​The Cincinnati Reds dropped a 1-0 decision to the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday night at Great American Ball Park, a game that felt closer than the Reds’ 42-50 record would suggest. Brady Singer delivered seven-plus innings, allowing only four hits and one earned run while striking out five against a 52-42 Phillies lineup loaded with All-Star talent. He matched up in a tightly contested pitchers’ duel with Jesús Luzardo until a Justin Crawford single in the eighth inning produced the game’s lone run.
When asked after the loss about what changed in his approach, Singer kept his answer straightforward. “I wanted to go out there and throw strikes,” he said. “Just having some confidence in the zone, attacking a little bit more. Just using the pitches in different counts. I think confidence is a big thing.” That sentiment aligns with the recent form he’s shown on the mound.
Over his last six starts, Singer has posted a 2.86 ERA, a notable turn after a rough opening stretch that left his season line at 4.72 with a 3-9 record through 18 starts and 89.2 innings pitched. While his overall numbers aren’t dazzling, the upward trend in his performance matters, especially as the trade deadline on August 3 approaches. This season’s scenario is notable because Singer signed a one-year, $12.75 million contract with Cincinnati before 2026 and is set to become a free agent after the season.
Singer arrived in 2026 following a 2025 campaign in which he went 14-12 with a 4.03 ERA across 169.2 innings, a plan designed to give Cincinnati a stable mid-rotation arm on a club pursuing playoff contention. That plan took a rough detour when Hunter Greene missed the first three months with an elbow injury, the bullpen absorbed a series of setbacks, and Singer shouldered a heavier workload as a shaken rotation tried to steady itself. Yet his 76 strikeouts in 89.2 innings indicate the stuff remains, and his recent form more closely resembles the pitcher Cincinnati expected to see.
With the deadline looming and the possibility of sellers’ leverage in the market, Singer’s expiring contract makes him an obvious target for trade discussions. However, there is a compelling argument for keeping him in Cincinnati’s rotation, especially alongside Greene and the 23-year-old Chase Burns—the former No. 2 overall pick who represents the rotation’s long-term upside. Greene stands as the staff ace, Burns projects as a future top-of-the-rotation arm, and Singer serves as the innings-eater who can absorb workloads and stabilize the rotation when the going gets tough. He has logged 150-plus innings in each of the last four seasons, providing durability for a young pitching staff still learning to navigate a demanding major league schedule.
As the Reds entered 2026, their rotation depth was among the strongest in the National League. Trading Singer for a package of prospects could undermine the immediate goal of competing again soon, particularly if Cincinnati intends to contend in the near term. The club does have other pieces that could be moved if the right offer materializes, but Singer’s recent stretch of success demonstrates that he belongs in this rotation and his comments after Thursday’s game underscored that his confidence is returning. The Reds would be wise not to part with that confidence too quickly, especially if the organization envisions a sustained climb back toward contention in the years ahead.