The start of the second half was delayed for three hours, but the Reds are probably wishing now they had delayed it 24 hours. Tyler Mahle has not been the same pitcher in July that he was in June, as he allowed six earned runs on late Friday night. The Reds offense was without Joey Votto and Scott Schebler, and they were only able to push across one run in a 12-1 loss to the Pirates.
| Final | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Reds (43-54) | 1 | 9 | 2 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates (49-49) | 12 | 16 | 0 |
| W: Taillon (7-7) L: Mahle (7-8) | |||
| FanGraphs Win Probability | Statcast | Box Score | Game Thread | |||
Biggest Play of the Game
According to Fangraphs WPA statistic (winning percentage added), the most important play of the game was Tyler Mahle allowing a 3-run home run to Sean Rodriguez with 0 outs in the 6th inning, giving the Pirates a 5-0 lead. That play decreased the Reds chances of winning by 11.0% (from 16.0% to 4.9%).
Positives
Jesse Winker had a 3-hit day. He now has an 11-game hit streak, and is hitting .300/.408/.437 on the year. Winker came into today hitting .357/.468/.565 since June 1st.
Eugenio Suarez had a 2-hit night.
Negatives
Tyler Mahle really struggled in his first start of the second half. Mahle was charged with 6 earned runs in 5.2 innings. He walked 3 batters, and 2 of those came around to score. The big blow for Mahle was when he left an 82 MPH pitch right over the plate that Sean Rodriguez smashed into the bleachers for a 3-run home run. Mahle was really good in June, but he has now allowed back-to-back starts with 5+ ER.
Jackson Stephens got rocked again. He allowed a grand slam to Starling Marte that put this game away for good. He now has a 5.11 ERA/5.90 FIP. He has a 2.19 HR/9. It’s time for a fresh arm from Louisville.
Michael Lorenzen walked 2 batters in his inning of work.
Alex Blandino had to be helped off the field after being rolled into trying to turn a double play. It certainly did not look good for Blandino. It looked like the kind of injury that he could be out for quite some time. The Reds were out of players and had to put Curt Casali into 2B. He of course had the first ball hit to him and booted it.
I am not watching the Reds game. But if Blandino's injury is as bad as it sounds from the twitterverse, then he's going to miss time. And if so, the Reds need a backup shortstop. There's no one on the 40-man that can be that guy right now. Do they call up Blake Trahan from AAA?
— Doug Gray (@dougdirt24) July 21, 2018
Not so random thoughts……..
Joey Votto got the first game of the second half off. Riggleman said it was just to give Votto an extra day of rest after all of the traveling for the all-star game. Votto did have to enter the game with 2 outs in the 9th after the Blandino injury.
The Reds major surplus of middle infielders is not looking so deep right now with Senzel out for the year, and Blandino’s injury tonight. This is why you can never have too many good position players. It is always good to have 3 good middle infielders for 2 spots, and 4 good outfielders for 3 spots. During the course a 162 game season, you will need them all. That is why I am not in a rush to send Gennett or Duvall packing unless the return is just right.
Up Next:
Pirates at Reds
Saturday, 7:10 PM
TV: FOX Sports Ohio
Anthony DeSclafani (5.32 ERA) vs Nick Kingham (4.26 ERA)
Good job Nick, thanks for staying up so late to write the recap.
It was a struggle
Weather forecast shows rain until next Wednesday, all the way series against Pirates & Cardinals.
The Reds have actually been fairly lucky so far with limited injuries. Awful to see Blandino with what looks like serious knee injuries on a meaningless play. I’m rooting for that young man. Let’s hope Schebler is fine in a week and everyone else stays healthy.
You should never trade any player unless the package is right. Just because you have a surplus doesnt mean you give players away. The Reds might end up trading only Harvey because nobody is offering anything. You have to remember Mahle is a rookie. He is going to be up and down all year. Why they started this game is ridiculous.
Exactly
completely agree … not fair to anybody only good for the bottom line .. and there was an injury to top it all off
Remember when Riggelman decided that Winker was not among the 3 best OF’s on the Reds. That was a great decision.
WInker is 4th in MLB in OBP.
As Jason and Chad pointed out on the podcast, Senzel is not a prospect, he is better than Winker and look at what Winker is doing in his first season.
I would imagine that another important consideration is the cost involved with opening and staffing the stadium for a make-up game for which very few tickets will be sold, since it is not a scheduled game. If as the Reds business operation, you have a budget for expenses associated with 81 home dates, you suddenly have 82 home dates if you postpone last night’s game, because the stadium already was open and the staff was already there.
Since his May-early June slump, Winker has looked absolutely awesome at the plate. If he continues this way, he clearly has to be an everyday player in left field (not in right). The only rationales for continuing to give Adam Duvall starts in left field are his outstanding defense, and power and RBI potential. But it’s been clearly demonstrated in comments here recently (perhaps by you, Cossack) that the ability to get on base has been the fuel for the Reds offensive resurgence. Duvall does not fit in that group. He would be an excellent defensive replacement and pinch-hitter.
If the Reds manager ever contemplates whether Winker should play, he should be shown a list of the top 15 players in MLB in OBP and see where Winker currently resides. Wonder if the manager of those players would decide if those top 15 players should be in the lineup.
Play him everyday and work on his defense, he is young enough to show improvement.
Duvall has no real value other than as a 4th OF
You guys do realize that Winker is 15 hits in 81 AB vs LHP for his ML career? That’s a 185 BA. To be considered an everyday LF in this league , he’ll have to do a lot better than that. Especially with his lack of speed & mediocre defense. I’d like to see Jesse win the ROY award & maybe a few batting titles during his career, but he’s not in that territory yet.
No, he really doesn’t need to do anything different. Winker is in the Top 10 in MLB in OBP and is a great hitter. He should play everyday regardless of the pitcher.
The stats Cossack showed above reflect how well he has been in his FIRST 459 plate appearances. There is a good chance he will only get better.
Not into stats that much SC & I don’t want to become a heretic at this site but, JW is carrying a .214 BA vs LHP this season as a less than speedy, less than exceptional defensive player. Add to that the Reds franchise player, their less than speedy , less than prolific defensively, $25MM 1st baseman Joey Votto is batting .217 vs LHP this season and it isn’t difficult to see why Riggleman (& previously Price) doesn’t want to insert Winker in the lineup vs LHSP. I don’t have an agenda. I really don’t. Like the manager, I’d like to see the Reds win.
Bad news for Blandino but surely they have a plan just in case he or Peraza went down for an extended time.Too late for me last night but looks like as stated the wheels came off in the 6th which it does a lot for pitchers every where and then Stephens did what he does.As also stated we went in undermanned offensively without Scott and Joey especially power wise and well it adds up to getting hammered.Just points out the fact that power or the lack of plays big time in GABP.Yes its one game and Mahle wasn’t good but 9 hits and 1 run well won’t get it done.
Thank you, Cossack.
No problemo. I don’t take laptop comments personally. But about that “appropriate discussion” (about Reds outfielders). I don’t see Duvall & Winker as competitors for playing time. Their talents are complementary in nature. Neither is a complete player right now. As for the future, I don’t see any of the Reds OF players as being starters past next year, Unless Nick Senzel’s “vertigo” type issues can’t be overcome, Senzel is an everyday starting infielder for the Reds for the next 5-6 years beginning next May. So if Suarez or Scooter aren’t traded, one of them becomes a corner outfielder. If it’s Suarez, he moves to RF which doesn’t affect Winker because he can’t play RF. But it does displace Schebler & thus 2 left-handed hitters will be competing for playing time in LF next year. (Duvall will be marginalized unless he has a great 2nd half in 2018, in which case he will be trade-worthy & traded). If it’s Gennett, he goes to left field & Winker is out of a job. Hamilton will be 28 come Sept. 9th. That’s about prime age + for a speedster. He had 56 stolen bases in 2014, 57 in 2015, 58 in 2016, & 59 last year. He most likely won’t reach 60 this year, only having 22 to date. Billy gets a little older, quite a bit more expensive, & a lot less tradeable next year. The Reds doted over CF Stubbs for a couple years, then Hamilton for about 5, the latest & greatest will be Siri (although he too may never pan out as a cfer & leadoff hitter). Nonetheless, they will give him the job & hope. When it’s time (about 1 year from now), Trammel gets the RF job (or LF if Suarez is in RF) & keeps it longer (& maybe more productively than Jay Bruce). Aquino & Friedl, I don’t know. All in all, I think all of the Reds current outfielders are (long term) about trade value.
Why is Suarez being moved to the OF?
The Reds will need to figure out what to do with Senzel, since it is appears that the Reds are going to keep Gennett. In addition, Hamilton will be with the Reds due to the owner’s love of the player.
Good point as others have noted, maybe Winker would be a good trade option to an AL team. Would make sense if a SP was secured in the trade.
Cossack, as for myself, I learned a little in then exchange.
Of course, my coup de gras is trading Iglesias package for Robles package with Nats. Both Suarez & Gennett to corner outfield slots. Senzel to 3rd. Hererra/ Long to platoon 2nd in 2019. Everyone else but Schebler as trade bait for pitching prospects.
Blandino with torn ACL.Dixon called up.
I’m with you on this one, SHCHI. I watched the replay of the hit 10 times, trying to go frame-by-frame. Moroff slid short of the bag and he could/should have stopped, but he popped half-way up, then rolled into Blandino. Chris Welch at that time said it was not a vicious slide and it was legal because Moroff was on the ground before he reached the bag and when a runner goes down and pops up, that is not an illegal slide. Chris addressed the slide issue, but he made no mention of the fact that Moroff rolled over Blandino when he was still 3 feet short of the bag and was already out 3 feet before that. Same game plan as Utley vs Tejada. Riggleman’s take on the situation doesn’t change my mind, either.