Another day and another late start for the Game Thread. One day we’ll get it right. Tonight the Cincinnati Reds (73-84) will host the Milwaukee Brewers (87-70) in game 2 of their 3-game series.
Starting Pitchers
Tyler Mahle (2-11, 4.93 ERA, 122.1 IP, 22 HR, 31 BB, 123 K)
Much like his opposition tonight, Tyler Mahle has pretty strong right and left handed splits. He holds right-handers to a .245/.288/.377 line against him. But Lefties have handled him quite a bit better, hitting .284/.342/.532 against him. Despite pitching in Great American Ballpark at home, he has had better results in Cincinnati. Both his ERA (4.60) and his OPS against (.718) are better than they are on the road (5.14 and .787).
Jordan Lyles (11-8, 4.17 ERA, 136.0 IP, 24 HR, 53 BB, 140 K)
It’s been a solid but unspectacular season for Jordan Lyles. He pitches well against righties. He’s held them to a .224/.278/.383 line on the season with 23 walks and 86 strikeouts in 336 times facing them. Lefties, however, have crushed him to the tune of .278/.368/.557 with 30 walks and just 54 strikeouts in 254 trips to the plate against him. He’s got strange splits for home and road, too. At home his ERA is 3.96, but hitters have a .799 OPS against him. On the road his ERA is higher, 4.43, but hitters have just a ..732 OPS against him.
Starting Lineups
Cincinnati Reds
- Josh VanMeter – LF
- Joey Votto – 1B
- Eugenio Suarez – 3B
- Aristides Aquino – RF
- Tucker Barnhart – C
- Jose Iglesias – SS
- Phillip Ervin – CF
- Jose Peraza – 2B
- Tyler Mahle – SP
Milwaukee Brewers
- Trent Grisham – RF
- Yasmani Grandal – C
- Mike Moustakas – 3B
- Keston Hiura – 2B
- Ryan Braun – LF
- Eric Thames – 1B
- Lorenzo Cain – CF
- Cory Spangenberg – SS
- Jordan Lyles – SP
Pre-game Notes
Sonny Gray had arthroscopic surgery on his pitching elbow today.
Matt Wilkes, just mere hours before that was announced, wrote about how Luis Castillo and Sonny Gray are among the best 1-2 punches in the history of the Cincinnati Reds franchise.
Luis Castillo & Sonny Gray among the best pitching duos in Reds history
Rob Manfred and the commissioners office have decided to take a look at the baseball again and try to decide if they need to make changes to it to make it “more predictable” and get a “consistent performance” from the ball.
It’s 5-0 and the Reds haven’t recorded an out yet. So I’ll be honest: I understand the protest in the comments section here.
My bad – there was one out.
Dont take it personal Doug. I think we all read it every night but after that we are finding other things to do. I think we all are somewhat disgusted with this team. If somebody told me back in April that Barnhart or iglesias would be the 5th hole batter every night , I would say we are close to 90 losses.
Tyler Mahle also has very strong W-L splits at 2-11, and is well on his way to 2-12 without yet getting out of the first inning. Other pitchers have ridden the Louisville Express despite better numbers than Mahle..
Brewers 5,6,7 hitters are playoff caliber. Reds are 89 loss caliber. Pathetic.
God will this season just go away? Please!!!
We may need to add another starting pitcher not sure why some people think Mahle is close to breaking through. He reminds me of Brandon Finnegan. The more he pitches the higher his ERA sky rockets.
It happens to other teams but outsiders will never take control of the Cincinnati Reds.
Mahle as the 5th. starter for 2020 is questionable. Looks as if money will have to be spent in that area. A number of the Reds young pitchers who have not made starter status should be in the bullpen next season.
Chris Welch was talking about Aquino being patient as pitchers start to pitch him more carefully, and around him. If I was a pitcher I would pitch around him as well, if Barnhart was batting behind him….
I think that Romano is the Peraza for Reds pitchers. Chance after chance, and failure to seize the opportunity.
You’re not reaching. A third bright spot would be a good game from Castillo and the offense to wrap up Marty’s great career.