Cincinnati Reds News Roundup — September 8, 2026

The Cincinnati Reds lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-3 on Monday night, falling to 0-9 at Dodger Stadium this season. Elly De La Cruz homered in the first inning to give Cincinnati an early lead, but a throwing error by Ke'Bryan Hayes in the fifth inning allowed two runs to score and shifted momentum to Los Angeles. Teoscar Hernandez extended the Dodgers' advantage with a three-run home run in the sixth, and the Reds could not overcome the deficit despite late-inning rallies.

The Reds' decision to activate Hayes from the injured list before the game proved costly. Hayes, who had been sidelined for 12 days with a groin injury, made two errors that directly contributed to three runs scoring. The team optioned rookie Edwin Arroyo to Triple-A to make room for Hayes despite his .151 batting average this season and $22 million remaining on his contract, a move that signals the organization's reluctance to abandon the trade it made for him last year even as the team's playoff hopes fade.

Chase Burns delivered a solid start with one scoreless inning and two strikeouts against Shohei Ohtani, though the Reds limited him to 44 pitches before replacing him with Brandon Williamson. The team is implementing a workload management plan for Burns that prioritizes his development for 2027 over short-term performance, having him start every fifth day and pitch through the lineup once per appearance with a target of around 157 innings for the season.

The Reds also made roster moves in the bullpen, designating left-handed reliever Sam Moll for assignment to make room for Graham Ashcraft's return from injury. Moll cleared waivers and elected free agency after posting a 4.79 ERA with an 11.7% walk rate across 65 appearances. His departure leaves Brock Burke as the team's only left-handed reliever, making him a priority to retain before the offseason given his 2.50 ERA and 71 appearances this season.