugger [[Reggie Jackson]] sidelined by an injury incurred during Oakland's [[1972 American League Championship Series|playoff series]], Ohio native [[Gene Tenace]] got a chance to play in the series, delivering four home runs that tied the World Series record for homers, propelling Oakland to a dramatic seven-game series win. This was one of the few World Series in which no starting pitcher for either side pitched a complete game.

The [[1973 Cincinnati Reds season|Reds]] won a third NL West crown in {{baseball year|1973}} after a dramatic second-half comeback that saw them make up {{frac|10|1|2}} games on the [[1973 Los Angeles Dodgers season|Los Angeles Dodgers]] after the [[1973 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star break]]. However, they lost the NL pennant to the [[1973 New York Mets season|New York Mets]] in five games in the [[1973 National League Championship Series|NLCS]]. In Game 1, [[Tom Seaver]] faced Jack Billingham in a classic pitching duel, with all three runs of the 2–1 margin being scored on home runs. [[John Milner]] provided New York's run off Billingham, while Pete Rose tied the game in the seventh inning off Seaver, setting the stage for a dramatic game-ending home run by Johnny Bench in the bottom of the ninth. The New York series provided plenty of controversy surrounding the riotous behavior of [[Shea Stadium]] fans toward Pete Rose when he and [[Bud Harrelson]] scuffled after a hard slide by Rose into Harrelson at second base during the fifth inning of Game 3. A full bench-clearing fight resulted after Harrelson responded to Rose's aggressive move to prevent him from completing a double play by calling him a name. This also led to two more incidents in which play was stopped. The Reds trailed 9–3, and New York's manager [[Yogi Berra]] and legendary outfielder [[Willie Mays]], at the request of National League president [[Warren Giles]], appealed to fans in left field to restrain themselves. The next day the series was extended to a fifth game when Rose homered in the 12th inning to tie the series at two games each.

The Reds won 98 games in {{baseball year|1974}} but finished second to the 102-win [[1974 Los Angeles Dodgers season|Los Angeles Dodgers]]. The [[1974 Major League Baseball season|1974 season]] started off with much excitement, as the [[1974 Atlanta Braves season|Atlanta Braves]] were in town to open the season with the Reds. [[Hank Aaron]] entered opening day with 713 home runs, one shy of tying [[Babe Ruth]]'s record of 714. The first pitch Aaron swung at in the 1974 season was the record-tying home run off Jack Billingham. The next day, the Braves benched Aaron, hoping to save him for his record-breaking home run on their season-opening homestand. Then-commissioner [[Bowie Kuhn]] ordered Braves management to play Aaron the next day, where he narrowly missed a historic home run in the fifth inning. Aaron went on to set the record in Atlanta two nights later. The 1974 season also saw the debut of Hall of Fame radio announcer [[Marty Brennaman]] after [[Al Michaels]] left the Reds to broadcast for the [[San Francisco Giants]].

With 1975, the Big Red Machine lineup solidified with the "Great Eight"<ref>{{cite web|last=Taylor|first=Kelly|title=Big Red Machine's "Great Eight" to reunite at GABP|url=http://www.fox19.com/story/23302499/big-red-machines-great-eight-reuniting-for-joe-morgan-weekend|work=FOX 19|publisher=FOX19-WXIX|access-date=September 6, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140521032207/http://www.fox19.com/story/23302499/big-red-machines-great-eight-reuniting-for-joe-morgan-weekend|archive-date=May 21, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Pahigian|first=Joshua|title=The Ultimate Baseball Road-Trip: A Fan's Guide to Major League Stadiums|year=2004|publisher=Lyons Press|location=Guilford, Conn|isbn=1592281591|page=208|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FM1YtoSZEnAC&q=%22Great+Eight%22+reds&pg=PA208|author2=Kevin O'Connell}}</ref> starting team of [[Johnny Bench]] (catcher), [[Tony Pérez]] (first base), [[Joe Morgan]] (second base), [[Dave Concepción]] (shortstop), [[Pete Rose]] (third base), [[Ken Griffey Sr.|Ken Griffey]] (right field), [[César Gerónimo]] (center field) and [[George Foster (baseball)|George Foster]] (left field). The starting pitchers included [[Don Gullett]], [[Fred Norman (baseball)|Fred Norman]], [[Gary Nolan (baseball)|Gary Nolan]], [[Jack Billingham]], [[Pat Darcy]] and [[Clay Kirby]]. The bullpen featured [[Rawly Eastwick]] and [[Will McEnaney]], who combined for 37 saves, and veterans [[Pedro Borbón]] and [[Clay Carroll]]. On Opening Day, Rose still played in left field and Foster was not a starter, while [[John Vukovich]], an off-season acquisition, was the starting third baseman. While Vuckovich was a superb fielder, he was a weak hitter. In May, with the team off to a slow start and trailing the Dodgers, Sparky Anderson made a bold move by moving Rose to third base, a position where he had very little experience, and inserting Foster in left field. This was the jolt that the Reds needed to propel them into first place, with Rose proving to be reliable on defense and the addition of Foster to the outfield giving the offense some added punch. During the season, the Reds compiled two notable streaks: 1.) winning 41 out of 50 games in one stretch, and 2.) by going a month without committing any errors on defense.

[[File:Pete rose at bat.jpg|thumb|left|[[Pete Rose]] at bat in a game at Dodger Stadium during the 1970s]]

In the [[1975 Major League Baseball season|1975 season]], [[1975 Cincinnati Reds season|Cincinnati]] clinched the NL West with 108 victories before sweeping the [[1975 Pittsburgh Pirates season|Pittsburgh Pirates]] in three games to win the NL pennant. They went on to face the [[1975 Boston Red Sox season|Boston Red Sox]] in the [[1975 World Series|World Series]], splitting the first four games and taking Game 5. After a three-day rain delay, the two teams met in Game 6, considered by many to be the best World Series game ever. The Reds were ahead 6–3 with five outs left when the Red Sox tied the game on former Red [[Bernie Carbo]]'s three-run home run, his second pinch-hit, three-run homer in the series. After a few close calls both ways, [[Carlton Fisk]] hit a dramatic 12th-inning home run off the [[foul pole]] in left field to give the Red Sox a 7–6 win and force a decisive game 7. Cincinnati prevailed the next day when Morgan's [[run batted in|RBI]] [[single (baseball)|single]] won Game 7 and gave the Reds their first championship in 35 years. The Reds have not lost a World Series game since Carlton Fisk's home run, a span of nine straight wins.

{{baseball year|1976}} saw a return of the same starting eight in the field. The starting rotation was again led by Nolan, Gullett, Billingham and Norman, while the addition of rookies [[Pat Zachry]] and [[Santo Alcalá]] comprised an underrated staff in which four of the six had ERAs below 3.10. Eastwick, Borbon and McEnaney shared closer duties, recording 26, eight and seven saves, respectively. The [[1976 Cincinnati Reds season|Reds]] won the NL West by 10 games and went undefeated in the postseason, sweeping the [[1976 Philadelphia Phillies season|Philadelphia Phillies]] (winning game 3 in their final at-bat) to return to the [[1976 World Series|World Series]], where they beat the [[1976 New York Yankees season|Yankees]] at the newly renovated [[Yankee Stadium (1923)|Yankee Stadium]] in the first Series held there since 1964. This was only the second-ever sweep of the Yankees in the World Series, and the Reds became the first NL team since the 1921–22 [[History of the New York Giants (baseball)|New York Giants]] to win consecutive World Series championships. To date, the 1975 and 1976 Reds were the last NL team to [[List of Major League Baseball franchise postseason streaks|repeat as champions]].

Beginning with the 1970 National League pennant, the Reds beat either of the two Pennsylvania-based clubs – the [[Phillies–Pirates rivalry|Philadelphia Phillies and the Pittsburgh Pirates]] – to win their pennants (they beat the Pirates in 1970, 1972, 1975 and 1990, and the Phillies in 1976), making the Big Red Machine part of the rivalry between the two Pennsylvania teams. In 1979, [[Pete Rose]] added further fuel to the Big Red Machine, being part of the rivalry when he signed with the Phillies and helped them win their first World Series in {{wsy|1980}}.

===The Machine dismantled (1977–1989)===
The late 1970s brought turmoil and change to the Reds. Popular [[Tony Pérez]] was sent to the [[Montreal Expos]] after the 1976 season, breaking up the Big Red Machine's starting lineup. Manager Sparky Anderson and general manager [[Bob Howsam]] later considered this trade to be the biggest mistake of their careers. Starting pitcher [[Don Gullett]] left via free agency and signed with the New York Yankees. In an effort to fill that gap, a trade with the [[Oakland Athletics]] for starting ace [[Vida Blue]] was arranged during the 1977–78 offseason. However, then-commissioner Bowie Kuhn vetoed the trade in order to maintain competitive balance in baseball; some have suggested that the actual reason had more to do with Kuhn's continued feud with Athletics owner Charlie Finley. On June 15, 1977, the Reds acquired pitcher [[Tom Seaver]] from the [[New York Mets]] for Pat Zachry, [[Doug Flynn]], Steve Henderson and Dan Norman. In other deals that proved to be less successful, the Reds traded Gary Nolan to the [[Los Angeles Angels|California Angels]] for Craig Hendrickson; Rawly Eastwick to the [[St. Louis Cardinals]] for [[Doug Capilla]]; and [[Mike Caldwell (baseball)|Mike Caldwell]] to the [[Milwaukee Brewers]] for Rick O'Keeffe and Garry Pyka, as well as [[Rick Auerbach]] from Texas. The end of the Big Red Machine era was heralded by the replacement of general manager Bob Howsam with [[Dick Wagner (baseball)|Dick Wagner]].

In his last season as a Red, Rose gave baseball a thrill as he challenged [[Joe DiMaggio]]'s [[Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak|56-game hitting streak]], tying for the second-longest streak ever at 44 games. The streak came to an end in Atlanta after striking out in his fifth at-bat in the game against [[Gene Garber]]. Rose also earned his 3,000th hit that season, on his way to becoming baseball's all-time hits leader when he rejoined the Reds in the mid-1980s. The year also witnessed the only no-hitter of Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seaver's career, coming against the [[1978 St. Louis Cardinals season|St. Louis Cardinals]] on June 16, 1978.

[[File:George Foster.png|thumb|upright|[[George Foster (baseball)|George Foster]] slugged 52 home runs in 1977, earning the [[NL MVP]] award.]]

After the [[1978 Major League Baseball season|1978 season]] and two straight second-place finishes, Wagner fired manager Anderson in a move that proved to be unpopular. Pete Rose, who had played almost every position for the team except pitcher, shortstop and catcher since 1963, signed with Philadelphia as a free agent. By {{baseball year|1979}}, the starters were Bench (catcher), [[Dan Driessen]] (first base), Morgan (second base), Concepción (shortstop) and [[Ray Knight]] (third base), with Griffey, Foster and Geronimo again in the outfield. The pitching staff had experienced a complete turnover since 1976, except for Fred Norman. In addition to ace starter [[Tom Seaver]], the remaining starters were [[Mike LaCoss]], [[Bill Bonham]] and [[Paul Moskau]]. In the bullpen, only Borbon had remained. [[Dave Tomlin]] and [[Mario Soto (baseball)|Mario Soto]] worked middle relief, with [[Tom Hume]] and [[Doug Bair]] closing. The [[1979 Cincinnati Reds season|Reds]] won the 1979 NL West behind the pitching of Seaver, but were dispatched in the [[1979 National League Championship Series|NL playoffs]] by the [[1979 Pittsburgh Pirates season|Pittsburgh Pirates]]. Game 2 featured a controversial play in which a ball hit by Pittsburgh's [[Phil Garner]] was caught by Reds outfielder [[Dave Collins (baseball)|Dave Collins]] but was ruled a trap, setting the Pirates up to take a 2–1 lead. The Pirates swept the series 3 games to 0 and went on to win the [[1979 World Series|World Series]] against the [[Baltimore Orioles]].

The [[1981 Cincinnati Reds season|1981 team]] fielded a strong lineup, with only Concepción, Foster and Griffey retaining their spots from the 1975–76 heyday.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CIN/1976.shtml |title=1976 Cincinnati Reds Statistics and Roster |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=March 30, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080324024356/http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CIN/1976.shtml |archive-date=March 24, 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CIN/1981.shtml |title=1981 Cincinnati Reds Statistics and Roster |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=March 30, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080411004258/http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CIN/1981.shtml |archive-date=April 11, 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref> After Johnny Bench was able to play only a few games as catcher each year after 1980 due to ongoing injuries, [[Joe Nolan]] took over as starting catcher. Driessen and Bench shared first base, and Knight starred at third. Morgan and Geronimo had been replaced at second base and center field by [[Ron Oester]] and Dave Collins, respectively. Mario Soto posted a banner year starting on the mound, only surpassed by the outstanding performance of Seaver's Cy Young runner-up season. La Coss, [[Bruce Berenyi]] and [[Frank Pastore]] rounded out the starting rotation. Hume again led the bullpen as closer, joined by Bair and [[Joe Price (pitcher)|Joe Price]]. In {{baseball year|1981}}, the [[1981 Cincinnati Reds season|Reds]] had the best overall record in baseball, but finished second in the division in both of the half-seasons that resulted from a mid-season players' [[1981 Major League Baseball strike|strike]], and missed the playoffs. To commemorate this, a team photo was taken, accompanied by a banner that read "Baseball's Best Record 1981."

By {{baseball year|1982}}, the [[1982 Cincinnati Reds season|Reds]] were a shell of the original Red Machine, having lost 101 games that year.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CIN/1982_sched.shtml |title=1982 Cincinnati Reds Schedule, Box Scores and Splits |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=March 30, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080404075409/http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CIN/1982_sched.shtml |archive-date=April 4, 2008 }}</ref> Johnny Bench, after an unsuccessful transition to third base, retired a year later.

After the heartbreak of 1981, general manager Dick Wagner pursued the strategy of ridding the team of veterans, including third baseman Knight and the entire starting outfield of Griffey, Foster and Collins. Bench, after being able to catch only seven games in 1981, was moved from platooning at first base to be the starting third baseman; [[Alex Treviño]] became the regular starting catcher. The outfield was staffed with [[Paul Householder]], [[César Cedeño]] and future [[Colorado Rockies]] and Pittsburgh Pirates manager [[Clint Hurdle]] on Opening Day. Hurdle was an immediate bust, and rookie [[Eddie Milner]] took his place in the starting outfield early in the year. The highly touted Householder struggled throughout the year despite extensive playing time. Cedeno, while providing steady veteran play, was a disappointment, unable to recapture his glory days with the [[Houston Astros]]. The starting rotation featured the emergence of a dominant Mario Soto and featured strong years by Pastore and [[Bruce Berenyi]], but Seaver was injured all year, and their efforts were wasted without a strong offensive lineup. Tom Hume still led the bullpen along with Joe Price, but the colorful [[Brad Lesley|Brad "The Animal" Lesley]] was unable to consistently excel, and former All-Star [[Jim Kern]] was also a disappointment. Kern was also publicly upset over having to shave off his prominent beard to join the Reds, and helped force the issue of getting traded during mid-season by growing it back. The season also saw the midseason firing of manager [[John McNamara (baseball)|John McNamara]], who was replaced as skipper by [[Russ Nixon]].

The Reds fell to the bottom of the Western Division for the next few years. After the 1982 season, Seaver was traded back to the Mets. {{baseball year|1983}} found [[Dann Bilardello]] behind the plate, Bench returning to part-time duty at first base, rookie [[Nick Esasky]] taking over at third base and [[Gary Redus]] taking over from Cedeno. Tom Hume's effectiveness as a closer had diminished, and no other consistent relievers emerged. Dave Concepción was the sole remaining starter from the Big Red Machine era.

Wagner's tenure ended in 1983, when Howsam, the architect of the Big Red Machine, was brought back. The popular Howsam began his second term as the Reds' general manager by signing Cincinnati native [[Dave Parker]] as a free agent from Pittsburgh. In {{baseball year|1984}}, the Reds began to move up, depending on trades and some minor leaguers. In that season, Dave Parker, [[Dave Concepción]] and [[Tony Pérez]] were in Cincinnati uniforms. In August of the same year, [[Pete Rose]] was reacquired and hired to be the Reds player-manager. After raising the franchise from the grave, Howsam gave way to the administration of [[Bill Bergesch]], who attempted to build the team around a core of highly regarded young players in addition to veterans like Parker. However, he was unable to capitalize on an excess of young and highly touted position players including [[Kurt Stillwell]], [[Tracy Jones]] and [[Kal Daniels]] by trading them for pitching. Despite the emergence of Tom Browning as Rookie of the Year in {{baseball year|1985}}, when he won 20 games, the rotation was devastated by the early demise of Mario Soto's career to arm injury.

Under Bergesch, the Reds finished second four times from 1985 to {{baseball year|1989}}. Among the highlights, Rose became the all-time hits leader, [[Tom Browning]] threw a [[Perfect game (baseball)|perfect game]], [[Eric Davis (baseball)|Eric Davis]] became the first player in baseball history to hit at least 35 home runs and steal 50 bases, and [[Chris Sabo]] was the [[Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award|1988 National League Rookie of the Year]]. The Reds also had a bullpen star in [[John Franco]], who was with the team from 1984 to 1989. Rose once had Concepción pitch late in a game at Dodger Stadium. In {{baseball year|1989}}, following the release of the [[Dowd Report]], which accused Rose of betting on baseball games, Rose was banned from baseball by [[Commissioner of Baseball|Commissioner]] [[A. Bartlett Giamatti|Bart Giamatti]], who declared him guilty of "conduct detrimental to baseball."

===World championship and the end of an era (1990–2002)===
In {{baseball year|1987}}, general manager Bergesch was replaced by [[Murray Cook (baseball)|Murray Cook]], who initiated a series of deals that would finally bring the Reds back to the championship, starting with acquisitions of [[Danny Jackson]] and [[José Rijo]]. An aging Dave Parker was let go after a revival of his career in Cincinnati following the [[Pittsburgh drug trials]]. Barry Larkin emerged as the starting shortstop over Kurt Stillwell, who, along with reliever [[Ted Power]], was traded for Jackson. In {{baseball year|1989}}, Cook was succeeded by [[Bob Quinn (baseball, born 1936)|Bob Quinn]], who put the final pieces of the championship puzzle together, with the acquisitions of [[Hal Morris]], [[Billy Hatcher]] and [[Randy Myers]].

[[File:Eric davis.jpg|left|thumb|upright=0.8|[[Eric Davis (baseball)|Eric Davis]] in 1990]]

In {{baseball year|1990}}, the [[1990 Cincinnati Reds season|Reds]], under new manager [[Lou Piniella]], shocked baseball by leading the NL West from wire-to-wire, making them the only NL team to do so. Winning their first nine games, they started 33–12 and maintained their lead throughout the year. Led by [[Chris Sabo]], [[Barry Larkin]], [[Eric Davis (baseball)|Eric Davis]], [[Paul O'Neill (baseball)|Paul O'Neill]] and Billy Hatcher on the field, and by [[José Rijo]], Tom Browning and the "Nasty Boys" – [[Rob Dibble]], [[Norm Charlton]] and [[Randy Myers]] – on the mound, the Reds took out the [[1990 Pittsburgh Pirates season|Pirates]] in the [[1990 National League Championship Series|NLCS]]. The Reds swept the heavily favored [[Oakland Athletics]] in four straight and extended a winning streak in the [[1990 World Series|World Series]] to nine consecutive games. This Series, however, saw Eric Davis severely bruise a kidney diving for a fly ball in Game 4, and his play was greatly limited the next year.

In {{baseball year|1992}}, Quinn was replaced in the front office by [[Jim Bowden (baseball)|Jim Bowden]]. On the field, manager Lou Piniella wanted outfielder Paul O'Neill to be a power hitter to fill the void Eric Davis left when he was traded to the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] in exchange for [[Tim Belcher]]. However, O'Neill only hit .246 with 14 home runs. The Reds returned to winning after a losing season in {{baseball year|1991}}, but 90 wins was only enough for second place behind the division-winning [[1992 Atlanta Braves season|Atlanta Braves]]. Before the season ended, Piniella got into an altercation with reliever Rob Dibble. In the offseason, [[Paul O'Neill (baseball)|Paul O'Neill]] was traded to the [[New York Yankees]] for outfielder [[Roberto Kelly]], who was a disappointment for the Reds over the next couple of years, while O'Neill led a downtrodden Yankees franchise to a return to glory. Around this time, the Reds would replace their Big Red Machine–era uniforms in favor of a pinstriped uniform with no sleeves.

Controversy erupted after the 1992 season when team owner [[Marge Schott]] was reported to have racially and ethnically slurred players and business associates, and in a November interview, praised the early efforts of [[Adolf Hitler]].<ref name="NYTimes1">{{citation|author1-last=Goldstein|author1-first=Richard|title=Marge Schott, Owner of Cincinnati Reds, Dies|date=March 2, 2004|work=The New York Times website|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/02/obituaries/marge-schott-owner-of-cincinnati-reds-dies.html|access-date=May 14, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926224143/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/02/obituaries/marge-schott-owner-of-cincinnati-reds-dies.html|archive-date=September 26, 2020|url-status=live|quote=The uproar over Mrs. Schott's remarks prompted baseball's leadership to suspend her from day-to-day oversight of the Reds for the 1993 season.}}</ref><ref name="NYTimes3">{{citation|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/12/07/sports/baseball-call-for-schott-to-step-down.html|title=Call for Schott to Step Down|newspaper=The New York Times|agency=[[Associated Press]]|page=C2|date=December 7, 1992|access-date=March 30, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220604063617/https://www.nytimes.com/1992/12/07/sports/baseball-call-for-schott-to-step-down.html|archive-date=June 4, 2022|url-status=live}}</ref> As punishment, Major League Baseball's executive council prevented her from exercising day-to-day oversight of the Reds during the 1993 season.<ref name="NYTimes1" />

For the [[1993 Cincinnati Reds season|1993 season]], manager Piniella was replaced by fan favorite [[Tony Pérez]], but he lasted only 44 games at the helm before being replaced by [[Davey Johnson]]. With Johnson steering the team, the Reds made steady progress. In {{baseball year|1994}}, the Reds were in the newly created [[National League Central Division]] with the [[Chicago Cubs]], [[St. Louis Cardinals]], and rivals [[Pittsburgh Pirates]] and [[Houston Astros]]. By the time the [[1994–95 Major League Baseball strike|strike]] hit, the Reds finished a half-game ahead of the [[Houston Astros]] for first place in the NL Central. In {{baseball year|1995}}, the Reds won the division thanks to [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player|MVP]] [[Barry Larkin]]. After defeating the NL West champion Dodgers in the first NLDS since 1981, however, they lost to the [[1995 Atlanta Braves season|Atlanta Braves]].

[[File:RedsOpeningDay1995.jpg|thumb|Opening day at Riverfront Stadium, 1995]]
Team owner Schott had decided before the 1995 season that manager Johnson would be gone by the end of the year, regardless of the team's outcome, to be replaced by former Reds third baseman Ray Knight.<ref name="WashingtonPost1">{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/orioles/longterm/memories/davey/articles/poorcomm.htm | newspaper=The Washington Post | date=May 12, 1998 | access-date=April 30, 2010 | title=Poor Communication at Heart of Feud | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100601061937/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/orioles/longterm/memories/davey/articles/poorcomm.htm | archive-date=June 1, 2010 | url-status=live }}</ref> Schott did not like Johnson, and she did not approve of Johnson living with his fiancée before they were married.<ref name="WashingtonPost1" /> In contrast, Knight, along with his wife, professional golfer [[Nancy Lopez]], were friends of Schott. The team took a dive under Knight, who was unable to complete two full seasons as manager and was subjected to complaints in the press about his strict managerial style.

Marge Schott found herself the subject of further controversy when, in May 1996, she reiterated her 1992 praise for Hitler in an [[ESPN]] interview.<ref name="NYTimes1" /> The MLB executive council threatened to sanction her again, but she instead agreed step aside from day-to-day operations through 1998.<ref name="NYTimes1" /> In 1999, she sold a controlling stake in the team to a group led by [[Carl Lindner Jr.|Carl Lindner]], retaining a minority interest, and never again directed the team's operations.<ref name="NYTimes1" />

In {{baseball year|1999}}, the [[1999 Cincinnati Reds season|Reds]] won 96 games, led by manager [[Jack McKeon]], but lost to the [[1999 New York Mets season|New York Mets]] in a [[1999 National League Wild Card tie-breaker game|one-game playoff]]. Despite an 85–77 finish in {{baseball year|2000}}, and being named 1999 NL manager of the year, McKeon was fired after the [[2000 Major League Baseball season|2000 season]]. The Reds did not have another winning season until [[2010 Cincinnati Reds season|2010]].

===Contemporary era (2003–present)===
[[File:Great American Ballpark View From Behind Home Plate.jpg|thumb|[[Great American Ball Park]], the Reds' home stadium since 2003]]

[[Riverfront Stadium (Cincinnati)|Riverfront Stadium]], by then known as Cinergy Field, was demolished in {{baseball year|2002}}. [[Great American Ball Park]] opened in {{baseball year|2003}}, with high expectations for a team led by local favorites, including [[outfielder]] [[Ken Griffey Jr.]], [[shortstop]] [[Barry Larkin]] and [[first baseman]] [[Sean Casey (baseball)|Sean Casey]]. Although attendance improved considerably with the new ballpark, the Reds continued to lose. Schott had not invested much in the farm system since the early 1990s, leaving the team relatively thin on talent. After years of promises that the club was rebuilding toward the opening of the new ballpark, general manager [[Jim Bowden (baseball)|Jim Bowden]] and manager [[Bob Boone]] were fired on July 28. This broke up the father-son combo of manager Bob Boone and [[third baseman]] [[Aaron Boone]], and the latter was soon traded to the [[New York Yankees]]. Tragedy struck in November when [[Dernell Stenson]], a promising young outfielder, was shot and killed during a carjack. Following the season, [[Dan O'Brien (baseball executive)|Dan O'Brien]] was hired as the Reds' 16th general manager on October 27, 2003, succeeding [[Jim Bowden (baseball)|Jim Bowden]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20031027&content_id=594870&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb|title=Reds tab Dan O'Brien as GM|last=Haft|first=Chris|date=October 27, 2003|work=[[MLB.com]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100121034303/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20031027&content_id=594870&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb|archive-date=January 21, 2010|access-date=July 6, 2010}}</ref>

The {{baseball year|2004}} and {{baseball year|2005}} seasons continued the trend of big-hitting, poor pitching and poor records. Griffey, Jr. joined the [[500 home run club]] in 2004,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/event_hr.cgi?t=b&id=griffke02|title=Ken Griffey Career Home Runs|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=January 25, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170218163534/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/event_hr.cgi?t=b&id=griffke02|archive-date=February 18, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> but was again hampered by injuries. [[Adam Dunn]] emerged as consistent home run hitter, including a {{convert|535|ft|m|adj=on}} home run against [[José Lima]]. He also broke the major league record for [[strikeouts]] in 2004. Although a number of [[free agent]]s were signed before 2005, the Reds were quickly in last place, and manager [[Dave Miley]] was forced out in the [[2005 Major League Baseball season|2005 midseason]] and replaced by [[Jerry Narron]]. Like many other small-market clubs, the Reds dispatched some of their veteran players and began entrusting their future to a young nucleus that included [[Adam Dunn]] and [[Austin Kearns]].

[[File:Ken Griffey Jr..jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|[[Ken Griffey Jr.]] played in his hometown of Cincinnati from 2000 to 2008.]]

2004 saw the opening of the [[Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame]] (HOF), which had been in existence in name only since the 1950s, with player plaques, photos and other memorabilia scattered throughout their front offices. Ownership and management desired a standalone facility where the public could walk through interactive displays, see locker room recreations, watch videos of classic Reds moments and peruse historical items, such as the history of Reds uniforms dating back to the 1920s or a baseball marking every hit [[Pete Rose]] had during his career.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.mlb.com/reds/hall-of-fame/visit/exhibits/past-exhibits | title=2013-Present &#124; Exhibits &#124; Visit &#124; Hall of Fame &#124; Cincinnati Reds | website=[[MLB.com]] }}</ref>

[[Robert Castellini]] took over as controlling owner from Lindner in 2006. Castellini promptly fired general manager Dan O'Brien and hired [[Wayne Krivsky]]. The Reds made a run at the playoffs, but ultimately fell short. The [[2007 Major League Baseball season|2007 season]] was again mired in mediocrity. Midway through the season, Jerry Narron was fired as manager and replaced by [[Pete Mackanin]]. The Reds ended up posting a winning record under Mackanin, but finished the season in fifth place in the Central Division. Mackanin was manager in an interim capacity only, and the Reds, seeking a big name to fill the spot, ultimately brought in [[Dusty Baker]]. Early in the [[2008 Major League Baseball season|2008 season]], Krivsky was fired and replaced by [[Walt Jocketty]]. Although the Reds did not win under Krivsky, he is credited with revamping the farm system and signing young talent that could potentially lead the team to success in the future.

The Reds failed to post winning records in both 2008 and 2009. In 2010, with [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|NL MVP]] [[Joey Votto]] and [[Gold Glove]]rs [[Brandon Phillips]] and [[Scott Rolen]], the Reds posted a 91–71 record and were NL Central champions.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/2010/09/28/astros-2-reds-1-after-2/ |title=Reds are NL Central Champs! &#124; Cincinnati Reds |newspaper=Cincinnati.com |date=September 28, 2010 |access-date=June 19, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121005022626/http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/2010/09/28/astros-2-reds-1-after-2/ |archive-date=October 5, 2012 }}</ref> The following week, the Reds became only the second team in MLB history to be no-hit in a postseason game when Philadelphia's [[Roy Halladay]] shut down the National League's No. 1 offense in [[2010 National League Division Series#Game 1, October 6|Game 1 of the NLDS]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2010_10_06_cinmlb_phimlb_1&mode=gameday |title=MLB.com At Bat &#124; MLB.com: Gameday |publisher=Mlb.mlb.com |date=October 6, 2010 |access-date=June 19, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130523013729/http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2010_10_06_cinmlb_phimlb_1&mode=gameday |archive-date=May 23, 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> The Reds eventually lost in a three-game sweep of the [[2010 National League Division Series#Philadelphia vs. Cincinnati|NLDS]] to Philadelphia.

After coming off their surprising 2010 NL Central Division title, the Reds fell short of many expectations for the [[2011 Cincinnati Reds season|2011 season]]. Multiple injuries and inconsistent starting pitching played a big role in their mid-season collapse, along with a less productive offense as compared to the previous year. The Reds ended the season at 79–83, and won the 2012 NL Central Division Title. On September 28, [[Homer Bailey]] threw a 1–0 no-hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates, marking the first Reds no-hitter since [[Tom Browning's perfect game]] in 1988. Finishing with a 97–65 record, the Reds earned the second seed in the [[2012 National League Division Series|Division Series]] and a matchup with the eventual World Series champion, the [[San Francisco Giants]]. After taking a 2–0 lead with road victories at [[AT&T Park]], they headed home looking to win the series. However, they lost three straight at their home ballpark, becoming the first National League team since the [[Chicago Cubs]] in 1984 to lose a division series after leading 2–0.

[[File:IMG 3614 Joey Votto.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|[[Joey Votto]], first baseman (2007–2023)]]

In the offseason, the team traded outfielder [[Drew Stubbs]] – as part of a three-team deal with the [[Arizona Diamondbacks]] and [[Cleveland Indians]] – to the Indians, and in turn received right fielder [[Shin-Soo Choo]]. On July 2, 2013, Homer Bailey pitched a no-hitter against the San Francisco Giants for a 4–0 Reds victory, making him the third pitcher in Reds history with two complete-game no-hitters in their career.

Following six consecutive losses to close out the 2013 season, including a loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park in the National League wild-card playoff game, the Reds decided to fire Dusty Baker. During his six years as manager, Baker led the Reds to the playoff three times; however, they never advanced beyond the first round.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/9767640/dusty-baker-cincinnati-reds-manager-report-says | title=Reds dismiss manager Dusty Baker | work=[[ESPN.com]] | date=October 4, 2013 | access-date=March 11, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131007074939/http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/9767640/dusty-baker-cincinnati-reds-manager-report-says | archive-date=October 7, 2013 | url-status=live }}</ref>

On October 22, 2013, the Reds hired pitching coach [[Bryan Price]] to replace Baker as manager.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2013/10/21/4864796/bryan-price-cincinnati-reds-new-manager|title=Reds set to promote Price to manager|date=October 21, 2013|access-date=December 19, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170821084536/https://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2013/10/21/4864796/bryan-price-cincinnati-reds-new-manager|archive-date=August 21, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> Under Price, the Reds were led by pitchers [[Johnny Cueto]] and the hard-throwing [[Aroldis Chapman]]. The offense was led by All-Star third baseman [[Todd Frazier]], Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips, but although they had plenty of star power, the Reds never got off to a good start and ended the season in lowly fourth place in the division to go along with a 76–86 record. During the offseason, the Reds traded pitchers [[Alfredo Simón]] to the Tigers and [[Mat Latos]] to the Marlins. In return, they acquired young talents such as [[Eugenio Suárez]] and [[Anthony DeSclafani]]. They also acquired veteran slugger [[Marlon Byrd]] from the Phillies to play left field.

The Reds' 2015 season wasn't much better, as they finished with the second-worst record in the league at 64–98, their worst finish since 1982. The Reds were forced to trade star pitchers [[Johnny Cueto]] and [[Mike Leake]] to the Kansas City Royals and San Francisco Giants, respectively, receiving minor league pitching prospects for both. Shortly after the season's end, the Reds traded Home Run Derby champion [[Todd Frazier]] to the Chicago White Sox and closing pitcher [[Aroldis Chapman]] to the New York Yankees.

In 2016, the Reds broke the then-record for home runs allowed during a single season, The Reds held this record until the [[2019 Major League Baseball season|2019 season]] when it was broken by the [[2019 Baltimore Orioles season|Baltimore Orioles]]. The previous record holder was the 1996 Detroit Tigers with 241 home runs yielded to opposing teams.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/with-two-weeks-left-the-reds-have-already-set-an-mlb-record-for-home-runs-allowed/|title=The Reds just set a record that sums up just how bad they have been this year|date=September 20, 2016 |access-date=September 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161002061644/http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/with-two-weeks-left-the-reds-have-already-set-an-mlb-record-for-home-runs-allowed/|archive-date=October 2, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> The Reds went 68–94 and again were one of the worst teams in MLB.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/standings/#20161002|title=Regular Season Standings|website=Major League Baseball|access-date=January 6, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170106173205/http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/standings/#20161002|archive-date=January 6, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> The Reds traded outfielder [[Jay Bruce]] to the Mets just before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline in exchange for two prospects: infielder [[Dilson Herrera]] and pitcher Max Wotell.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.espn.com/mlb/team/transactions/_/name/cin/cincinnati-reds|title=Cincinnati Reds 2016 Team Transactions: Trades, DL, Free Agents and Callups|website=ESPN|access-date=January 6, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170106173259/http://www.espn.com/mlb/team/transactions/_/name/cin/cincinnati-reds|archive-date=January 6, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> During the offseason, the Reds traded [[Brandon Phillips]] to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for two minor league pitchers.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/braves-reds-close-deal-for-brandon-phillips/c-215811602|title=Braves, Reds close deal for Brandon Phillips|website=MLB.com|access-date=December 19, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171222053138/https://www.mlb.com/news/braves-reds-close-deal-for-brandon-phillips/c-215811602|archive-date=December 22, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

On September 25, 2020, the Reds earned their first postseason berth since 2013,<ref>//www.mlb.com/news/reds-clinch-2020-postseason-berth</ref> ultimately earning the seventh seed in the expanded 2020 playoffs. The [[2020 Major League Baseball season|2020 season]] had been shortened to 60 games as a result of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]. The Reds lost their first-round series against the [[Atlanta Braves]] two games to none.

The Reds finished the 2021 season with a record of 83–79, good for third in the NL Central.

In 2022, the Reds started out the regular season with a ghastly 3–22 record. Their three-game win total in 25 games had not seen since the [[2003 Detroit Tigers season|2003 Detroit Tigers]] and was tied for second-worst overall behind the [[1988 Baltimore Orioles season|1988 Baltimore Orioles]], who started 2–23 in their first 25 games.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Clark |first=Dave |title=Cincinnati Reds' 3-22 start among worst in MLB history |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/reds/2022/05/04/cincinnati-reds-historically-bad-start-3-21-start/9655007002/ |access-date=August 14, 2022 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}</ref> They would finish the season with a record of 62–100.

The 2023 season found the Reds in contention for a wild card berth up until the final weekend of the season. They eventually fell short of a playoff berth by 2 games with a record of 82–80. The team was led by a group of young players including rookies [[Spencer Steer]], [[Matt McLain]] and [[Elly De La Cruz]]. De La Cruz caused quite a buzz from the beginning of his mid-season call up and in his 15th career game became the first Red to hit for the cycle since Eric Davis in 1989. At the end of the season, retirement speculation surrounded former MVP Joey Votto.

With high hopes of competing in the 2024 season, the Reds started off strong, beginning the season 14–11, winning the season series against the [[2023 NLCS]] runner-up [[Philadelphia Phillies]] 4–3. However, they went 9–18 in the month of May, dropping their chances of making the playoffs. While the Reds went on to play well against contenders, they struggled against teams playing under .500. This ultimately made them fall short, specifically in one run games where they ranked second-to-last in MLB, only in front of the [[Chicago White Sox]].

On September 22, 2024, the Reds fired manager [[David Bell (baseball)|David Bell]] with only five games remaining in the season. Bench coach [[Freddie Benavides]] was named interim manager. The Reds also fired co-bench coach and infield coach [[Jeff Pickler]]. On October 4, 2024, the team announced that [[Terry Francona]] would be hired as the team's next manager.

On October 8, 2024, the Reds fired hitting coach [[Joel McKeithan]] and his assistants, [[Terry Bradshaw (baseball)|Terry Bradshaw]] and [[Tim Lamonte]]. On October 24, 2024, the Reds announced that former Red and [[Cleveland Guardians]] hitting coach [[Chris Valaika]] would be the team's new director of hitting and MLB hitting coach.