Mike Moustakas and Nick Senzel are back! It’s been a rough start to the season for the Cincinnati Reds (1-4), but the news of those two guys returning to the lineup certainly had to put a jolt through the locker room. The Reds don’t have time to mess around as they are already three games behind the Chicago Cubs (4-1) in the NL Central. Game 3 of 4 is tonight at 6:40 PM at GABP.
Back #weirdtimes
— Nick Senzel (@LilSenzii) July 29, 2020
Starting Pitchers
Sonny Gray picked up right where he left off last season on opening day. Gray has a 2.83 career ERA in 6 starts against the Cubs (5 of those 6 starts came last year). There is no one else you’d want on the mound to try to stop the bleeding.
The bad news: Kyle Hendricks absolutely dominated in his first start of 2020, pitching an unfathomable complete game shutout under the current circumstances. The good news: the Reds absolutely killed Hendricks in his last start against them: 2.2 IP, 12 H, 7 ER, 3 HR.
Starting Lineup
| Cubs | Reds |
| 1. Kris Bryant (3B) 2. Anthony Rizzo (1B) 3. Javier Baez (SS) 4. Kyle Schwarber (LF) 5. Willson Contreras (C) 6. Jason Heyward (RF) 7. Ian Happ (CF) 8. Victor Caratini (DH) 9. Nico Hoerner (2B) |
1. Shogo Akiyama (LF) 2. Joey Votto (1B) 3. Eugenio Suarez (3B) 4. Mike Moustakas (2B) 5. Nick Castellanos (RF) 6. Jesse Winker (DH) 7. Nick Senzel (CF) 8. Freddy Galvis (SS) 9. Tucker Barnhart (C) |
Tucker Barnhart is also in the Reds lineup for the first time this season after returning from the paternity list. I am assuming under normal circumstances that David Bell would have liked to get Aquino in the lineup, since he hit 2 HR in a game off Hendricks last season. Obviously he wanted to get Senzel back in the lineup after three games off, and you can’t take Winker or Shogo out of the lineup against a RHP. Aquino could be a guy to keep an eye on to possibly pinch-hit for Galvis or Barnhart if a big spot presents itself.
Conclusion
4-game losing streak is really bad in a 60 game season. It is the equivalent of 10.8 losses.
The good news is a 4-game win streak would also be the equivalent of 10.8 wins. The Reds have 11 games over the next 3 weeks against the Tigers, Royals and Pirates. The Reds have Gray, Castillo and Bauer going the next three days. Take a deep breath. Go Reds!