Game two of the three-game series between the Diamondbacks and Reds pits teams headed in opposite directions. Arizona has won 10 of its last 11 games, and is hanging in the wild card race, only 2.5 games back. The Reds, on the other hand, have lost seven of their past 10, with any hope of finishing at or near .500 slip-sliding away. Today’s game at Great American Ball Park begins at 4:10 p.m. Eastern time.
Starting Pitchers
| Name | IP | ERA | xFIP | K% | BB% |
| Alex Young | 58.2 | 3.84 | 4.78 | 19% | 7.4% |
| Luis Castillo | 166 | 3.25 | 3.44 | 29.2% | 9.7% |
Young’s longest outing of the season in a Diamondbacks uniform has been six innings, so that’s the longest you can expect from him, and he’ll probably give up three runs, based on averages. The Reds have won seven of Castillo’s last 10 starts. He’s been a little less dominant over the past month than he was previously in the season, and you have to wonder if he’s feeling the effects of the long season. He only needs 3.2 innings pitched to match the most innings he has ever pitched in a major league season.
Bullpen
None of the bullpenners has pitched in both of the last two games, so all should be available as needed today.
Starting Lineups
| Diamondbacks | Reds |
| RF Jarrod Dyson | CF Phillip Ervin |
| CF Ketel Marte | 1B Joey Votto |
| 3B Eduardo Escobar | 3B Eugenio Suarez |
| 1B Christian Walker | RF Aristides Aquino |
| 2B Wilmer Flores | SS Jose Iglesias |
| LF Josh Rojas | 2B Freddy Galvis |
| SS Nick Ahmed | C Curt Casali |
| C Carson Kelly | LF Josh VanMeter |
| P Alex Young | P Luis Castillo |
There is a growing feeling that Reds management does not see Josh VanMeter as potentially a key everyday player next year, and the fact that he is batting eighth against a righthanded pitcher does nothing to dispel that feeling.
(Correction: Young is a lefthander, so it is not quite as surprising to see VanMeter batting eighth.)
A word about Aquino: Like many here at Redleg Nation, your author keeps waiting for signs that major league pitchers will discover his weaknesses and effectively shut down his outstanding hitting achievements. But last night’s performance against Arizona, despite only 1-for-4 with an RBI, was glowing. Two of the outs he made with runners in scoring position were screaming line drives to right-center field. He went with outside pitches and hit bolts the opposite direction instead of trying to pull them and possibly rolling over and hitting a ground ball. Hope is growing in this observer’s mind that perhaps Aquino does have the potential to be a true hitting star and not just a flash in the pan.
Additional insights into the statistical history of the players in today’s game is available all season long at BaseballSavant.com.
News and Notes
Those were the days …
9/7/75
The #Reds clinch the N.L. West.
On September 7th.
That’s what happens when you win the division by 20 games. #BornToBaseball pic.twitter.com/KgYiZSGk7X
— ? J. Daniel ? (@JDaniel2033) September 7, 2019
Eugenio Suarez closing in on the major league home run leaders after his 42nd Friday night …
A message to the current home run leaders: pic.twitter.com/xvW9mq92iz
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) September 7, 2019
Also at Redleg Nation today:
The Reds lose Wandy Peralta on waivers to the San Francisco Giants
John Ring wraps up his series on the 1999 Reds with one final, maybe painful look back at the final few days of the season.
Totally agree with author in that this team does not seem as good as the version that had us within 4 games at the AS break. A lot of it may be Bell’s overuse of the bullpen and the fatigue therein. To be sure there are other issues including the lack of clutch and the 1run losses. If this is supposed to be the 2020 version, then a lot of filler pieces are needed … especially in the speed and power departments. And we should have more than our share of valuable trade pieces. We should not have Winker and Votto anywhere near the top 3 spots. Maybe some combination of Galvis/Senzel/Van Meter at 1 and 2. We could stand a OF and C who will hit 50 HRs between them… not 25. And a high IP guy for a 5th starter. Not some feeble guy who crashes after the 5th inning. I will give 4 runs of we could get a guy who will give us 7+ innings.
My thoughts briefly on next year’s team. If they hope to contend, they have to have two or three additional above average or even elite bats. The reduced importance of defense in today’s game makes me think you get the bats, and then you move the pieces around so you get them all in the lineup at positions they can play on at at-least-average level.
The bullpen needs an overhaul, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see Raisel Iglesias used in a trade for a bat. The front office has a big budget available in the offseason, and we’ll see how serious they are about truly trying to win. They will need to spend the money.
Reduced importance of defense? Reduced importance of pitching, too, then, right? More than half of all outs are recorded by the guys with gloves behind the pitcher.
Galvis and his 290 OBP at the top? No thank you. Reds need to cut bait with him and find somebody else.
Jim, JVM’s OPS vs. righties is .803.
I will say this — I am tired of watching catchable fly balls not being caught.
I’m really trying to curb my optimism (and enthusiasm!) about Aquino because perhaps like you, I’m in the habit of thinking, this can’t be as good as it looks. But it looks like he can do EVERYTHING!
Tom, I agree with your views on next year’s team. They need at least 3 more bats and new bullpen.
We need everyday players. Guys that can be penciled in regardless of whether there’s a left-hander or right-hander on the mound. No more platoons. Platoon players are bench players.
Move VanMeter to 2B. No platoons.
VanMeter, Winker and Ervin are not good outfielders. Senzel is decent, but should be moved to the infield also.
Wow. This game is just terrible so far. Heading into the 8th with 1 hit? Absurd.
I’m really sad to say it too. These guys should be playing their butts off and making the most of real game time before the off-season lull. I guess this is what we have to look forward to next year? Votto looks exhausted.
Hmm- when your offense has just 1 hit, it’s the top of the 8th, and your starter wants to try and nail one last batter to get him out of a jam, and your team is not contending for anything anymore…. why pull him?
I absolutely agree.
the bench really is nowhere near as deep as it should be. I was watching the Twins last night, and they do have an absurd wealth of big bats riding the bench, waiting to help out when needed
Yeah- I really think Votto should’ve gotten the error for falling into the dirt on that one
@silotar
I think Iglesias can actually contribute. His approach is hilarious, swinging his way into base hits through a dozen pitches…. A little more discipline, and his numbers would change dramatically I think.
The real issue is that you can’t have a glove-first SS when no one in the team can hit.
I don’t see a reason for Castillo throwing 111 pitches in a meaningless September game. The one thing they absolutely cannot afford next season is Castillo having any sort of arm trouble. He should be treated with kid gloves in the final month. No way do I let him go over 100 pitches, and I would probably shut him down just out of extreme caution. Let him throw on the side if he wants. I just don’t see what the point of pitching him anymore. I mean 200K is a nice milestone and sure maybe he has a shot at a Cy Young, and maybe he has incentives in his contract, but at least limit the pitch count.
He got robbed of a home run, hit several balls sharply, he is having some bad luck just as Aquino had two hard hit balls yesterday with nothing to show for it and is now 2 for his last 21.
Sam LaCure made the same point about Blandino not starting (on the post game show). This is nothing new for Bell. Remember earlier in the year when Erving went 6 for 6 and then sat…..