The Cincinnati Reds are approaching the end of their best month of the season yet. Here are five observations that stood out this May from a Reds perspective.

1. The Reds are four games under .500 heading into their last game of May.

Cincinnati will go into their final game of May with a 26-30 record. This might not seem significant since we aren’t halfway through this season. However, this is actually quite significant from a Reds perspective. For starters, the Reds were never above .500 at any point in 2018. They had an abysmal 20-37 record at the end of last May.

The 2019 Reds are currently faring better than any fellow last place team in Major League Baseball. By Friday afternoon, the Reds were six games behind the National League Central leading Chicago Cubs. They’ll end May as MLB’s only last place team to be less than ten games behind their division leader. The Reds are only 1.5 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates. Making the possibility of Cincinnati finishing better than last seem reasonable.

2. Derek Dietrich was the best acquisition of the Reds offseason.

In recent years, the Reds have become the beneficiaries of a few surprisingly good trades. Acquiring players that are flourishing in the Queen City. Derek Dietrich was acquired in an impressive offseason trading-wise for the Reds. Arriving after six seasons with the Miami Marlins; baseball’s leader in roster turnover. Dietrich is turning out to be the best offseason acquisition for the Reds since Scooter Gennett.

This week in particular could be considered the best of Dietrich’s career. Dietrich hit three homers Tuesday night against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The most hit in a single game by any Red since 2017. When Gennett hit a franchise record four homers in one game. Dietrich also surpassed his previous career-best 16 homers in a single season this week.

3. Eugenio Suarez deserves a return trip to the All-Star Game.

Voting for the 2019 MLB All-Star Game is now underway. Several Reds seem worthy of a trip to this year’s Midsummer Classic. Yet, Suarez is playing in a way that is highly worthy of a return trip. After being selected for his first All-Star Game appearance in 2018. Suarez leads the Reds with 56 hits and 39 RBI’s so far this season.

Derek Dietrich, Jose Iglesias and Luis Castillo are also All-Star worthy Reds. Dietrich leads the team with 17 homers and currently ranks fifth in the National League. He’s one of the best players in baseball that isn’t on the All-Star Ballot. This is because Jose Peraza is listed in the ballot as the Reds starting second base candidate. Fans can still vote for Dietrich though as a write-in candidate.

Meanwhile, Jose Iglesias trails Suarez with just one less hit so far. Castillo is by far the Reds most All-Star worthy pitcher. He currently has the fourth best ERA in the National League. Going into the final day of May with a 2.45 ERA. While being the Reds most reliable starting pitcher this season.

4. Nick Senzel’s Major League career is off to a good start.

Cincinnati’s most anticipated rookie made his major league debut this month. Nick Senzel is managing to make the anticipation many had for him worthwhile. He has 29 hits, 11 RBI’s and four home runs since his May 4th debut. Three of those four homers came in the first series of his career. He’s also following in the footsteps of former Reds center fielder Billy Hamilton in one area. Senzel trails only Yasiel Puig as the Reds stolen base leader. Puig leads with seven and Senzel has five so far this season.

5. The stage is set for a potentially exciting summer.

The Reds are in the position to be in decent shape by the All-Star break. Especially if they have the kind of June that the Reds had last year. When the Reds were playing at their best form in roughly five years. They will already go into June in better shape than they went into last June. Next month could give Reds fans confidence that their team is improving.