After a one-run win last night that had contributions from many different players, the Reds (25-29) are back at it on this Friday night for the second game of the weekend series against the Cardinals (31-26).
Details:
- First pitch: 8:15 ET
- Location: Busch Stadium
- TV: Bally Sports Ohio
- Radio: WLW 700 or streaming on the IHeartRadio app
Starting Pitchers
| Name | IP | ERA | xERA | FIP | xFIP | WHIP | K% | BB% |
| Luis Castillo | 52.1 | 7.22 | 4.28 | 4.78 | 4.28 | 1.78 | 19.3% | 9.2% |
| Kwang Hyun Kim | 37.0 | 3.65 | 4.68 | 3.46 | 4.18 | 1.41 | 20.0% | 7.3% |
REDS
Luis Castillo pitched better in his most recent start against the Cubs on Saturday, allowing only two earned runs (the other two were unearned) over five innings. He still needs to walk fewer batters (he gave up 16 walks in 28.0 innings in the month of May), and his strikeout rate still isn’t where it has been in the past, but there is progress being made.
Castillo also really hasn’t had any help from the defense behind him. Of all the Reds starters, Castillo is the one who has given up the most unearned runs with eight. He’s struggling on the mound and an inning being prolonged by errors behind him are probably only defeating him more. This is also why you can’t really look at his ERA so far this season. With an xERA of 4.28 and an xFIP of 4.28, Castillo’s expected stats are much closer to where he can be.
CARDINALS
In his first full season in MLB, 32-year-old left-hander Kwang Hyun Kim is acquitting himself quite nicely in the Cardinals rotation, with a 3.65 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 37.0 innings. He was on the 10-day injured list for about two weeks in April, but since returning to the active roster, he has been a mainstay in the Cardinals rotation.
The Reds were not able to figure Kim out when they faced him on April 23 at Busch Stadium. He gave up only one run and struck out eight in 5.2 innings. Teams might be catching on to his scouting report now, however, because in his last two starts, he has allowed seven runs total in 10.2 innings. Maybe the Reds can do the same tonight?
Lineups
Cincinnati Reds
|
St. Louis Cardinals |
| 3B Eugenio Suárez | RF Tommy Edman |
| LF Jesse Winker | CF Dylan Carlson |
| RF Nick Castellanos | 1B Paul Goldschmidt |
| C Tyler Stephenson | 3B Nolan Arenado |
| CF Scott Heineman | C Yadier Molina |
| SS Kyle Farmer | LF Tyler O’Neill |
| 2B Jonathan India | 2B Matt Carpenter |
| P Luis Castillo | SS Edmundo Sosa |
| 1B Alex Blandino | P Kwang-hyun Kim |
Since a left-hander is on the mound for the Cardinals tonight, Scott Heineman gets the start in center field.
News and Notes
A new episode of Redleg Nation Radio dropped today for your listening pleasure.
Would be a really good game for Castillo to pitch to his potential and go 7 or more innings.
Good start to the series! Now need the LC of old, not the 2021 version, to show up tonight and clip the wings of the Dirty Birds! A 7 inning quality start would be awesome!
And the Suarez of 2018
The pitching has been terrible. 54 games in is any one thinking DJ has lost his touch? He seems to be getting a pass while Zinter gets blame for all the hitting woes. I will say I don’t think either have the best material to work with.
Tough to put that on the coach….starting pitching has been pretty good except Castillo. You can’t teach heart.
As for the bullpen, Can’t make chicken salad out of chicken you-know-what.
This is on management and ownership… not coaching.
Looks a little like a getaway day lineup to me … let’s hope it works out for us
Can Naquin not hit lefties at all? He’s a pretty good hitter to be sitting especially with all of the injuries we have. Is Heineman that good or just another journeyman player? Since he’s playing I hope he does well.
Same question about Barnhart hitting lefties. Is Blandino better because he bats right? I hope he is tonight.
Reds are in 4 th place in june against the cards. They played to win last night and won .
Play the same way tonight and win the dang series. Theres no other way.
If that means sean Doolittle and heath hembrey and Amir Garrett have to pitch Sunday to win- so be it.
Gotta win today and give a chance to win the series 3-1
+500
I really don’t like our roster vs lefties. Naquin and Tucker won’t play. Winker is degraded and Votto is automatically in there when available, but he’s severely degraded too. They need Aquino or even Lorenzen to provide some kind of threat up there. Suarez is no protection with the way he tries to pull everything. India & Stephenson maybe? It could get ugly quick without Castellanos.
Bell is stacking the lineup with RH bats and giving Castillo about the best defensive look he can, although I’m not sure what Heinemen can do in CF. Maybe Tyler Stephenson meshes better with Luis and becomes his designated catcher. I hope Castillo paid attention last night to how Gutierrez went after hitters. No nibbling please. Hats off to Adam Wainwright. This is what a professional pitcher looks like. He gave his team a huge lift by going 7 innings and it certainly looked like his arm was about to fall off.
Reds need to commit all resources to winning this game getting to 2-0 in the series. Bell did that yesterday. Do it again . It getting late early
It’s a soft-tossing lefty so I don’t feel good about their potential tonight. Hope they perform better than their track record against this type of pitcher
Three up and down quickly and Suarez with an error.Castillo gets no breaks at all.Got to feel for him.
An error and a strikeout to open the game. I can see why he’s the leadoff hitter and plays every game.
I agree LDS but it doesn’t matter.He will play every game regardless of how he performs.If anything other then that was going to happen it would have already happened.
Our young studs RULE!!!!
I guess they haven’t been with the club long enough to forget how to approach a soft-tossing lefty!
Tyler Stephenson and India! The young guns!! I agree with someone earlier that they should try India at leadoff.
Since he’s been hitting better of late, I would certainly move him up in the lineup.
Young guys coming through. 🙂
Good to see!
India looking good!
Castillo will now have a lead to work with for a change. Let’s see how he responds…
Suarez wRC+ is 60 after a full 2020 season equivalent
Why people dont want to watch India and Stephenson and Senzel and Winker Ill never know- these are the players that were top picks who everyone else wanted
Go young
Put senzel at 3b and get rid of Suarez
Preach Old-school.They are part of now and a big part of the future.Just let the young guys play.Get em 500 at bats and lets see.Young guys are used to playing every day so let them do it.
Senzel can’t stay on the field. Thats always been the problem. I’d drop Suarez to 6th or 7th though and leave him there. When Moose gets back they could start sitting him vs alot of righties, but they won’t. It should be obvious that he can’t play SS
Senzel has spent his entire career playing out of position
Hes the best 3b on the roster
Stop the CF experiment and give him the same daily routine that Suarez and Hamilton and Peraza and Schebler and Duvall and Cozart got. Every day routine
Billy hamilton got 5 years and 2000 at bats leading off every day . Senzel hasnt had 2 weeks
@Old-School +1 here!
I’m glad Goldy bailed us out by swinging at 3-0 in the 1st. Castillo cannot throw 3 strikes in a row
Ugghhhhhhh…..let that ball drop. I know that a next level play but it was there. Baseball IQ
Is that a glove or a Hoover on India’s hand?
The second inning Cardinals hitters- 9 pitch AB, 7 pitch AB, 6 pitch AB, then finally a 4 pitch AB for the third out.
Didn’t score but running up the pitch count.
Hey! Look who pulled an outside pitch to the third baseman for a ground out!
Or was there a shift? I’m on Game day
I am not watching but it appears Castillo is just all over the place with his pitches.I know nothing about nothing but either the ball is moving or he can’t repeat his delivery.I just hope he can get it right and get this win.He needs something to get his confidence up in a big way.
Yeah – that’s pretty much what I’m seeing and I’ve got it on screen.
Throwing alot more heaters and at a steady 98. Good stuff even though he’s going deep into counts and a little wild
Did Castellanos just blame that on himself and tell India not to sweat it?
Kinda looked like it. Looked like he was coaching him up telling him that if he thinks he could get it he should call him off.
I doubt it. I think it was more like: Look kid, that was yours. I’ll call you off if I need to. Now, let’s try again.
It didn’t hurt us. That’s what’s most important.
It’s really hard to make the case for benching India when Votto, Moose, and Senzel come back from injury.
I fear India will be sent down instead.
I’m hoping they keep him around, too.
Perhaps it will work itself out — especially since we really have no idea when Moose or Senzel will be back. Senzel is definitely out for a while.
I think it will work itself out. And by the point Moose or Senzel are back, India will probably have had plenty of time to cement himself or let him play himself out of his spot.
SS
If you eliminate the obvious-Winker and Castellanos and then know the obvious need for a catching tandem-Tucker and Tyler and then ask who is the next best player…..its Jon India.
Position players … OK.
Otherwise, Antone … double the WAR of India … might want to “enter the chat.”
Yes-position players
I sat next to Antone family at a game randomly.
They are amazing people and TJ is too.
Besides being awesome, Antone seems to actually speak his mind. No cliches … stuff like “I am trying to strike every dude out”.
Refreshing.
This just in … Castillo not terrible after 4 innings with just over 60 pitches. Perhaps we get a full 6 innings out of him tonight yet. More to come as this story unfolds …
Seriously, he doesn’t look all that sharp, but he’s getting it done. At least we gave him a 3-run lead this time.
Thumbs up.
Still the Game 2 starter in a playoff series.
Just hope he fixes himself by then.
Or I should have posted …. +500.
He has looked sharp the last 2 innings. Very weak swings and swing and misses.
Same thing with his last start. Defense cost him 2 runs in the second, then 2 walks and Amir Garrett cost him 2 runs in the 6th inning.
He ain’t stinkin’ the joint up, that’s for sure. And if it weren’t for that India misplay with Castellanos, he’d have a no-no going.
True that. Doesn’t seem that way, but the box score says that’s accurate.
Well, there goes the shutout. 3-1 game. Hang in.
Reds need to add on some runs.We have just as many guys hit by pitches as we do hits.Two hits after 4 inning is not good at all.Lets go and put this game away.
Bottom of 5th really big for Castillo …
7 – 8 – Pinch Hitter due up
Hopefully, he gets them out 1-2-3 … and faces top of order in 6th with bases clean, limiting chance of big inning.
Blandino’s out of the game after that HBP. Votto may be traveling from Louisville to St. Louis tonight (assuming he feels good enough to field).
Votto>Stephenson ((((((((((((((
You know the Reds handed out some God awful contracts when the big $ guys are on the DL and you’re worse when they come back.
No, not necessarily, especially recently. But at this point, you need a body if Blandino is indeed headed to the IL. Moose, Senzel, Votto, Schrock are all hurt.
Bottom of 5th really big for Castillo …
7 – 8 – Pinch Hitter due up
Hopefully, he gets them out 1-2-3 … and faces top of order in 6th with bases clean, limiting chance of big inning.
Well … scratch that.
At least it was solo shot.
Yep. And he’s still at only 75 pitches. A bit wild at times, but efficient enough so far.
Yes, and Castillo seems to have recovered well immediately thereafter. A solo shot every once in a long while doesn’t hurt . Offense needs to tack on a few more runs now.
And Castillo atones by driving in a run himself. Good show!
Really like this kid’s glove and range. Could be a very good 2B.
He’s a keeper — he’s made a believer out of me.
A little too much loft on that slap shot …
The combination of 3 hit-by-pitch, 2 walks, and 2 homers before anyone reaches base via a single has got to be some sort of major league record.
Nice catch. Crowding cranking up a bit. Reds D team pen is all Bell haves
I really doubt 3 runs wins this game?
haves? has
Of note – Votto lifted for a PH shortly after Blandino got pulled. Could be a combo of being the last inning of a double header, could fore shadow how Blandino’s feeling.
JV’s been lifted for a PH every game so far at L’ville from what I’ve seen.
Check that – played the entire first game. He’s only been DH though so far.
Turned it over again … maybe we can get lucky with Luis at bat?
Hunter Greene with 10 strikeouts in 6 innings tonight. Gave up a 3 run shot on his 98th pitch but was in total control in a blowout. They need to move him and Lodolo to triple A.
Castillo helping himself with the bat.
Reds did not put their best offensive team on the field tonight.Heineman and Blandino can’t hit.Throw in Suarez and the pitcher and that’s 4 pretty much automatic outs.Farmer makes 5 so its Wink.,Casty and the two rookies against the Cards.We have 2 hits and 3 runs and I don’t think but I hope it is enough.Can’t win unless you score so maybe it was or is our best defensive team but you have to score.
Castillo standing on 2nd wants you to know he can hit.
Regarding Castillo … “You swing a bat, you are dangerous.”
RIP Nuxy (A Reds G.O.A.T.)
Luis with the thunder!!! He’s trying to end the Reds 9 game losing streak when he pitches. Homer’s reverse record stands!
That’s 2 HR, 3 HBP, 3 walks, 1 double, 0 singles
Very interesting observations
India to leadoff. Its a pretty obvious move
Good call, Indy.
Suarez isn’t a leadoff guy and if he going to be 40 HRs/negative WAR for 2021 … at least have some guys on base when the dingers come.
Suarez is the leadoff hitter until at least July. He was pretty good for a few games leading off, so he remains there for at least 30 games no matter what.
Kudos to Castillo.
6 inning SP starts feels like the best improvement available at the moment for easing the pressure on the bullpen.
At least until Lorenzen’s stuff coming off injury can be counted on.
I disagree. He wasn’t particularly effective, especially with RISP. Getting him extra ABs each game is definitely not working. With Winker & Castellanos hitting behind him, it’s not like team’s could pitch around him. He’s simply not hitting and should be benched or even sent down, though I lean toward trading him.
The insurance run helps. LC getting the RBI for it? Priceless.
94 pitches got him through 6 innings! Pretty nice especially considering this season’s struggles
Kudos to Castillo.
6 inning SP starts feels like the best improvement available at the moment for easing the pressure on the bullpen.
At least until Lorenzen’s stuff coming off injury can be counted on.
Suarez with a base hit — will miracles never cease!
And then erased by the (inevitable?) DP.
Winker seems to be in a bit of a funk lately. Hope he breaks out soon.
Suarez gets the team’s first single. I would have lost that bet.
Cards are professional hitters and make you throw strikes.Castillo did it and got us to the 7th.Get a couple more here and let him try the 7th.Great job tonight.
With 6/7/8 coming up, I think hard about sending Castillo back out to start the 7th. Short leash, but give him a shot.
20-game streak!!!
And TySteve gets a free pass.
Castellano keeps the hitting streak going (20 games) with a double!
Cardinals pitchers plunking our batters left and right. Too much.
They have plunked everybody in the league and they walk more batters than the Reds. The Cardinals arent very good right now.
Can’t retaliate as we all know the Reds will be punished by suspensions by the MLB FO.
ESPN showed Framer struck out on a pitch in the other batters box.Is that true?
Yes. Was waaaaaay outside.
Oh yeah. Like 8+ inches away.
I never would have guessed I would be a big Brad Brach fan …. but here we are.
Anyone on backend who can chew through some outs on non-Antone and non-Sims days … I am rooting real hard for.
Try him and why not.Need somebody that can throw strikes first of all and make em hit it.Free passes late in games will kill any team and it has done us in all year.
That’ll do. Big improvement.
PITCHER IP H ER BB K
L. Castillo 6.0 3 1 1 5
Nice hit by India — but bad decision to try for second. Rookies will make mistakes.
He assumed it was going to hug the wall. Didn’t see it carom and apparently DeShields couldn’t stop him.
Brach should be out for the 8th I hope.He threw 12 pitches.No need to try and find the one who will let them back in the game.
It’s Hendrix. I think I would have left Brach in, too. He looked pretty good last inning.
Agree, should have been. But there’s the Bell factor. I think he should have let Castillo come out for th3 7th
That’s what I was thinking. Go with the hot pitcher for the win.
Just.SIX.More.Outs.
Uh oh…..
And we’re smoking in the dynamite room … again
I should have patented that phrase.
Take out the name of washed up Andrew Miller …
These have been some of most generic bullpen guys (both teams) … for 2 teams thinking they are contenders … in quite some time.
Good thing Reds are on the right side of it and only need 3 more outs.
And here come the walks!
Heath Hembree!
+500
Lucky, lucky, lucky! Struck out the best hitter in the Cards lineup in my opinion! Still need to have 2 relief pitchers warming up regardless of who pitches the 9th!
No, John, it isn’t “on the black” … so stop saying it. The pitch caught the outside edge of the plate for a strike.
Mark that is literally what “on the black” means:
https://www.mlb.com/glossary/idioms/painting-the-black
Whew!
Winker breaks out. No more left-handers!
Take out the name of washed up Andrew Miller …
These have been some of most generic bullpen guys (both teams) … for 2 teams thinking they are contenders … in quite some time.
Good thing Reds are on the right side of it and only need 3 more outs.
Go, kid, go!!!
Really like TySteve. Good job catching. Playing well at 1B when really needed.
6-1. Breathing room. Exhale.
Encouraged by Stephenson and India (it’s not all up to Winker and Nick C.)
The more India & Stephenson play, the better they look IMO. Not sure I’m looking forward to Moose and JV’s returns
+1,000
I’ve been a big fan of Geno’s, but I think it’s time to find a trade partner. Not sure how we insert both Moose and JV. We really need to keep India and TySteve getting AB’s.
Absolutely
I think we all were up through 2019. I’ve got to think that hitting all those HRs messed up his thinking. Or maybe the injury/surgery. Who knows. But a change of scenery would benefit everyone.
Who are we going to see on the mound? No save opportunity here. Then again, we don’t have Chapman or Iggy who REALLY didn’t like being brought in in those situations.
Cubs losing so the Reds will pick up another game.
So that’s a strike to us, but not to the WLB’s or especially The Neck Tattoo?
Doesn’t end up mattering, but COME ON MAN!!
You’re nibbling, Heath!! Just pitch to them.
The Brad Brach era of a 1-2-3 out 7th inning was such a simpler time.
So it was … fond memories.
Rats
Time to put a stop to this. Problem is, it looks like Doolittle is the next man up.
A 4 pitch walk and a hit batter up 5 in the ninth.I don’t have any idea how we can keep doing this silly stuff.
Winker whiffed on that. Hit him right in the glove.
he plays well for a DH
it is a small window but Doolittle can still screw this up
Its Bell’s way of telling Garrett he stinks.
we may be forced to count on AG tonight
Love Castellanos playing catch with a kid in the RF stands.
classy!
now if we can get Joey to sell beer in the stands for his last year of his contract we could build for 2023
+500
Can Doolittle get any of these “on the black”?
Its 6-2 !! Pitch to contact for crying out loud.
Nibbling like Koi fish …
Bell/DJ should fine every reliever who allows a walk.
Good old kangaroo court rules.
And Doolittle HAS to face this batter.
This is beginning to get ugly.
Got to find pen guys that can throw strikes period.
And not meatball strikes after a bunch of garbage nobody would swing at.
The fireman delivers once again. Tying run at the plate. You can’t convince me that neither Sims nor Antone couldn’t go an inning tonight. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Garrett relieve Doolittle
Bell cost this team 2 runs. Let’s hope it’s not the game. Cowboy baffled by move.
He can’t help himself. Big deal Doolittle got warm twice. Ugh he’s thinks too much of himself. He’s a Bob Boone if there ever was
One.
Smoking AND flicking lit matches in the dynamite room now … good grief!
Bell? Why do little? Backbreaker if we blow this one. Hembree was throwing hard and only needed 1 more out.
No reason to take Hembree out. Bell and his stupid matchups. Yeah bring in a lefty to pitch to a lefty but your two lefty’s pitch batting practice Bell.
Bell should have been fired ages ago. This just reinforces that view.
Coming off a good K he pulls Hembree and plays against the odds. The book and the feel of the game said no but Bell was the Kool Aid Man and said “Oh, yeah”
What I find most baffling about Bell is that he seems to be the ONLY person who hasn’t noticed how often his unnecessary “strategic” moves backfire.
Yes, it certainly seems that way. Not impressed.
Bell didnt want to use Sims and Antone but he might have to the way he is burning through relief pitchers. Garrett is the only one left.
And Blsndino is gone already.
my dog has Feliz
Thank you for levity even from a dad joke.
You slay me, brother.
good night!
Finally. Except for the last couple innings with the bullpen shenanigans, good game. I like our chances with Mahle and Miley coming up for the next two. BUT — We really do need to address this bullpen, though. It’s ridiculous and demoralizing. I mean, we were coasting at 6-1. Gotta slam that door! Go Reds!
Please DFA Doolittle.
Finally. Three straight strikes from a reliever. Finally.
Good for Castillo that he gets a much-earned W.
Off to bed – catch you all tomorrow.
There we go! Add-ons turned out necessary.
Brach only threw 12 pitches in the 7th. You’ve got to stretch good outings when you can because the back end of the pen stinks.
Absolutely
best part is that Doolittle won’t be available tomorrow
Bell will always out manage himself.He will give the other team every chance to win if they just hang around close.He has no feel for the game and he will look at matchups just to I guess show everybody he can.First Brach after a 12 pitch 7th and then Hembree with a 4 run lead in the ninth with one on and two out get pulled.If you don’t get the left handed hitter you have to face a switch hitter and 2 righties and we did with the game on the line.That is just dumb to even consider brining in a lefty especially a fly ball pitcher like Doolittle.
Huge win. Our ace going tomorrow (Mahle) vs TBD, and our two best relievers are available.
The offense should be better with Moose and Votto coming back.
If this team could get Lorenzen back at 100%, get Garrett straight, and maybe pick up another reliever at the deadline – this team could have a shot.