The Cincinnati Reds (15-22) will try to avoid being swept by Oakland A’s (17-21) today at 3:37 PM. The Reds have scored runs in just 1 of the 22 innings so far in this series. The Reds now find themselves 7.5 games out of first place in the division.
Starting Pitchers
Tanner Roark continues to get the job done this season despite allowing a ton of baserunners. Roark nibbles around hitters and to this point that strategy has worked. You just have to wonder as the weather warms up if this strategy will continue to work. He has a career 2.93 ERA in 2 starts against the A’s (both coming in Oakland in 2014 and 2017).
Chris Bassitt started the season in AAA, but he has done well in his 3 starts since being called up. Bassitt was traded to the A’s in 2014 along with Phegley and Semien for Jeff Samardzija. He has made 33 career big league starts spanning back to 2014, and has done fairly well with a 3.72 ERA/3.99 FIP. This will be his first career appearance against the Reds.
Starting Lineups
Cincinnati Reds
- Nick Senzel – CF
- Eugenio Suarez – 3B
- Derek Dietrich – DH
- Yasiel Puig – RH
- Josh VanMeter – LF
- Jose Iglesias – SS
- Tucker Barnhart – C
- Kyle Farmer – 1B
- Jose Peraza – 2B
- Tanner Roark – SP
Oakland Athletics
- Marcus Semien – SS
- Jurickson Profar – 2B
- Matt Chapman – 3B
- Matt Olson – 1B
- Kendrys Morales – DH
- Stephen Piscotty – RH
- Chad Pinder – LF
- Ramon Laureano – CF
- Josh Phegley – C
- Chris Bassitt – SP
Notes
Jesse Winker, out of the lineup again today, is nursing a sore quad according to Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Jesse Winker has tightness in his left quad. Available to pinch-hit today. David Bell and Winker anticipate he’ll be starting tomorrow. #Reds
— Bobby Nightengale (@nightengalejr) May 9, 2019
Conclusion
Please don’t get swept.
Why in the world is Winker not in the lineup against a right-handed pitcher?!?!?!?!?!?
That is a little hard to figure; could just be a preliminary lineup, or maybe Winker is ill or some such.
Not even David Bell is that incompetent. Bell needs to go 5-2 to match the 44-game managerial record of Tony Perez.
When the lineups came out that info was not yet available. I’ve updated the post with this information, just in case anyone sees it later and thinks that Brian just didn’t read the post.
But, Winker’s dealing with a sore quad.
VanMeter in LF…..when he’s barely played there in the minors……all so Peraza can’t start again. Somewhere Phil Ervin has to be livid and I don’t blame him. He deserves just one chance….a chance that he has earned. Peraza has been given YEARS—time for some accountability!
Barely is a bit of a stretch. In 2017 and 2018 he played more than 70 games in left field.
How about the middle of the bench.
In their last 24 innings, the Reds have scored in exactly 1 of them.
A winning west coast road trip is needed, or with the schedule starting next week, the harbinger of another last place finish will be facing the Reds because a consistent offense is not there.
Reds are leading, Suarez with another HR
Might actually win a game
Okay, Roark made it through 5 innings. Look for a quick hook if he gets in any trouble whatsoever the rest of the way.
I agree because the Reds won’t score any more.Hope they can hang on.
In all fairness,I am not sure what is the most profound,the fact that the whole team isn’t hitting or the fact they have won 15 games.When you team average is just a little above 200 and you only score when you homer its beyond my one brain cell to comprehend that.I mean you do have to hit the ball pretty hard when you hit it out of the park.
I want to wait a few more weeks before locking this opinion into stone, but he sure looks to me like the guy you want at shortstop for the next few years. If I am Dick Williams and Iglesias is still playing this way with the bat and glove at the end of May, I’m going to start some contract extension negotiations. He’s arguably been the best overall position player on the team so far.
I agree 100% Tom.He was great sign and has stepped up and took the job.I’ll take an average of 250 and won’t hesitate to give him 3 years at market value.
Roger, his career average is .270, I believe, and I will take that every day with that kind of defense packaged with it.
In what way?
OK Rasiel, it is a save situation. Does this mean you’re gonna be lights out? You got 3 runs to play with. Pretty sure anyone on the staff converts this 92 time out of 100.
Ha!
He’s hung the slider a few times but they’ve either taken it or swung through it. Just doesn’t seem to have a feel for it…
Fastball tagged for a double. Tying run comes up.
Not a great slider but good enough for a pop-up and the save. Reds win it.
Well it is the A’s and it was a similar play. Can’t say I didn’t at least think about it.
I remember that very well.Hope the Reds do that again before all of us older guys are gone.1990 seems like a long time ago
Bell’s wacky lineup shuffling certainly doesn’t help a young call up when trying to find his footing. At least Senzel had the benefit of being given CF everyday. And Nick hasn’t done much in the last two days either. The Vanmeter looks confident on the field and hasn’t looked bad at the plate, just has the one hit to show for it.
Three days might be a little quick to sour on the kid.
What I’m starting to sour on is the constant shuffling of the line-up. Especially with no clear explanation of what the objective or plan is other than the old “to get everyone playing time” bit. At the same time Bell doesn’t budge on Puig or Votto. ?
For starters, move Puig to the 6 hole where the Dodgers had him. Keeps him motivated won’t feel the need to try so hard. 2 cents
I was not trying to imply that a precise batting average number would be necessary. What I was trying to say is that if, by the end of May, he is still playing great defense and showing that he is still hitting in the vicinity of his career batting average of .270, while coming up with the occasional clutch-time hit that he has so far, I would be in favor of opening negotiations on a contract extension. If, for example, Iglesias goes into a Peraza-style swoon at the plate, I would not be as eager to begin those talks. I’m still waiting for signs of why Iglesias could not get a major-league contract deal in the off-season. So far I have not seen any.