The Reds are a season-best six games over .500, just one game behind the Padres for the third spot in the NL wild-card race.

All that's between the Reds and the 6 p.m. ET Trade Deadline on Thursday are three key games against the superstar-laden Dodgers. But as they've often stressed as a club seeking a playoff berth, there was no looking ahead.

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.

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