The Cincinnati Reds will look to score two touchdowns again tonight against the Pittsburgh Pirates and hopefully win the series before it’s over. It will be a tough task as they face off against JT Brubaker, who has been outstanding this season for Pittsburgh.
Starting Lineups
Cincinnati Reds
|
Pittsburgh Pirates
|
| Nick Senzel – 2B | Adam Frazier – 2B |
| Jesse Winker – LF | Bryan Reynolds – CF |
| Nick Castellanos – RF | Phillip Evans – 1B |
| Mike Moustakas – 1B | Jacob Stallings – C |
| Tyler Naquin – CF | Erik González – 3B |
| Eugenio Suárez – 3B | Ka’ai Tom – LF |
| Tucker Barnhart – C | Kevin Newman – SS |
| Kyle Farmer – SS | Troy Stokes Jr. – RF |
| Jeff Hoffman – SP | JT Brubaker – SP |
Starting Pitchers
Jeff Hoffman
In his six starts this season Jeff Hoffman has a 4.39 ERA in 26.2 innings with 13 walks and 23 strikeouts. He is coming off of his worst start of the year when he only recorded one out in the 3rd inning before exiting having allowed four runs in 2.1 innings.
When it comes to splits, it’s a weird mixed bag for Jeff Hoffman. Lefties had a .742 OPS against him, but he’s walked as many lefties as he’s struck out – 9. Righties are hitting better, posting a .271/.321/.500 line against him, but had just four walks and 14 strikeouts in 53 plate appearances.
Pitch usage from 2021
| 4-Seam | Slider | Curve | Change Up | |
| Velo | 93.6 | 82.2 | 77.1 | 85.2 |
| Usage | 54.2% | 17.3% | 15.6% | 12.9% |
JT Brubaker
The second year in the big leagues for JT Brubaker has gotten off to a good start as he’s posted a 2.78 ERA in 32.1 innings with eight walks and 37 strikeouts. He’s also gotten a very high rate of ground balls this season (57%).
Despite being a right-handed pitcher he’s dominated lefties this season, holding them to a .211/.274/.333 line with 4 walks and 17 strikeouts. Righties have had more success against Brubaker, hitting .258/.338/.455 with 4 walks and 20 strikeouts. Brubaker has pitched worse at home, with an ERA 1.03 higher in his two home starts, and hitters have a .176 OPS point advantage against him in PNC Park this year versus when he’s on the road.
Pitch usage from 2021
| 4-Seam | 2-Seam | Slider | Change |
Curve | |
| Velo | 92.8 | 93.4 | 86.9 | 87.1 | 79.7 |
| Usage | 22.8% | 24.8% | 36.7% | 7.9% | 7.7% |
When and Where
- Game time: 6:35pm ET
- Where: PNC Park, Pittsburgh
- Watch: Bally Sports Ohio (formerly Fox Sports Ohio), MLB.tv
- Listen: 700 WLW AM (Cincinnati area)
- Forecast: 53°, mostly cloudy, 10% chance of rain
News and Notes
Amir Garrett’s suspension reduced
Major League Baseball has reduced Amir Garrett’s suspension to five games. He’ll begin serving it tonight.
How did Wade Miley throw his no-hitter?
Tony Wolfe of Fangraphs takes a look back at Wade Miley’s no-hitter and just how he attacked hitters to keep them from making quality contact in Cleveland.
Mike Freeman added to the taxi squad
Prior to the game tonight the Reds added infielder Mike Freeman to the taxi squad. When the road trip began only right-handed reliever Art Warren was on the taxi squad for this trip.
NL Central Standings
Playoff odds via Fangraphs
| Team | W | L | GB | Playoff % |
| Cardinals | 21 | 14 | 0 | 44.3% |
| Brewers | 19 | 16 | 2.0 | 54.9% |
| Reds | 16 | 16 | 3.5 | 18.0% |
| Cubs | 17 | 17 | 3.5 | 16.1% |
| Pirates | 14 | 20 | 6.5 | 0.2% |
Do my eyes deceive me, or is this the same lineup as we saw last night?
must be a misprint
I think we were transported to 1975 when such things were the norm
No Shogo again. Dick Williams and the old regime signed Shogo. Could Krall be making a statement that the new regime is playing his guy Naquin?
Maybe, but it seems to me Bob C calls the shots and since he’s paying Shogo a lot of money, that he won’t be too hot about that
Shogo is the 4th outfielder now with Senzel at second.He and India won’t play much.He along with India are the odd men out of the starting lineup.When Joey returns we will have another one.The Suarez audition at short is over and now its Farmer’s turn.
I think Bell is just putting his best lineup on the field. Naquin is hot, and there’s no reason to sit him. Akiyama doesn’t have Naquin’s power.
Don’t get me wrong I think Shogo is the odd man out, I just don’t trust the Reds to act that way
It’s the same lineup as last night, but your eyes could also be deceiving you.
The Reds have reached .500. This is the game they need to get over .500 and win a road series and build some momentum. This is also the scenario they have faced many times in recent history and just couldn’t find a way forward. Seems Hoffman might be at a crossroads. A bad outing against the Pirates doesn’t inspire confidence for a rebound at Coors field Sunday.
Facing a 2nd year pitcher who has a great ratio of walks/K and induces ground balls is another challenge.
Go Reds. Score early and get strong starting pitching .
Brubaker has a good record, and in the top of the first he looks like a pitcher with good location and stuff.
Please, please, please Hoffman, NO WALKS! First pitch strikes, pitch to contact and let your defense help you be successful!
Well THAT’s not a great start for Hoffman. A couple of “cheap” hits and nobody out.
I think that was just good hitting and not really his fault.
Just when it looked like he would get out of it with no runs scoring, he threw that wild pitch. 🙁
Agreed – I thought we were lucky on the GR2B … until he crossed Tucker and the run scored anyway.
Just meant it was a tough way to start the inning.
Only one. Only one. Only one.
This could be a rough night to watch. Let’s pick it up.
This Pirates lineup is horrible. Moran is hurt and almost everyone else stinks. We really need to sweep them! I hope Bell has a quick trigger with Hoffman although his stuff looks pretty good.
Suarez needs about 20 more of those!
Need this win tonight! The Dirty Birds play the Brew Crew! So, one of them will lose! Plus, the Cubbies face Bieber in Cleveland. As much as I hate to say it, Capt. Bell needs a short leash and quick hook if Hoffman starts to falter!
And we’re up 2 to 1 …
Oh, that’s right. We just had to try the SB.
They send Senzel on 3-0? C’mon? You know its a fastball? Thats beyond stupid.
Cost us a run. Its hard to watch Bell on a daily basis and not be able to express the proper verbage that he deserves! Stealing on a 3-0 guaranteed fastball with one of the top hitters in the NL???
Senzel stealing and being thrown out cost a run right there.Hindsight says it but not sure he should tried to begin with Wink up.Tie game thanks to Da Wink.r
Can’t believe Senzel is stealing on 3-0.
Is he fast, or just fast compared to the other Reds?
Didn’t know he went on 3-0.Not sure I have ever heard of that especially with your best hitter up that hits lefty.Can somebody check that in the dugout?Words should be exchanged cause brain wasn’t working for somebody
Did he take that chance on his own? Can’t believe he would have been told to go—but
Big Nick you can’t hit that low and away stuff.Your to good to swing at 3 straight.
Winker be dialed in tonight
Goodness sakes
Don’t
Walk
The
Pitcher
Hoffman walks the pitcher after the stupid steal attempt.Can we stop with this stuff already?
He walks another guy.Only and I mean only way these guys should beat us is if we give away outs and give them free passes.
Hoffman’s curve is filthy. Best I’ve seen it by far.
(except the ones in the dirt)
His stuff is good tonite. I’ll give him that!
Tucker’s taking a beating back there tonight
Must be really bad cause he never swung and punched out looking.Seven pitch inning for their pitcher.Time to go when I see those things just like last night.Now go out and score 14 please.Go Reds.
Im going to go against RLN conventional wisdom and praise nick Krall and David bell
Nick senzel is playing every day and is hitting lead off with an above league batting avg and above league OBP and superior speed
Let senzel winker and Castellanos hit 1/2/3 indefinitely
Give the guy 600 at bats and see what he can do.
Your right about Senzel but it will never happen.
600 ABs will take Senzel 2 1/2 seasons
Covid 2020- do u at least give him a pass on last year? He missed over a month in a 60 game season due to covid? Yes or no
Do you trust that they’ll give Senzel that opportunity?
I hope so
Senzel 2 of 7 on steals. Thats not gonna work? He’s got to pick the right pitch and get a better lead! I don’t know if its coming from the bench, but I can’t recall seeing a guy get nailed on a 3-0 pitch with a top hitter at the plate?
Senzel has the speed but doesn’t yet understand how to steal a base and when. Of course I don’t know if he went on his own or not. Too bad “Little Joe” Morgan is not around anymore to teach him some base running skills. Larkin would be a good one to ask. He had a high percentage of safe steel attempts.
How many years does a guy have to be in the major leagues before he understands basic baseball strategy as well as we do?
Yeah I know. I was thinking more along the lines of how to read a pitcher and getting a good jump. Of course he should definitely know strategy by now. I kind a doubt he went on his own there but who knows?
Hoffman sucks. Walks a guy hitting .185. That Tom guy is horrrrible. He’s a bad hitter and worse in LF. He’ll go back to the minors and never reappear again, but Hoffman walks him.
We could’ve easily skipped Hoffman. We may win anyway, but it would be in spite of Hoffman & Bell.
Hoffman needs to go to bullpen period ! Constantly pitches from behind and too many base on balls . NO WAY HE GETS MORE INNINGS THAN TJ
But with Bell …. LOL
It’s one thing for a pitcher to have trouble locating, but when you’re throwing a curve in the dirt on a 3-2 pitch to a guy with no power who’s hitting .140, you really don’t deserve to win. This team is its own worst enemy.
Not sure what kind of attempt that was by Winker. He generally makes every play he can get to. He got there this time, but never put his glove up.
Jesse Universal DH Winker
Hoffman throwing pitches to b leaguers who are crushing them
If reds want to win this game – bring in a new pitcher in the 5th – preferably TJ antone
If the Reds are trailing by 1 or 2, it won’t be Antone. They gad the same scenario in Castillo’s last start, and it was Perez warming up with the Reds down by 2. Castillo eventually gave up a 3 run triple….but down by 2, the worst reliever was warming.
We can’t let the Pirates think they can win. We’re giving it to em so far. We have to press hard in every area and make sure we win all of these games against them this series. No reason we shouldn’t.
I’ll go out on a limb and guess Hoffman is hitting for himself and then (maybe) pitches one more inning.
I’m stunned.
They’ve had so many days off that the pen needs work. Maybe a week from now they might have to push guys further.
Hoffman had a great curve, but thats a pitiful performance. Wild pitches the first run in and then walks a guy hitting .140 and lets him score too.
Including tonight … last 3 starts: 4, 2.1, 4 IP
Before long, at this rate, may as well try his start as a Bullpen Day.
Yeah well we definitely should’t be pitching them like they’re the Dodgers. They’re one of the worst hitting teams. Need to go at em.
Hoffman out…Hendrix warming.
Senzel looks to be getting more comfortable at the plate which is good of course.
Senzel better not be stealing with 2 outs
Our big guys swing at almost every 3-0 so it can’t be surprising to the opponent?
I’ve had enough between Hoffman gifting them runs and Senzel getting nailed on a 3-0 pitch. You knew when they had a ton of hits last night that it wouldn’t carry over. I give this Brubaker guy C+ stuff. He’s not that good and won’t have a nice era when its all said and done.
Another Reds reliever scared to death to throw a strike smh.
More often than not this year, these relief pitchers just don’t look comfortable when they come in. Breathing hard, look nervous. No trust in themselves. Or they just suck IDK.
Leadoff walk? Come on now.
….and the walked batter scores.
Reds just dont win winnable games against beatable teams to get above .500 .
Its an 8 year drought and frustrating plague
Cionnel perez to the rescue
Bell threw this game and is saving best arms for gray tomorrow
I remember the Old Times … when Ryan Hendrix was a shutdown reliever for the Reds.
Only partly … /s.
He has had two meh appearances in a row now … just kind of stings because more arms in the bullpen still feel a little shaky rather than rock solid.
Unless the Reds mount a comeback tonight, Antone will collect dust in the bullpen for a sixth straight day. While we keep trotting out Hoffman every fifth start.
This is gross mismanagement of talent.
I wasn’t sure Antone was still on the team
I’ll say it again. There are a lot of bullpen innings to cover. Why not bring up a guy who’s throwing 100+ strikes and get his work in up here? Worse case scenario you can send him back down. He can take Romano’s spot on the 40 man roster.
Is it just me, or does Moose’s swing look like a little leaguer? Kind of awkward.
Realistically, with a better result on defense, Hoffman could have allowed 0 runs. Tucker went for the backhand, instead of blocking the wild pitch. Then the Winker non-play probably cost them 2 runs.
If you throw the ball in the dirt with a runner on third, two outs, and a weak hitter at the plate, and later walk a guy hitting .140 with nobody base, and THEN decide it’s time to groove a fastball down the middle that gets hit into the gap, you can’t really blame the defense. Given the line drives that were hit right at defenders, he’s lucky he didn’t give up more than three. That was bad pitching.
Winker is :
1st in NL in Batting average
1st in NL in OBP
1st in NL in slugging percentage
1st in NL in OPS
2nd in MLB in OPS behind mike Trout
Hit 2b and home Run to account for only run against terrible pittsburgh team. Yet narrative is Winker defense cost the game. The ball was uncatchable to anyone who didnt watch the game. But redlegnation is filled with folks who were just plain wrong on winker but need to try and restore their wrong takes and dig deeper
You’re reaching at straws with your accusations. I made a comment about one play in the field that could have changed what Hoffman’s results turned out to be. If you paid attention, you would see where I said that Winker usually makes every play on balls he gets too.
The ball was uncatchable and to suggest it was is a cheap shot and an attack from someone who has spent three years mocking and attacking Jesse Winker .
Are you denying that?
Watch the replay and look at the score and winker is 3-4 and best hitter in the league.
You stated Winker defense was part of the loss. It wasnt
Are you really saying you have not mocked Jesse Winker the last few years?? You are impugning him still when he’s absolutely unequivocally the MVP of the team if not the league.
Get a clue dude. I haven’t mocked Winker in any way on this board, neither this year or any other year. This is a game thread. I’m commenting on a play in THIS game. He was there to make a play and didn’t put his glove up to catch the ball. It’s not my opinion, it’s what happened. The Pirates announcers said as much too, I never said it cost the Reds the game either, so stop making stuff up. All I said (if you can read) was Hoffman, with a little bit of help, could of had different results. Remember, this is a game thread….it’s about the plays that happen in the game. Jesse drove in another run, but it’s ok by you that he got thrown out at 3rd on a baserunning mistake, because he’s leading the league in hitting.
I admit now + repent- I was fully wrong on Winker and ready to deal him last year. He’s got the whole team on his shoulders, makes things exciting and is an incredible core component of the team
Three good hard hit balls that inning but nothing to show for it. You never know. That’s why you have to push hard from the very beginning of the game.
Reds should have saved one of those touchdowns they scored yesterday for today’s game!
Oh yes. Great hit Senzel.
Really like how Senzel has been hitting the last 2 games. Love the approach!
Winker. You dingaling. Great hit but very stupid base running.
7-6-2-5 is quite the scorebook recording on the first out of an inning … especially the 8th.
Da Wink is entertaining … bad TOOTBLAN or not.
I just wish he would tuck in his hip pocket, as a retired military man it drives me nuts to see that loose pocket dangling
Just checked in. I see the Cubs have lost but the Reds are once again making a mediocre team look good. They have to quit doing that. No more Arizona’s, please. Reading the comments here, it looks like Senzel & Winker, at least, followed up on last night’s performance. That’s good to see .
Mediocre team is generous I think.
Hoffman to the bullpen and give someone else an opportunity, maybe TA?
Doug Gray and some others commented here the other day that Antone was nowhere close to be “stretched out.”
Sure feels like an uphill struggle before first pitch on the days Hoffman is starting.
Hoffman’s walks just run up his pitch count and reduces his opportunity to pitch into the 6th or 7th innings. He wasn’t awful tonight, just not efficient!
This team continues to be its own worst enemy. I wonder how many games they’ll end up losing this year simply because they either don’t know or ignore basic baseball strategy.
+1,000 This Reds team continues to display a lack of baseball intelligence! Except for the occasional blowouts, it’s the “little things” in baseball that results in WINS in close games regardless of the strength of the opponent.
Yeeeep
One word – Bell. The players may not be executing well but Bell & his team set the lineup and the strategy. It’s well past time for a change. It’s become a common and repeated refrain from a good number of folks on here. Sadly, the team’s ownership and senior management do not appear to care about the fans or even about winning.
Well, at least Antone will have had a full week’s rest for tomorrow’s game, which the Reds will probably win by 12.
This is what I mean when I say the Reds manager doesn’t know how to hide the weaker performers. He leaves Antone on the bench and “showcases” guys that can’t slam the door when only trailing by one run And his team gets farther and farther behind.
As I type it’s now a 5 run deficit! So demoralizing to the offense
It’s hard to defend that strategy
Castellanos with the Hat Trick.
“Turn out the lights … the party’s over …”
These losses to the weak sister teams matter and are difficult, if not impossible, to overcome in September, assuming the Reds are battling for a playoff spot!
Just like walks haunt, these kind of losses haunt.
This game has been just as frustrating as last night’s game was fun. Reds beat themselves tonight in myriad ways. Wish they could string a few together like Monday’s game. Following the Reds from day to day often seems like cruel and unusual punishment!
It ain’t easy is it? lol
The little things (defense and baserunning add up in close games. Then the JV relievers make sure it doesn’t stay close, and you have what we got tonight.