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The Reds (26-29) will go for back-to-back series wins and move ever closer to passing the Pirates (26-27) in the NL Central standings this afternoon at Great American Ball Park. First pitch is at 12:35 ET, pending weather.

Starting Pitchers

Name IP ERA FIP xFIP K% BB%
Anthony DeSclafani 48.2 4.99 5.62 4.70 24.80% 8.10%
Steven Brault 25.1 7.11 6.15 5.85 18.00% 13.70%

Anthony DeSclafani is in the midst of some serious struggles on the mound. In his last three starts, he’s given up 19 hits and 12 runs in 11.2 innings, with three walks and only eight strikeouts.

DeSclafani has really struggled to avoid the home run ball this season. He’s given up 13 long balls and at least one home run in eight of his ten starts. Seven of those 13 home runs have come in his last three starts. His FB% is at 47.1%, more than ten percentage points higher than it was in 2018. However, if there’s a bright spot to DeSclafani’s season thus far, it’s his ability to strikeout batters. He has 52 strikeouts on the season, almost halfway to the 108 strikeouts he had in 2018.

Gregory Polanco and Josh Bell each have two doubles and a home run off DeSclafani. Bell is 5-for-11 with a 1.364 OPS against him.

If there was a list of pitchers struggling worse than DeSclafani, Steven Brault is on that list. Brault has mostly pitched out of the Pirates bullpen, but due to injuries, has had to make a few starts. This afternoon will be his third start of the season. He didn’t pitch terribly in his start against Texas (two runs and two hits in 4.0 innings), but the Cardinals hammered him for six runs in 3.2 innings. That’s a large part of the reason his ERA is currently so high. His K% isn’t terrible at 18.0%, but the walks have absolutely haunted him the last two years. In 2018, he walked 57 batters in 91.2 innings, and this season has already walked 16 in 25.1 innings.

Brault has six pitches total, but throws his four seamer (44.3%) most often, followed by a changeup (20.5%) and a cutter (17.2%). He strikes most batters out with his cutter (34.8 K%), especially lefties. However, it’s also been a pitch he’s had the most trouble locating, with a 17.4 BB%.

Not many Reds players have a lot of at-bats against Brault, but of the few who do, Joey Votto is 3-for-10 against him, and Eugenio Suarez is 3-for-6 with a double and three walks. Yasiel Puig also has two doubles off Brault.

Lineups

Pittsburgh Pirates

  1. Adam Frazier – 2B
  2. Bryan Reynolds – LF
  3. Starling Marte – CF
  4. Josh Bell – 1B
  5. Melky Cabrera – RF
  6. Colin Moran – 3B
  7. Elias Diaz – C
  8. Kevin Newman – SS
  9. Steven Brault – P

Cincinnati Reds

  1. Nick Senzel – CF
  2. Eugenio Suarez – 3B
  3. Jose Iglesias – SS
  4. Yasiel Puig – RF
  5. Derek Dietrich – 1B
  6. Curt Casali – C
  7. Jesse Winker – LF
  8. Jose Peraza – 2B
  9. Anthony DeSclafani – P

News and Notes

-Derek Dietrich has done this in just 75 plate appearances in the month of May.

-And more Dietrich stats because why not?

-Three of four Reds minor league teams playing last night won, with Louisville being the lone exception.

Final Thoughts

-Here come the Reds…

 

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