The second place Cincinnati Reds hit the road today as they travel to Kansas City to take on the 35-48 Royals. First pitch is scheduled for 8:10pm ET.
Starting Lineups
Cincinnati Reds
|
Kansas City Royals
|
| Alejo Lopez – 2B | Whit Merrifield – 2B |
| Jesse Winker – DH | Carlos Santana – 1B |
| Nick Castellanos – RF | Salvador Perez – C |
| Tyler Stephenson – C | Ryan O’Hearn – DH |
| Joey Votto – 1B | Jorge Soler – RF |
| Eugenio Suárez – 3B | Hanser Alberto – 3B |
| Aristides Aquino – LF | Hunter Dozier – LF |
| Tyler Naquin – CF | Michael A. Taylor – CF |
| Mike Freeman – SS | Nicky Lopez – SS |
| Vladimir Gutierrez – SP | Mike Minor – SP |
Starting Pitchers
Vladimir Gutierrez
Tonight Vladimir Gutierrez will be looking to rebound from a tough outing against the San Diego Padres where he allowed six earned runs in 4.1 innings. On the season he’s posted a 4.93 ERA through seven starts and 38.1 innings with 19 walks and 30 strikeouts to go along with eight home runs allowed.
We’re still dealing with a small sample size of big league time but so far Vladimir Gutierrez is showing big splits, but in a weird way. Lefties are hitting .188/.291/.362 against him – but they have 10 walks and 12 strikeouts. Righties are hitting .286/.360/.545 against him with 9 walks and 18 strikeouts. He’s also pitched much better on the road – four road starts to three home starts – where he’s got a 4.29 ERA and has held batters to a .218/.311/.397 line.
Pitch usage from 2021
| 4-Seam | 2-Seam | Slider | Curve | Change | |
| Velo | 92.9 | 93.4 | 82.8 | 76.8 | 79.4 |
| Usage | 47.9% | 0.6% | 20.8% | 23.5% | 7.2% |
Mike Minor
It’s been a tough few weeks for Mike Minor. He pitched well on June 20th against Boston, but the start before that and the two starts after that were not good in any way. Over the last four starts he’s allowed 20 earned runs in 22.1 innings while allowing 34 hits. On the season his ERA now sits at 5.33 through 96.1 innings.
The left-handed starter doesn’t get the chance to see many lefty hitters, but the ones deemed good enough to start against him are hitting better than the righties he faces. Lefties are hitting .288/.344/.441 against him in 64 plate appearances this season. Righties have a .246/.304/.438 line against him in 345 plate appearances. Minor has also pitched worse at home than on the road, with opposing batters having a 51 points advantage in OPS in Kauffman Stadium against him and his ERA is 0.55 higher in Kansas City.
Pitch usage from 2021
| 4-Seam | Slider | Curve | Change | |
| Velo | 90.8 | 85.7 | 80.2 | 85.1 |
| Usage | 40.8% | 22.5% | 15.4% | 21.3% |
When and Where
- Game time: 8:10pm ET
- Where: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City
- Watch: Bally Sports Ohio, MLB.tv
- Listen: 700 WLW AM (Cincinnati area)
- Forecast: 87°, sunny, 0% chance of rain.
News and Notes
Jonathan India scratched from the lineup
Just after 6pm the Reds announced that Jonathan India was replaced in the lineup after experiencing some ankle soreness. Mike Freeman will play shortstop and a few other guys shift around on the diamond and in the lineup from what was posted earlier.
Michael Lorenzen could return for the weekend in Milwuakee
There were several things of note from manager David Bell today (Mike Moustakas update, Jeff Hoffman update). Perhaps the biggest was that he mentioned the possibility that Michael Lorenzen could return this weekend in Milwaukee if things go well in his rehab assignment in Louisville. He’s scheduled to pitch on Tuesday and Thursday, with a decision to be made after that depending on how everyone feels about the way things went and how Lorenzen feels.
NL Central Standings
Playoff odds via Fangraphs
| Team | W | L | GB | Playoff % |
| Brewers | 51 | 34 | 0 | 88.3% |
| Reds | 43 | 40 | 7.0 | 14.6% |
| Cubs | 42 | 42 | 8.5 | 7.2% |
| Cardinals | 41 | 44 | 10.0 | 1.7% |
| Pirates | 30 | 53 | 20.0 | 0.0% |
I think this is a very big series for the Reds even beyond the 3 wins that are available from it.
The next step for this Reds team to take is to impose their will on lesser teams versus playing to the level of the competition as they often have even when succeeding. Get on these Royals early and often and relieve some physical and mental stress ahead of the coming four with the Brewers.
I concur
more aaaaaaaaah … wham bam thank ya’ ma’am in other words lol
India not serious hopefully. He’s one of their best hitters against lefties.
Jorge Soler and Eugenio Suarez have both fallen the most from 2019.
Not the lineup you want against a bad team and veteran lefty. At some point, the FO has to fix SS and the Grand Canyon crater in the bullpen from the left hand side or this season is over.
Go Reds. Go Geno. Beat KC.
No problem because guys get dinged up and need rest.However we need the righties especially Suarez to produce tonight.Reds have won 4 straight and have only scored 13 runs and the winning won’t continue unless they score more then that. Guti will keep us in the game but if we can get out early it helps on the back end.Go Reds.Please no Cy Minor tonight.
interesting lineup. liked the original, with Suarez as short. UNderstand the moves with India injured. Seems bell was going all out to give Farmer a day off today. Got to get on a regressing Minor.
Looked at Louisville results and Greene ran into a wall again yesterday. Calls for him to be rapidly ascended to the majors should be tempered. Good news that Barrero gets the call for the futures game.
Yes, good news on Barrero. I’m hoping India just needs a day or so off.
Is something wrong with Farmer? Why lefty Freeman at SS?
That is a very good question and the answer is yes.
No way Freeman starts at SS against a lefty over Farmer. Just give him tomorrow off against the righty.
I just looked at Freemans splits over the last 3 years, all small sample sizes, but he shows better against lefties.
Bell’s diagnostic report on Farmer “bumps and bruises”; “Hopefully he can get those little minor things healed up and be back in there tomorrow.” per @charlieG_. on Twitter
I’m super excited to see Vlad bring out his very best tonight. A spot in the rotation could very well be on the line and I want to see how he competes.
I dont have the numbers but this is the type of series that feel the Reds have a tendency slip up on and give away. Contending teams cant do that. Take care of business!! Go Reds!
We are what we are until we become something else.Just have to score some runs early and go from there.
Lopez and Aquino both get starts so thats interesting!
Hopefully Wink will start shooting the ball to left. Easier said then done, but hitting into the shift is why his average is dropping. Its funny how guys like Wink & Suarez get to the bigs by spraying it around, but then launch some bombs and it changes them. Of course Wink is an AS and a much better hitter then Geno overall!
Big start for Vlad. KC’s bats can go cold so maybe its a good opportunity? Otherwise Hoffman is back in there!
That was an efficient inning … for Minor!
Cy Minor already after 3 hitters.Soft tossing lefty at work.
Mets & Brewers each scored a run in the 4th … 1-1 top the 5th
Guti please throw strikes.Don’t beat yourself make then swing the bat at least.
There you go now keep it up.Reds offense been asleep for 4 games now is the time to show up.Need crooked numbers as Mark would call for.
Well, that’s a start, right?
So which Geno will be at the plate tonight?
but but but Votto cant hit lefties
.185/.243/.323 … before that one
I wouldn’t want to play the Cubs right now because sooner or later those guys are going to bust loose.Had bases loaded with 1 out but didn’t score in the first inning but they will make somebody pay for their anemic offense eventually.
Joey says I can hit lefties fine! I feel like a guy thats 38 years old shouldn’t be playing 155 games a year, but since he missed a month or whatever then he’s obviously good to go!
break-even for Suarez there. Does hit into the DP, but he did get it in play to get the run in. Better then a Strikeout
Thats all I ever expect but this team can’t win unless he starts to hit.First two guys reach and 5 pitches later we are taking the field.Just have to do better then that.
an early RBI is a win. We haven’t faired well against lefties this year.
did not strike out there, put it in play 26 K in 72 PA vs LHP .125/.222/.266
you do what you can
Just didn’t realize it was that bad but that is just awful isn’t it.Thats a pitcher hitting stat.
Suarez has to go. Trade him.
Suarez will go when Bell goes!
Bell doesnt have anything to do with Suarez. The fat cat who signs his check does.
Suarez will go when his contract is done. I’m as frustrated as anyone, but there is little chance he gets traded, and less that he gets benched. The good news is Farmer doesn’t have a large contract, so he can easily be replaced.
Why does Bell have to go?
Saurez is hitting 3 for 1o .3oo for July
GIDP for a run is better than a K Geno.
No doubt Bell has been told to play certain guys and Suarez is one of them.Only way Reds win is if he produces then if he does why would they trade him.Its just a bad place for him and the team.
Very interesting to hear Jeff Brantley’s comments about why KC’s Hunter Dozier can’t hit righties. I would bet some observer/analyst not on the Cincinnati Reds payroll could do the same regarding Suarez.
What’s the reason?
Too close to burn a challenge.
Sadek = entirely too much talking !!!! geeze !
Would rather listen to Welch and Cowboy all day long …
Trevor Bauer blew his chance for the Hall of Fame. If he is eventually arrested he blew alot of $$$. Maybe he should have stayed in Cincinnati.
I think it would be interesting if there were blogs in our workplaces. People could comment on our work performance and recommend firing people for poor performance or even because they are getting a bit older and potentially not as good as a younger replacement.
It would be interesting if we had sarcastic workplace nicknames that insulted and demeaned us but we had to ignore it because it was just somebody blowing off steam.
I think about the weirdest things sometimes.
There is a crazy place for these things. Its called the break room)))
Pay me a few million dollars a year and treat me like a VIP wherever I go, and you can blog about my lousy performance all you want.
Naquin carried the bat for seven steps before he realized he could run faster without it. That bad decision cost the Reds a leadoff single. I’ll just never understand why the guys in the major leagues, with so much at stake, are unable (or unwilling) to do the basic things they were taught in little league.
Drives me crazy too. I remember years ago we were doing ok and had a big series in Milwaukee before the break. Jay Bruce hit a leadoff towering fly ball and just watched it until it hit off the top of the RF fence and rolled back. He got thrown out at 3B and we lost by a run. Almost all of them do it….even Castellanos who seems to really hustle will watch a ball in the OF before he decides to kick it in for the double.
I like Vlad’s ceiling, but they tee off on his fastball. I think Hoffman is better right now even though he’s hard to watch.
Cowboy had no more than said the guy could do damage on a ball over the middle of the plate and where does the pitch go????
His breaking ball is much better than I ever imagined — not necessarily the break on it, but the way he locates it. Seems advanced for someone so young in that regard.
Quick when it goes. I was thinking that may be the biggest difference right now between Gutirrez and Santillan. He is throwing some fastballs that seem to do the same. Wonder if he is mixing in some cutters to help create confusion re: the slider
Just want a public opinion but was watching Whit Merrifield at bat…. I was thinking to myself would I trade Nick Senzel straight up for him…..I would but they are identical players one can stay healthy…………Sadak stinks free Jim Day!
Big strikeout by Vlad to end the 3rd inning and strand the runner at third with 2 outs! However, he’s at 50 pitches again thru only 3 innings!
First 3 hitters for the Royals are professional hitters.Merrifield gets the guy to third and Santans get him in with a double.Guti only gave up one and it could have been more.Reds only have 2 hits in 3 turns.Time to score some runs.
Uninspiring so far. I’m listening to the WLW feed for audio, so at least I don’t have to endure Sadak.
Wish I could pick up WLW down here in Central Florida!
Cowboy is great
Unfortunately, you are missing Professor Sadak’s lectures.
Make that 2 hits in 4 turns against Cy Minor.
Mets just got to Mil starter Woodruff in the 7th for 2
it’s 3-1 now 1 out man on 3rd
Mets plate the man on 3rd, still batting in 7th
4-1 Mets
Yelich retired to end quiet Brewer 8th
#3 Adames to lead off the 9th
Again, the Reds struggling to score against a pitcher with a 2021 ERA of 5+
Didn’t realize there were so many Cy Youngs in the majors this year!
LHP is Reds Kryptonite and the brutal part of the order coming up now
Your right and it doesn’t have to be a good lefty.Just a guy that tosses it close is usually good enough.Reds righties must come through and so far 2 hits and one was by Joey.
slider 84 mph, knuckle curve 79, change up 86 off speed all down the middle to Votto
Reminder to all that think we should be scoring 8 runs a game. Baseball is hard. They are trying to win the game too.
Thanks Mr. Obvious! This isn’t vintage Kershaw though….this is an old guy with an era of 6.50 for June
No problem. Hang with ’em.
Actually the Royals as an organization arent trying to win.
They are tanking and a bad team by design with an $89 million payroll. Lowest since 2014.
I could see Danny Duffy to Milwaukee to give them some balance in the rotation. Look at what Minor is doing to us tonite and DD is better/younger
Geno never goes more then about 4 games without getting caught looking right down the middle. He’s consistent!
So it seems
I’m at the point where I expect Geno to K every at bat. Anything other than that is a bonus for me. It’s sad, but it’s where I am now with him.
+500 and it is sad.
people may not like Sadak but the last time the reds were on a Youtube game the announcers were Horrific. Minor showing his years of wisdom. Got to get into that bullpen that has a lot of crooked numbers. good AB by Aquino to extend the inning
My two cents worth — Sadak is fantastic. He always tries to involve the analyst in what is happening at that moment, and I find it very interesting.
Don’t make me take points away from you, Tom … 🙂
I saw part of that game. Agreed the announcers were horrific. But the steady diet of Sadak just won’t work.
Minor is soft-tossing us and we’re falling for it. AA did work that walk, but sadly it was wasted.
@tom, i like him too, a little eager maybe, but he is growing on me. Won’t be upset if he is back next year, won’t be upset if he is replaced. However some here won’t be happy til the city of Cincinnati clones Marti Breneman
He bothered me in the beginning. He is well prepared though and full of statistics. Alot different than Thom was was full of garbage. Sadak needs to lay off the energy drinks though. A little jacked up sometimes.
Agreed, Thom rode his Dad’s coattails and thought that he was Cincinnati Royalty. Ultimately didn’t save him.
Mets up 4-1 over the Brewers! This game against KC is now looking like an opportunity to cut into Brewers lead in the NL Central.
Mets got ’em loaded/ no outs/ bottom of the 8th
Seen enough and its been a long day for an old guy.Bring it home nation.We need this game.Hope this offense wakes up cause Minor really isn’t that good.Go Reds.
I’m behind you in about 20 minutes or so. Very full calendar tomorrow.
Yep, 20 minutes and counting! Work keeps interfering with my love of baseball
+500 Dennis
Lopez is holding his own out there at 2B tonight. Good to see that. Wondering if we get him at 3B tomorrow with Geno at SS and India back in the lineup.
Crazy game. Guti has an ERA of almost 5 but not giving up hardly anything. Love the way he competes.
Freeman is 2 for 6 with 1 BB vs LHP
Vlad is battling! Time for the offense to support this young man’s effort!
You put the Reds in a big park and they’re helpless for the most part. They can’t get cheap homers and they don’t have much speed.
Looks like it’s gonna take a blast by Votto or Nick to get us over the hump tonight!
Or the Punisher. He just missed his first time up and got walked the second.
I tend to find that to be true. They hardly ever try and create runs by the hit and run. Truth be told they didn’t hit well in the cub series.
Sadak opinion. I don’t mind the enthusiasm, especially on big scoring plays. I don’t need it on ground balls to SS. If you watch quick pitch highlights in the morning, all the play by play guys do it. It’s like each one is trying to make the highlight show with their calls.
On a night like this with us not hitting, this could be the beginning of the end. I’m done commenting as I’m shutting down for the night.
Wow…..how do you not tag up on that ball and get to 3rd. You could leak out almost halfway and still tag up and get to 3rd. Possibly a big mistake!
You could see Vlad run out of gas. Last fb was 91? Bell should’ve went and got him. Its July and its hot. Still leaving him in? Here comes 4-1 and ballgame
Good recovery there! 2 runs in 6 with a DH is never bad
Vlads running out of gas there, without a pitcher’s spot in the lineup no need to play the switch game. I don’t see him getting more than 2 more batters.
alright, 6IP 2ER, thats a good job, no matter who you are. Reds bats got to get it going. Maybe its just the Reds destiny to come from behind every night.
and right on cue
OK, limited the damage to one (1) run! Time to put up a crooked number!
This Reds’ team has an endearing habit of scoring late.
Well, guess what: it’s officially late.
Like I said!
2 runs thru 6….not bad…Vlad battled and did well
I don’t understand how Cowboy knew his breaking ball was rolling up there but the staff failed to take note of that, also the dip in his fastball.
Mets didn’t score with bases loaded no outs in the 8th
still 4-1
Brewers now got 2 on/ no outs in the 9th
2 Ks/ it’s 4-2/ Jackie no hit Bradley up lol
Nick cleans the slate…new game
Blastellanos!!!
Wow, what an eye and plate discipline that kid’s got!
Down goes the Brewers 4-2
Mil loses 4-2. Cubs are losing, Giants lost, Dodgers tied 4-4. SD plays nationals later tonight. This is huge game for us in standings.
Suarez, well that was a good at bat we can say
Geno!
Go geno
Geno!!!!!!
RHP is Saurez’s better split, good call KC lol
.192/.271/.397
Well now, that was SMOKED!!
Well that should calm the lynch mob for at least 5 minutes.
+1 or should i say +3
Doubt it, Suarez could bat .300 for the rest of the year, but the mob would still be after him.
Lol, see below for details.
Saurez now 4/12 .333 for July!
Geno!!! That was a horrible pitch…omg? Hanging slider I think? Well if Geno is a mistake hitter .225 (atleast .300 obp) with 35 hrs then we can live with it, but this .175 stuff is nonsense.
Geno’s #s will have to be tracked after he got sat down. He was 3-9 with a walk coming into tonite.
When I saw geno in the line up I just knew good things would happen…wink wink
4/12 (1/3 x3 + 1 BB) since the ‘rest’
that’s the first XBH
x 4 lol
Error and walk. Kansas City has got to be rattled now.
Pour It On!
Freeman’s pitiful – wasted roster spot . Got to be better options than him somewhere .
Schrock is Rehabbing in Louisville, I am certain that Freeman will go when he comes back
Doesn’t KC have a LH’er in the bullpen? Bringing in a righty is what it takes to turn the Reds hitting around.
Looks like they decided on this guy for tomorrow:
https://www.mlb.com/player/jake-brentz-641394
More games than innings so prolly get this Lovelady guy too:
https://www.mlb.com/player/richard-lovelady-663992
KC figured it out I guess. India, Stephenson, and Castellanos can hit LH’ers, maybe AA. But Winker, Votto, Suarez, Naquin – well Reds fans are happy when they do but it sure doesn’t happen often.
That guy can’t go for long you’d think, so got to watch out overloading the RH bats too much for the back switch. If India can go then all the more reason for the switchiitter Lopez to bat 2nd
Watch Hendrix closely — as he releases the ball, he’s looking straight down, not at the target.
He has been doing that all year.
How long can Hendrix career last starting off every hitter 2-0? He got away with it tonight but I doubt that is a path to success, either long or short term.
Down to 6 vs Milw and possibly down to 4.5 to SD. Get grinding boys!!
Milwaukee has Degrom to battle tomorrow too. Degrom might get 17 strikeouts vs that putrid lineup.
Right, it looks like the sky isn’t falling. There are a lot of up and downs over 162
Hendrix is the roster spot i think that will go to Lorenzen when he returns. Pitching like he doesnt want to stay. I know he had gotten hot when we were losing but I still would have gone with someone else.
Perez will go. Hendrix has decent stuff.
Hoffman is coming too. Its going to be interesting? They don’t really need Doolittle, Osich, and Perez. 3 lefty relievers is more then enough
So probably Hendrix and Perez are out
I’d send down Hendrix 1st, then with the 2nd relievers return, it would be Doolittle. He’s had a long enough audition, I think we all know he’s not good enough. Perez seems to have been able to cut down the walks in the minors, and now on the MLB team, since his call up. Perez may have a lower floor, but a much higher ceiling than Doo.
Don’t really know what to make of Osich, Numbers are good, but the stuff looks hittable, but then it isn’t hit. Prob. Right Perez and Hendrix are the two out for ML and Hoffman. Felix also on his rehab, plus tony S is already halfway through his required 10 days
It’s a good problem to have.
and of course, there is SIms and Antone… it is truly a good problem to have
oops sorry wrong button for the beelicker … never mind take it down lol
Eugenio giveth and taketh away.
3 run home run and two rally killing double plays. His improvement isn’t exactly improving.
I just like the 3 run HRs when the game is tied. Too many guys in Reds history hit them in gabp when its 10-1 and pad their stats.
Geno drove in the winner the other day too vs the Cubs. Started the 7th inning rally yesterday.
Baby steps)))
Gene’s knocked in 4 out of the 5 runs today, seems more like he giveth
Amen
4 for 13 now in July now since back in the lineup he’s H-O-T
No…1st run was on a dp. I’ll take 447 feet though for 3 runs
Hey the mob waited more than 5 minutes.
Indy he still knocked it in. He dont get credit for it but he got the run home.
DP and scoring a run doesn’t give credit for ‘knocking it in’. Bc he did everything wrong but strikeout.
Geno is dealing with the soft bigotry of fan expectations but I hope he gets proves me wrong and finishes the season at .260.
Thats why i said knocked in, and not RBI
Fair enough, but I don’t call that a good at-bat. He rolled over bad on a breaking ball away
If it had been the bottom of the ninth of a tie game and a Suarez DP scored a run, how that run is looked at might be different! All runs count the same.
These guys would rather have Geno fail than succeed. Its makes them look right. I laugh everytime when they say ” I hope he proves me wrong” .
ok guys, some of us have the Under, that’s it save the rest for tomorrow
Add on!..AA triple, and a nice oppo single by Naquin
I think there is enough by now on AA to have some idea of what he is! If I was another GM, I’d definitely be calling the Reds about him!
He’s underrated defensively and he can run better then you’d think too. He’s never going to hit for average, but he can hurt mistake pitches and he’ll take a walk. He’s not just a hacker.
And if I were the Reds GM, I’d be trying to convince other GM’s Nick Senzel still had a higher ceiling than AA. Or asking the sun and moon and another star prospect to boot or him.
AA is their RF or CF next season if Castellanos doesn’t return and no worse than the 4th OF if he does.
Amen, keep the big guy on this team!
Wink can’t buy a hit these days…. .all-star break might give him the break he needs
We have 4 in Milw though? We can’t wait til the AS break. They need to give him a day off tomorrow or Wednesday. Naquin is doing ok.
Hey still … BB + HBP tonight that’s a professional effort, keeps innings alive for the meat boyz
Plus he didn’t play the field and won’t tomorrow either
Dude was born to hit, i think you let him hit his way out of this
Cubs are getting Hammered.
I am too!
doolittle looking better with the offspeed stuff mixed in. This might explain the extended absence as he was working on his stuff. This could represent a change. Needs to throw it with players on base. Need to get someone up just in case
On the question of who goes when Lorenzen is activated, Doolittle is trying hard to be that choice
Though in fairness, he sure knows how to make it interesting.
Competition is a good thing, can bring out the best in a vetteran … and if you can spot Doolittle against 7-8-9 hitters rather than him having to face the tops of the lineup, everybody wins
Nah, Doolittle weathered worse storms to last this long. There are several guys who can be optioned who will go ahead of him. When (and big IF) Lorenzen, Antone and Sims are all healthy at the same time, Doolittle may be on the bubble, but I think not until then.
Nice win, but I have to admit to having bullpen flashbacks.
Big win! Mil, Dodgers and Giants all lose with Cubs and Padres losing big.
Reds bullpen out of the cellar with that performance, now 14th place in ERA
woo hoo !
6 hits + 6 BBs = 6-2 win vs crafty LHP = i’ll take that tomorrow too