Third times a charm? The Cincinnati Reds (17-19) face the Colorado Rockies (15-24) in the third game of this four game series, trying to break a two-game losing streak and win a game at Coors Field for the first time this season.
Details:
- First pitch: 8:10 EDT
- Location: Coors Field, Denver, CO
- TV: Bally Sports Ohio and MLB Network (out-of-market)
- Radio: 700 WLW and streaming on the Iheartradio app
Starting Pitchers
| Name | IP | ERA | xERA | FIP | xFIP | WHIP | K% | BB% |
| Tyler Mahle | 36.0 | 3.00 | 3.13 | 4.02 | 3.73 | 1.17 | 32.4% | 10.1% |
| Jhoulys Chacin | 12.1 | 5.84 | 4.27 | 6.84 | 5.63 | 1.78 | 12.3% | 12.3% |
REDS
Aside from one start, Tyler Mahle hasn’t had a bad season so far in 2021. He gave up six runs in five innings to the Cubs on May 2 (this was the crazy game that ended with a Reds 13-12 victory). Other than that, he hasn’t given up more than two earned runs in a start yet. Will he overcome the Coors Field factor tonight?
Mahle’s been getting a lot more batters to swing and miss at his split finger this season, with a whiff% of 45.1%. He already has three more strikeouts with it (8) than he did in 2020 (5), in fewer pitches (79 compared to 100). However, the whiff% on his slider is way down from last season at 28.4% compared to 41.5%.
ROCKIES
After six years and seven different teams, 33-year-old right-hander Jhoulys Chacin is back with the Rockies, the team with which he started his career. He had been with the Yankees during spring training, but did not make the cut and the Rockies swooped in and signed him before the start of the regular season. In 2020, he pitched only two games for the Braves at the beginning of the season in July before being designated for assignment.
Tonight will be Chacin’s first start of the season. He’s made six appearances, all out of the bullpen. He’s most likely been building back up his innings to be a starter, as he’s pitched 3.1 innings in each of his last two appearances. The last time Chacin faced the Reds, it was 2019 and he was pitching for the Brewers. He gave up three earned runs on six hits while striking out five and walking one in just three innings.
Chacin has five pitches in his arsenal and he throws all five pitches. His curve ball, averaging about 80.5 mph, is his best pitch and he gets the best whiff% with it. He only averages about 91 mph with his fastball, so he’s definitely not a power pitcher, and the whiff rates on his fastball prove it. They’ve been anywhere between 10 percent and 20 percent. He gets more batters to swing and miss at his off speed pitches than anything else.
Lineups
Cincinnati Reds
|
Colorado Rockies |
| LF Jesse Winker | LF Raimel Tapia |
| RF Nick Castellanos | 1B Connor Joe |
| CF Tyler Naquin | SS Trevor Story |
| 3B Eugenio Suárez | 2B Ryan McMahon |
| C Tucker Barnhart | 3B Josh Fuentes |
| SS Kyle Farmer | RF Yonathan Daza |
| 2B Jonathan India | CF Garrett Hampson |
| 1B Alex Blandino | C Elias Diaz |
| P Tyler Mahle | P Jhoulys Chacin |
Stat of the Day
Not sure what it is about NL West teams this year, but the Reds are 4-11 against that division in 2021. Two of those four wins have come against arguably the best team in the NL West in the Dodgers. Go figure.
News and Notes
Read about Jose Garcia’s hot start in Chattanooga, and other minor league notes here.
Doug gives a couple of injury updates on Mike Moustakas and Nick Senzel. Heel contusions are the name of the game in Colorado this weekend, apparently.
In his pregame meeting with the media, David Bell gave further updates on Senzel and Moustakas:
David Bell on Nick Senzel: “He probably could have started the game today. He’ll be available off the bench and maybe be back in the lineup tomorrow."
On Mike Moustakas: “A little better than expected today, but we still don’t know for sure exactly what we’re looking at."
— Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__) May 15, 2021
Reds pretty heavy road betting favorites tonight. -160… I dunno… I feel like it’s 10-8 either way. Not optimistic about Mahle tonight – at least not in terms of length. Chacin is trash at this point and is probably only going 3-4 innings.
Reds facing another Cy Young candidate tonight! Any team but this team would light Chacin up early and often! Tired of losing to bottom feeders! Reds keep this up and they will find themselves at the bottom of the NL Central Division. Show some pride please! Show some fire! Wonder who’s turn to have a day off today? Winker?
Extremely frustrated trying to figure this team out! Hard to remain hopeful even though there”s a lot of season left!
Here’s hoping for all our sakes that they relieve the frustration by scoring early and often!
Remains embarrassing. Governor lifted the attendance restrictions starting June, but who will want to go with them getting lit up by bottom feeders. Start trading now.
The Reds need wins in the remaining two games to split the series. The word is Prince Albert has signed with the LAD in the hope he can revive the Dodgers.
I really don’t understand why Castellanos….(sure that is mispelled) isn’t at first and Shogo isn’t in the Outfield but what do I know
The game will be delayed with rain in the forecast. No announced start time yet.
8:20pm ET start time…. a 10 minute delay.
I know there are alot of Votto bashers on here but I just feel this team is missing him. I feel he was playing some good first base and his hitting was coming at the time he got hurt. Hope he gets back soon and the pitching stabilizes. Split the series and move on to the next one. Splitting and winning series and it will all take care of itself. Honestly dont get why the Dodgers would take Pujols unless he just wants to win a championship.
Pujols to Dodgers is a bit mystifying for sure. How will they use him?
Same question from me
Heck, I wanted the Reds to pick him up. We need a right handed pinch hitter, and platoon with Votto. I’d much rather have him getting time over Blandino. If the Reds do start using Stephenson at 1B as the platoon, then disregard everything I said about wanting Albert.
Go Redlegs.
The Road Game Ship needs turned around and there isn’t likely a softer opponent to turn it around against than the Rockies.
Always a bit concerning when the manager’s injury update is “…we still don’t know for sure exactly what we’re looking at. (in regard to Moose)” Let’s just leave things there and hope what it is isn’t as bad as anything that cannot yet be ruled out.
Hoping it’s not Plantar fasciitis. That can take awhile to heal.
Oh please no …
Going to take a bit of a miracle for Tapia NOT to score. The booth was right – Farmer tipping that hurt the play overall.
OK – a K of Story and maybe we salvage this.
Cowboy apologizing for the incompetence and inconsistency of the HP umpires and the Flex-o-Zone?
Put that right where Tucker told him to … and then THAT happened. I put that one on Tuck for not calling another high gas.
1-2 count. That pitch needed to be in the dirt. Instead it was in the second deck.
Down and in to a lefty goes 478 feet.
One day they will learn.
Yep. I saw Barnhart setting up and said, “No, not THERE!”
Another moronic down-n-in pitch to a lefty with 2 strikes on him?? We give up damage on 2 strike counts almost every night. Can anyone put guys away or atleast force weak contact? They lose either one of these 2 and I’m bailing for a long while. We go nowhere every year and nothing ever changes.
The third less than stellar Rockies pitcher that the Reds make look like a Cy Young candidate. Don’t want to think about a good pitcher. It is humiliating.
Its just what we do.Just awful against guys off the scrap heap.
Reds are beating the ball into the ground tonight.
Move up in the box. Chacin isn’t beating you with fastballs.
Getting out of that two-on, two-out situation was big for Mahle. Get behind 4-0 and you’re looking at another long night with a probable early call to the bullpen.
2nd inning and top of the order up already. Lol Were the Rockies the favorite to win the World Series? Talk about hitting the ball all over the place.
Mahle just gave us our best at bat of the night.
Castellanos never misses a mistake.
Nick C homered, because he was well rested.
Now that’s funny!
Where would this team be without Winker and Castellanos?
Dudes really are dangerous virtually every at-bat.
They need 2 more similar hitting dudes to really be competitive day in and day out. I’ve always heard the good teams have 4 such dudes.
Last place.
Both guys give professional at bats.Good hitters as was said the other night that can hit home runs.Both go the other way for singles and homers.Yes we need more of them
Castellanos has improved tremendously on defense. Last year he was horrendous, and this year, he looks to my eye like average to a bit above average — that’s a big, big improvement.
He may be playing well because he is so rested.
How in the World is Blandino staring over Stephenson?
I wonder what the Reds could get if they trade Castillo. Is his value gone? I don’t think so, but it’s definitely diminished. Castillo almost had too much value in the offseason, so much so that teams couldn’t make an offer to the Reds, because it would cost their organization too much. If Lodolo, and Greene keep playing well, I’d be looking to move Castillo. Plus Gutierrez and Santillan still have a lot of upside.
Garcia just hit a 3 run shot for Chattanooga.
Nice! If there is something this team needs it’s a SS. Garcia and Rodriguez need to advance levels quickly.
Good time for Ol’ Tuck to remember what Bob Steve likes to throw and jack one out.
Or take Strike 3.
One of those series for Ye Olde Redlegs.
Time for BobSteve to be BobSteve. Great in 8-1 games and garbage when it matters.
Or they can let Mahle bat? What? Thats a bigtime Dusty move. Most likely waste an opportunity then pull Mahle after 8 more pitches anyway.
That was an eventful half-inning … full of talking points, as they like to say on English soccer broadcasts … to not score a run.
Mahle is only on 77 pitches, but he could be seeing guys for a 4th time in the bottom of the 7th.
First time all year Bell is not trusting his bullpen.
Time for some Mahle magic.
Cubs and Brewers have both lost. The Cards trailing by 5. A Reds win tonight would be a big step forward.
The stack feels decked!
Big opportunity lost right there. I wanted to see Winker be a little more patient and see if Rockies would walk in a run. Sadak was talking about how he is wild.
Reds only have 3 walks and 2 are from Mahle.
Go to Antone here or this run scores
Or not. Mahle really stepped up there! Lets take this game already!
Tyler Mahle… doin’ work. Big K. Now get out of the inning !!
96 – 95 – 96 mph on pitches to Blackmon, then got Tapia.
Mahle emptied the tank to keep it 2-2.
Mahle says I dont think so.
What a job by Mahle after the lead off triple. Man we needed this. I was low-man on Mahle delivering tonight. Happy eating crow!
Tyler Mahle just officially arrived. Big performance. Put the league on notice.
Yes he did. And with 93 pitches through 7. Not bad at all. Let’s pick him up and give him the win.
Extend Nick Castellanos today.
He’s one of the best pure hitters I’ve seen recently.
He and Wink together the next five years? C’mon.
Who dis?
#70
Maybe India can get another round trip.
I wish (relatively speaking) that Tejay Antone could pitch as often as Kyle Farmer bats. Such is life….
Farmer has been pretty decent as a starter! Its hard to hit when you can’t get a rhythm. Your point stands about Antone though
I’m going to keep beating the drum. You have to play India and let him learn on the job and get 450 at bats.
Jonathon India can flat out hit and play defense. Je’s a ballplayer. Great draft puck.
Wasted at bat.
Real talk for 2021:
There’s a 25% chance that Blandino gets a base hit there, and a 5% chance he lays down a successful sacrifice. Please stop trying to bunt.
Never, ever, ever, ever try to bunt unless you are a pitcher batting. Ever. Ever, ever, ever, ever ever. Never bunt. Ever.
Need one of those Shogo slap hits here.
A 2 run single if they get the bunt down, but they never do
What a time for Winker to have an off night. 2 big chances.
Maybe he will score the winning run in the 10th
Is Dusty Baker managing tonight?
If Moustakas wasn’t available (almost certain) and Senzel wasn’t available (which feels likely)
“the bench” was …. Akiyama and Stephenson.
Can see the logic of trying to win it in 9 innings or 10, thus the flip of SP spot and inserting Akiyama.
Bell isn’t even close to a Top 10 manager in MLB … an MLB.TV subscription will confirm that … but maybe his hands were really tied tonight.
Winker is not having a good night. It’s like he’s imitating Suarez, 3 of the Reds 5 SOs. Team 0-7 RISP. Just put th3 ball in play.
Alright lets the road team advantage with this extra innings rule. As long as the Wink doesn’t get thrown out trying to steal 3rd))) He always thinks he can run.
Man….Stephenson is a scary looking dude at the plate. Big guy with a compact looking set-up and swing.
Rockie defense has been stellar tonight.
Thought Ty had a knock….liked the 2 strike approach.
Geno turning into the hitting equivalent of BobSteve. Goes 430 feet when its 8-2, but when its time to actually win a game? Next to never
This is why I believe the home team has the advantage in extras. They can now play for 1 run. Kind like College football OT. Always choose defense 1st if you win the toss.
I’d like to know the numbers because I bet mlb and it feels like the road team is cleaning up in extras. Think about it. Odds are that they’ll get the lead run in and sometimes many like Arizona did to us. Once you’re behind then the hitters can easily press in the bottom of the inning even if its just a 1 run deficit
I tried to find numbers too….but couldn’t.
Just my opinion though.
They walk off and I’m walking off too. I know the Reds are no juggernaut, but I’m sick and adjective tired of watching them play down to their competition.
They can’t get a clutch hit. Bell always asks them to bunt and they can’t do it. They should be able to, but they can’t and haven’t so Bell should take the adjective hint by now??????????????
Reds need to score now before Bell goes to that pen again.
Umpire says swing the bat I want to go home
Farmer….deep!
The Reds can use this streak from Farmer
I take it all back! Kyle Farmer for President!
Farmer is 15 for last 45 (.333)
Farmer is a great bench piece that can play anywhere. If the Reds didnt sign him he would have been picked up quickly. He is taking advantage of his time at short. At the plate and in the field. Keeping it warm until Garcia gets here.
Yes, I absolutely knew it would be Farmer who managed to get a clutch hit for the lead in OT. I’m sure all of us were picking him to be the guy who came through. Good for him!
Maybe Wink needs a day off. Swing suddenly looks long. It happens to 99% of them
Wow! Winker 0-6. Golden Sombrero. Hades has officially frozen over.
Unbelievable.
I see all these teams with a ton of great arms in the pen, but really all we have is Antone. Sims might get it going, but half the teams in mlb have 3 guys better then him
Maybe Sims is not really set up to be a multi-inning guy. His stuff plays.
Plenty of top relievers are expected/conditioned to give 1 inning.
But, on the 2021 Reds … he has to be, at least for now.
Good point. He def seems like a max effort guy
I didn’t understand why Hembree was not pitching up 2 for the save in the 11th? Why would Bell even consider sending Sims back out there whenever he’s been average at best all year when Hembree has CLEARLY been the best pitcher in the bullpen other than Antone since he’s been with the Reds. Sims should have never been pitching the 11th. David Bell strikes again. And this is what I said before Sims blew in the 11th… not after.
I just don’t understand how Hembree isn’t the automatic call there in the 11th…. how can it be anybody but him especially in a must-win game??
Hopefully Bell brings in Hembree. I dont trust anybody else. Reds will have to score 5 runs here to cover Doolittle.
Hembree warming
Fuentes finally boots one and it goes straight to story for the out….Then Tucker gets robbed by…..Fuentes of course.
Over/under tonight was 11….A miracle push if you had the over.
They win and pick up a game on the Cards.