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Pedro Strop’s hot take on Yasiel Puig continues to run hot on Twitter today:

Late in Saturday’s 6-0 Cubs victory over the Reds at Great American Ball Park, Strop hit Puig with a 3-0 pitch, prompting both benches to empty. Cooler heads prevailed and there were no actual fisticuffs. But you wonder if there will be any spillover into today’s series finale at Great American Ball Park. Game time is 1:10 p.m. Eastern time.

Jose Peraza was hit by a pitch later, without any ejections by the unpiring crew. Manager David Bell reacted:

Bell later explained:

The bottom line: Bell and the Reds have clearly decided not to engage in the if-you-plunk-one-of-our-players-we-are-going-to-reply-in-kind “old-school” baseball tradition. This is noble and right, but you wonder if at least some of the Reds players might feel a bit “unprotected,” so to speak. And if so, whether any emotions will spill over into today’s game or later in the season.

Starting Pitchers

Name IP ERA xFIP K% BB%
Jon Lester 82.1 3.83 4.10 23.2% 5.1%
Anthony DeSclafani 74.2 4.70 4.45 23.9% 7.1%

Lester is the third consecutive lefthander to start against the Reds in the series. In his career vs. Cincinnati, he is 7-1 with a 3.88 ERA. Much of that is linked to the Cubs’ dominance of the Reds in recent years. DeSclafani was on a roll in June, allowing only three earned runs in 16 innings before being lit up by the Brewers in his last start at Miller Park.

Bullpen

Nobody pitched more than an inning Saturday, so all hands should be available.

Starting Lineups

Cubs Reds
LF Kyle Schwarber CF Nick Senzel
RF Kris Bryant 1B Joey Votto
1B Anthony Rizzo 3B Eugenio Suarez
C Willson Contreras RF Yasiel Puig
CF Jason Heyward SS Jose Iglesias
3B David Bote LF Phillip Ervin
SS Addison Russell 2B Jose Peraza
2B Daniel Descalso P Anthony DeSclafani
P Jon Lester C Curt Casali

Jose Peraza gets the start at second base today, rather than Scooter Gennett.

Additional insights into the statistical history of the players in today’s game is available all season long at BaseballSavant.com.

News and Notes

It’s another throwback uniform day in observation of the 150th anniversary of the first professional baseball team. More details can be found here …

A noteworthy anniversary …

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