The Cincinnati Reds will begin a 3-game series with the Philadelphia Phillies tonight. The Reds will be looking to build on their blowout win of Atlanta from Thursday and start a much needed winning streak. First pitch tonight is set for 7:05pm.
Starting Lineups
Cincinnati Reds
|
Philadelphia Phillies
|
| Jonathan India – 2B | Odúbel Herrera – CF |
| Tyler Naquin – LF | Jean Segura – 2B |
| Nick Castellanos – RF | Bryce Harper – RF |
| Joey Votto – 1B | J.T. Realmuto – C |
| Mike Moustakas – 3B | Didi Gregorius – SS |
| Tucker Barnhart – C | Andrew McCutchen – LF |
| Eugenio Suárez – SS | Brad Miller – 1B |
| Shogo Akiyama – CF | Ronald Torreyes – 3B |
| Tyler Mahle – SP | Zack Wheeler – SP |
Starting Pitchers
Tyler Mahle
It’s been a quality season for Tyler Mahle in 2021. He’s made 23 starts and posted a 3.78 ERA with 148 strikeouts in 123.2 innings for the Reds.
But he’s had some big time splits all year long. He’s dominated left-handed batters, holding them to a .179/.265/.271 line on the year. Right-handed hitters are doing much better, hitting .273/.346/.531 against him on the season. He’s allowed just three homers to lefties, but 15 to righties in just 30 more plate appearances. Mahle has also shown huge home and road splits. Away from Cincinnati he’s posted a 2.06 ERA in 65.2 innings while holding hitters to a .192/.283/.295 line and allowed just three home runs. At home he’s given up 15 and has an ERA of 5.74.
Pitch usage from 2021
| 4-Seam | Splitter | Slider | |
| Velo | 94.2 | 86.4 | 87.1 |
| Usage | 53% | 14% | 33% |
Zack Wheeler
After years of struggling to stay healthy, health has finally found Zack Wheeler in the last few years and he’s been outstanding. In the last two seasons he’s made 34 starts for Philadelphia and posted a 2.58 ERA in 227.0 innings and been one of the best pitchers in the game. The last time he took the mound he tossed a complete game 2-hitter with 11 strikeouts against the Mets. It was his 6th double-digit strikeout game of the season.
Wheeler has more than handled both lefties and righties this season, with a .573 OPS against from righties and a .557 OPS against from lefties. His home and road splits are a bit different – though both are good. Unfortunately for the Reds he’s pitching at home and that’s the strong-side split as he has a 2.02 ERA at home with a .191/.229/.295 line from opposing batters.
Pitch usage from 2021
| 4-Seam | 2-Seam | Slider | Change | Curve | |
| Velo | 97.2 | 96.7 | 91.6 | 90.6 | 81.4 |
| Usage | 41% | 18% | 27% | 4% | 10% |
When and Where
- Game time: 7:05pm ET
- Where: Citizens Bank Park
- Watch: Bally Sports Ohio, MLB.tv,
- Listen: 700 WLW AM (Cincinnati area)
- Forecast: 92°, partly cloudy, 20% chance of rain
News and Notes
Jesse Winker scratched from the lineup
About 30 minutes prior to the game the lineup changed and saw Jesse Winker replaced by Shogo Akiyama. Tyler Naquin slides from center to left, while Akiyama moves into center. No word on why this move happened.
How much longer can the Reds keep Jose Barrero in Triple-A?
Earlier today I wrote about just how good Jose Barrero is playing for Triple-A Louisville and wondered aloud just how much longer the team can keep him in the minor leagues?
NL Central Standings
Playoff odds via Fangraphs
| Team | W | L | GB | Playoff % |
| Brewers | 70 | 46 | 0 | 98.2% |
| Reds | 62 | 54 | 8.0 | 26.5% |
| Cardinals | 58 | 56 | 11.0 | 2.5% |
| Cubs | 52 | 65 | 18.5 | 0.0% |
| Pirates | 41 | 74 | 28.5 | 0.0% |
Go Reds!!!
Mahle better flat-out dominate the Phillies tonight.
He isn’t gonna get any help from that defense behind him.
2.06 road ERA vs 2.02 home ERA
This is going to be a 9-8 game isn’t it?
Possibly Frankie. As long as we have the 9 after 9.
Higher!
Another big game and Bell has Suarez playing SS. With him striking out 35% of the time and a 174 BA it’s like having 2 pitchers in the lineup hitting. Castillo is hitting 206 though. Need Lopez playing SS tonight. How many runs has Suarez and Moustakas left on base in scoring position?
Lopez is not only not even on the team, he’s also not a shortstop.
I’m worn out with the Lopez crowd. Kid is 150 lbs and looped a few balls 2 feet over the 2Bs head. Jose Peraza II
Give me a legion of Schrock fans instead. He can actually clear fences or bang the ball off one
+100
Lol you were part of the Lopez crowd! You couldnt wait for him to come up.
Not once I saw him hit. Of course .390 at AAA is pretty crazy. That was like 200 at-bats or something too
I was always higher on Schrock. Single short of a cycle vs Philly in May impressed me
There has been a lineup change 30 minutes before the game started.
Where did Winker go?
Winker out and naquin shogo and suarez against wheeler with 181 K
@ Indy
Can you get me some action?
Might as well win something tonight?
Already got my unders in. Got it that Farmer needs a break but now with Winker out as well, I might be putting this in the “1/3 L” column
Reds beat Scherzer with Mahle on the Road
Im taking the under tonight
Farmer has been due for a day off. The frustrating part is all the time they gave Freeman at SS when they could’ve at least been giving Suarez some of those reps when it was needed if they were going to have him slide over there at some point again this season. Now, I’d also imagine Farmer will be getting some regular time off because a.) he’s been playing through nagging injuries and b.) they’re being bullish in playing Suarez.
Unless he hits for the cycle tonight, Suarez needs to sit starting tomorrow. Period. No more excuses.
Suarez ain’t gonna sit. I think that has been made apparent to everyone. They are going to go with that offensive hole in the lineup(2 with the pitcher) until the season ends.
Unfortunately, I believe you are right; but he needs to , at least, sit EVERY TIME we face a RH starter. From now, until the end of the season. It’s only fair to Moustakas, India, Farmer, and every-freakin’-one else.
The Mets: All star shortstop.
Gets injured.
Trade for another all star shortstop
Gets injured.
Baez to the IL
Milwaukee on the other hand. Adames has been a machine.
Tampa doesn’t make many mistakes, but I think they could’ve found a spot for him.
Only way Reds can win tonight is having Mahle playing for himself and get a shutout. I don’t see how 6-9 spots can produce runs tonight (honestly, last lost games are with TB playing catcher)
Any mlb team needs to score 5 to aspire for a win. Let’s see.
Who had Naquin & Winker with 2 hrs and 7 rbis off a lefty last night? You never know?
Under is smart, but I took Miami and Atl/Wash Under 5 thru 5 innings.
I hit Sonny Over 5.5 Ks the other night so I took Over 5.5 Ks with Mahle tonite -145 juice.
Have Wheeler & Mahle in one of my $100 fbb league playoffs. 1-0 Reds with 12 Ks apiece please!!
Schwarber’s back…..no rehab!!! Just in time!!!
Activating Sale tomorrow. I like my chances in that league. Picked up Joey about 6 weeks ago
Senzel starting SS tonight in Louisville
In my mind if Suarez has to start even one game in a pennant race at SS that’s when you KNOW it’s time to bring up Barrero one way or another or at least Senzel. A terrible defensive SS, hitting in the .170s, in Auguest, having the second most PA on the team, knowing you have the SS of the future, with exceptional defense, tearing the cover off the ball in AAA…. SMH Give me a break.
Not very confident of a Reds win tonight with Mahle “The Nibbler” on the mound and now NO Winker! Plus, Reds facing another Cy Young (real) candidate in Wheeler! Whatever happens please NO WALKS and do not let Harper beat you! Need a win nonetheless with the Brewers playing those AAA Pirates! Go Reds! Go Pirates! Go Snakes!
Milw is DB Cooper. They are gone brother. Its over. Peralta/Burnes/Woodruff 1-2-3 in ops allowed NL. SD is right there though
Wheeler is 31. Had only a 3.96 for the Mets in 2019. Thats about equal to whatever Castillo has now. Hopefully Luis can mature like that! He’s got the arm talent!
Wasn’t Wheeler in the conversation for Jay Bruce a few years ago?
Yes
Dilson Herrera was better than him because injured and better than Nimmo too
Walt Jocketty and asst Dick Williams at their finest
But the Reds got Max Wotell too
Winker was scratched due to lower back tightness.
Reported simultaneously by all the beat writers.
Heard that right at the start of the broadcast. Hoping it’s something the trainers can work him through. Lower back junk can be difficult … and definitely painful.
Is Mahle’s velo down? Seems like it.
Mahle hanging an 0-2 slider right over the middle. Throw the changeup like Vlad. He drives me crazy
Harper… A poor fielder…. a bat that has started a decline… locked into a contract that will last at least a decade from this post. Gotta love sports agents…lol
Other than that… hes leading MVP candidate if Tatis doesn’t come back
Joey Votto is a MVP candidate
True
True
Unrelated
thats my way of saying that Brice is not winning the MVP
Count me among the crowd that anticipates a rough night. That said, my money is on one…and only one big night from only one of Suarez, Akiyama, or Naquin. I really suspect there will be some outstanding defense in center. There will definitely be some flies that need tracked down. Bring up Barrero to play 3rd soon …Leave Farmer at short this year…keep Joey fresh with Moose a day a week…play Moose 2 days a week at 3rd…release Naquin (it will be good for his career to get picked up by someone else)…Suarez pinch hits half the time…Akiyama in center…leave Nick injured until the last minute until you have to lose Hoffman. When Antone is ready he replaces Doolittle (who deserves better but is guilty of being “old” and not quite good enough to justify losing the potential upside of Hembree). As much as I love Aquino…he is going to have to make it very hard to not be the guy who misses out…which means he HAS to play smart. Of course really all that should happen is that Castellanos should come in and play 3rd. That would solve a lot. Instead of having to find a right fielder AND a third baseman in the offseason…you might not have to find either!
If I’m not mistaken, Naquin actually has an option left.
The Reds front office is not going to say “We screwed up. We’re sitting $73 mil worth of owed money” so Barrero can play 3B.
Best they could do would be to discover an “injury” for Geno. Pay him on IL while Farmer/Moose platoon 3B and get Barrero in the lineup
Realmuto just a regular groundball to 2B except nobody was there((
I get the shift with risp. Seems like guys are programmed to hit it back up the middle since they were 7 years old, but not with nobody on base. I guess they know the spray charts, but Mahle is a power pitcher so good hitters are going to look to hit it the other way
That is the ump making up for the blown call on the previous pitch. I dont think we will see the zone that wide for the rest of the night. I’ll take it though
And then the make-up call 4-6 inches off the plate.
Mahle is a little more efficient tonight. Let’s keep that rolling.
Can Shogo slap Zach tonight successfully?
Answer is “yes” to start with
Why yes … yes he can.
Shogo Breaks up the perfect game and no hitter.
I support that 🙂
yea, I got that he doesn’t bang like Votto… but he does get on base on the regular when he is playing.
nice hustle by Naquin
Niiiiiiiiiiice Joey!
Yes!!!
But … but … but … but …
hey now trademark and all that lol
and a +1,000 royalty
that’ll do
MVP!!! JD strikes again!
JOEY FOR MVP!
3-0 Reds
Something told me that Votto would get the revenge for the Nick HBP
BUT BUT BUT…. wheeler is cy young…..doesnt matter
Perhaps, as Peter Sellers used to say via his most infamous detective character, “Not tonight, Kato.”
Looks like we might be getting to that Phillies bullpen sooner than I thought
If Votto keeps up this pace, he might get his picture on the front of a box of Wheaties.
Votto is going to finish top 5 MVP
Irony is hes never been an RBI guy
Cooperstown
Wow, what do you even say about Joey at this point? Awesome!
Lucky break for Moose. Good choice to go, but the rebound was true and fast.
NUTS!!!
Moose? MooSTRANDus and Geno…..only Bernie Madoff stole more cash then these 2 scrubs
A VERY BAD read by Moose on that fly ball.
JD is giving him a little break based on the angle he had, but still.
Lil Nick just tripled.
Blandino doubled him home
AlfRod singled to bring in Blandino.
Barerro in LF has 2 errors (throw and fielding) tonight.
I think Blandino is better then Peraza and hes on the Mets. Blandino could play somewhere, but not with us
Barrero listed as 3B. Also, Lodolo scratched for sunday
My bad – not sure how I read Barerro in LF. He is at 3B.
Joey Votto is now at 1,997 career hits
1,998 after that homer, per Baseball Reference. At this rate, he’ll probably have 2,000 by game’s end.
Debbie would love to see that happen tonight
At the all star break he was tied for 43rd in the NL in Home Runs. He is now 2nd
Is Votto in the running for a GG at 1B this year?
No … -.o7 dWAR
64 pitches for Mahle with 5-6-7 coming up in the 5th setting up an easy 6th … moving right apace and he’s even wearing down Wheeler to inflict some extra usage on their bullpen lol
Haha Oh well. I know he’s improved a lot and is a pretty good first baseman no matter what the stats say.
As long as Casty doesn’t get hurt I’m all for him getting HBP if Votto always follows with a HR…like the last three times. 🙂
Joey’s 2021 season, at age 37, reminds me of Lance Berkman’s age 35 bounce back year with the WLB’s.
38 on 9/10. What a year!
I bet Miami tonight. 7 runs in the 2nd bases loaded 1 out. Cubs are going to be worse then Pitt next year.
we are going to slaughter them next week auto over
Alzolay hit the rookie wall. Weathers for SD hit the rookie wall. Nice angle if you find it
The Pie-Rats are looking forward to being ahead of somebody … anybody
The highway man is now on I73, traveling south. Is he the coaches kid, now he is at shortstop.
need 8 Ks from Mahle tonight. Other than that he can go as long as he wants.
8? omg? I have 5.5 -145
yea, +125
also need Votto to have at least another single
Here is a pretty cool Joey Votto stat
https://twitter.com/espnstatsinfo/status/1426337412331065349?s=21
Awesome. Thanks!
Last night, while watching the Field of Dreams game, I mentioned to somebody with me that Votto was currently second in the NL in HRs — behind only Tatis, Jr. He didn’t believe me.
If Votto keeps it up the next 6 weeks, he will be in the running for NL MVP.
Ugghhhh. Mahle had Didi 0-2 and missed fb in. I said here comes the change away and of course Didi the vet knew it too. Middle of the plate though. Better save that sequence for a young kid
Mahle’s nibbling himself a tidy little 2 hitter
At 78 pitches with PH and 1-2 up next and a full rested bullpen
Fish with an 11 run 2nd inning…lollllllllllllll
You guys really think Cubs fans are coming to gabp now? I don’t
They’ll come … I’d bet on it
Casti still not happy about the other HBP
That’s a perfect response. Baseball poetry.
That’ll play and pay back Zach
Jimmy, here comes the deuce … and when you speak of me, speak kindly
Nice! Man that ball got outta here in a hurry!
If Casty gets hot too….watch out!
Even Cy Young candidates have an off night. Glad we’re the recipients of it so far.
Wheeler went the full 9 last time. Everybody wants more from their starters, but its a looooong season
Now that I think about it….I could see Philly offering Nick $100 mil/4 or something. They have almost unlimited $ and nobody much besides Harper. I still think they’ll extend him and he’ll stay.
Do we get 7 innings from Road Mahle tonight? Trending that direction.
Cruising at 9o pitches. Clear the 3-4-5 and turn it over to a low leverage middle man
Regardless of the bullpen
Tyler mahle on the road has been dominant and a stopper
Beat max scherzer and now beating cy young candidate in philly
Mahle would be cy young candidate in SF
Joey saved his bacon if it holds up.
Nope. E-6 it shall be.
Oh my goodness, Suarez almost blew and easy one. Votto saved him…maybe. SMH
JOEYS FACE>>>>
Hilarious
Wow
What??? OK, we’ll take it. Good for Mahle. And it burns a challenge.
STOP NIBBLING!!!
put a real short stop in for the last few innings, please.
I had the same thought.
That’s a little better, Geno.
I’m hoping this means Mahle for the 7th.
Mahle pitching a big game when we needed it.
2 hits, no walks, I’ll take that kind of nibbling any day
It’s been a little less overall as evidenced by his pitch count and lack of walks. So I’m in agreement. I’ll take this Away Mahle any day.
You can’t expect much offense from your backup SS …
+250 from me (and alter-ego Debbie Downer)
No reason to be down tonight (so far). That vaunted Reds’ BP is waiting in the wings to bring it home, lol.
Twice on base for Shogo today
Ten pitch AB from Mahle earlier …
Kinda averages out
Ended with a nice play to get him
And he put wood on it. Things happen when you put the ball in play. Sometimes good things.
Belies his .051 BA
Current MLB ops leaders: 5. Votto 6. Winker 7. Nick.
WOW!! That’s impressive.
Geno. This is beyond insanity. Just the range we would gain with Barrero > Farmer. Find an injury for Geno and platoon Moose/Farmer. Farmer can play a little OF too
Mahle…I’d have a quick hook with our pen. They can get 9 outs, but hopefully he can put up 1 more zero
Mahle having himself a pretty good game. Back out on the mound for the 7th. So far, 2 hits, no runs, no walks, 6 Ks.
Suarez is just maddening. It predictable that his at bats are almost always going to produce the worst possible result.
I know he is a nice guy and all, but my brother is also a nice guy and I don’t want him playing SS for the Reds.
Moose threw that at least 45 mph over to 1st…he might as well rolled it.
The deflection also slowed it down, so that didn’t help.
Not going to Miami Valley Gaming
AWESOME!!
Me neither
Just noticed Tucker is wearing black gear tonight. First time I’ve seen that, though it probably isn’t his first time wearing it.
Black gear for life when Mahle pitches…now and forever.
Of course
PIT MIL game postponed
one more stikeout please
I said I gave up Wednesday so I say this in jest, but
Will the “Mahle to the bullpen” crowd please stand up))
I don’t know how to stand up on a chat, but just assume I’m on my feet.
Lollll
Nice night, Tyler. Thanks for gutting it out for 7. Turn it over to Mikey and Givens.
No longer HAMMER TIME
The guy kind of looks like AG but throwing right
Hope we can take a break from the “nibbler” nickname for at least one week.
Great game Mahle!!
If he throws another like that, I’ll swear off it. Tonight we had the children’s book “Mr. Mahle Throws Strikes” and I’d like to read it a few more times.
I think Mahle has a very nice future ahead of him
Naquin saying, “Please don’t option me when Senzel comes back!”
I don’t want him to go either. I’m dropping the 14th pitcher before any of the position players. Once that happens, it’s going to get a lot more difficult to make roster decisions.
Completely agree
I don’t think Naquin wants to be sent down. lol
People can dog Naquin and I know he’s fallen off, but he carried them when Joey was out. Seems like he might have a 2nd wind now? He’s pretty solid, but better if he wasn’t miscast as a CF’er
Matt Moore for them tomorrow. 6.79 era 1.63 whip. He is garbage!!! He is a lefty though. Lets get this one and move forward!!!
I recall when he pitched over here for Durham and was a hot prospect for the Rays. Hope we can explode for crooked numbers and secure the series victory.
Wait. Your in Durham?
Next little rural town north of Wake Forest (next county up)
ok…yea I am in Durham, just 10 mins south of Downtown
I’ve worked over in the Park and Morrisville multiple times in the 15+ years we’ve been here. Cut through North Durham all the time when we headed to I-85 going to Anderson, SC (DD#1 undergrad) and now to see her in NW Georgia.
That is one ugly nasty slow curve
Suarez homerun forces the shutting down of negative comments on him for the night.
Yes. For tonight it does … 🙂
That should be true, but doubtful
Geno!
That is big.
Just when you want to dismiss him….
Its not big, but thats ok. They all count
Actually it does save Givens an appearance so thats big for the long run
It’s big in the sense that a 6-0 lead is MUCH better than 4-0 heading into bottom of the 9th with this putrid bullpen. And the impact is bigger than just today, if the score holds — its saves Givens and more of Lorenzen until later in this series, if necessary.
A little Geno redemption tonight. That’s a good thing.
Good to see.
Our .170ish HR hitter strikes. All right. Good hit. We need it.
Part of the problem with our pen this year has been that they’re in tight games almost every night. Now you blow some guys out and our A team can stay fresh! Otherwise Bell has to use HH, AG, etc in close games because the A team can’t pitch every day
HH tonight vs 3-4-5 R/L/R so option of Givens can be available the next 2 nights if necessary
Throw strikes Hembree lol
Ah, a little lead-off walk to get things going.
My wife is audibly groaning with Hembree on the mound.
Leadoff BB with a six run lead. Come on now.
Let’s get if done HH.
Sadak and Welsh take turns praising HH then he walks a guy down 0-2 with atleast 3 a foot outside. Yeah he’s great.
HH is likely to have a injury after tonight, wouldn’t be surprised to see a IL stint.
+1 I dont mind keeping him Injured as opposed to a DFA though
HH gotta get it done here… you guys may have 5 runs to work with…. Me with the under only has 2
I do have Givens on all 3 of my fbb teams. 6-2 with 2 on 2 out and I could get a save, but I’ll vote against it for the team
Someone should be warming up just in case.
HH and Givens were warming up side by side between innings
2 run shot here would be nice! I have Realmuto and anything that moves HH on to the rest of his lifes work would be ok too
Whose side on you are on?
Hembree getting contact outs? Man. Didn’t think it was possible.
What was Harper jawing about?
The zone
Harper’s always whining about something. What a crybaby! By now ALL the players should realize the umps have no idea what the strike zone is! You just deal with it!
One more reason not to like Didi
Glad we didn’t sign Didi. 11 million and he is hitting in the .220s.
Hembree is done, he did some good things in July but he has nothing left.
some 95s, 96s and a 97 tonight
Get him on the right OMG schedule he’s got 98s in that arm
Atleast HH and AG are pitching when they’re supposed to be pitching. If you have to pitch them….ugghhhhhh
I’d let them both pitch for the Independent League Newark City Carp but thats just me
All right. Good win.
SWEEEEEEET!!!!!
Hal eh Lou Ya!
Important game to win.
alright got one i really thought they would lose….great job
Winning is so much fun! What a team effort tonight.
It truly was.
yabetchya
Reds win!
Be honest:
Before the game, who would have predicted that in a game featuring Wheeler vs. Mahle, and with Geno playing SS, and Winker sitting, the Reds would win rather easily 6-1?
Another example of why we love this team.
Nope … not I
Good point
I was somewhat optimistic. Reds used to beat up Cole with Pittsburgh if you remember. Hard throwers aren’t the problem. Its the guys with slop that change speeds that always burn us
Garrett Cole lifetime vs the Reds
1-8, 4.68 era
They always clipped Cole. It’s the junk ballers like you said, that they struggle with
Cole was not pitching tonight. That was then. This is now.
Great win. Even Suarez had a HR. The Reds have a lot of good hitters but the first 4(when Winker is in the game) can do a lot of damage. Mahle was great also. Lorenzen has been consistent every game. That is what I like in a RP. He will have a bad game sooner or later, but does the job most every outing.
I’m hoping this back issue of Winker’s means more care days with Aquino in LF vs LHP. Winker’s splits vs LHP are terrible .176/.288/.284 … even with yesterday’s only 3HR in 12o PA
.351/.432/.652 vs RHP
My dear wife is a little miffed that HH ruined that perfect line of zeroes. I told her the win mattered, but she saw it as him letting down Mahle and all his hard work. Got to love that attitude.
Love me some Road Mahle. If the Reds do somehow make the wild card and it’s a road game, they start Mahle? He’d be my choice.
I’d buy that for Game 163 unless we host it. Then I’d probably want Miley.
At home either Miley or Castillo. Whoever’s hotter at the time. Maybe do what the Brewers did that one year and let Miley pitch the first so they set up for lefty, then put Castillo in for the second.
Sorry guys! Found out my 7-year old grandson tested positive for COVID-19 today! Glad the Reds won and Mahle for the Cy Young award!
Well CRAP, Dennis. Hope they can keep his symptoms to a minimum. DD#2 and her husband (living in the apartment above our house) both are battling it. Nasty stuff!
Yes, nasty disease! My younger brother (age 60) and his wife (57) both got COVID back in the spring in AZ. Both recovered but his wife was hospitalized for 5 days!
Very sorry to hear that. May God’s healing grace uplift and sustain you all.
Amen to that!
Sending prayers.
Poor little guy. Best wishes for a speedy recovery!
Sorry to hear that Dennis. Hope he gets well very soon.
My wife tested positive 10 days ago. I tested and was negative. Her last day of quarantine was today. Very long 10 days. Both of us had been vaccinated and I truly believe her handling of the disease was made much easier by having been vaccinated as well as me not contracting it from her. I understand everyone has to make their own decision on rather to get vaccinated but I truly believe it played a part in us coming through this like we did.
Good night, and Pads trail 1-0 early. I am worried about the Cardinals, mostly because their schedule is going to give them momentum. We might be rooting for the Brewers when they play each other and they do a lot starting next week.
Cardinals are still bleeding starters. Lost another this week as they are getting two back. Neither their pitching, nor their lineup, worry me. Despite cursed history.
Got Flaherty back today. 6 innings, 2 hits, 0 BB, 5 Ks.
Cardinals always concern me. But in the long-term, I agree, they are the least of our concerns.
Just win baby.
That series vs. the Reds to end August and most of September for them is brutal. They don’t have the pitching to make it out of that alive.
My adage: Never take your eye off the Cardinals, even when all seems to be lost for them. They are Dirty Birds.
Mahle was awesome! I put the anti-jinx on him in my earlier post by calling him The Nibbler!
And finally, NO WALKS by Mahle! Good night all! Again, need to carry that momentum and winning attitude into tomorrow’s game!