The Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals will face off on Sunday afternoon with the winner taking the 3-game series victory. First pitch is set for 2:15pm ET.
Starting Lineups
Cincinnati Reds
|
St. Louis Cardinals
|
| Jonathan India – 2B | Tommy Edman – 2B |
| Tyler Stephenson – C | Paul Goldschmidt – 1B |
| Nick Castellanos – RF | Tyler O’Neill – LF |
| Joey Votto – 1B | Nolan Arenado – 3B |
| Eugenio Suárez – SS | Dylan Carlson – RF |
| Aristides Aquino – LF | Paul DeJong – SS |
| Asdrúbal Cabrera – 3B | Harrison Bader – CF |
| Delino DeShields – CF | Andrew Knizner – C |
| Sonny Gray – SP | J.A. Happ – SP |
Starting Pitchers
Sonny Gray
Over the last four starts Sonny Gray has allowed just four earned runs in 23.0 innings while giving up just nine hits, walking four, and he’s struck out 22 batters. He has allowed three home runs in that stretch.
Gray has dominated left-handed hitters this season, holding them to a .194/.282/.345 line this season. Righties have found more success, hitting .259/.325/.415 against him. Gray has pitched better on the road. His ERA away from Cincinnati is 3.02 (4.65 at home) and his OPS against is .626 (.737 at home).
Pitch usage from 2021
| 4-Seam | 2-Seam | Cutter | Slider | Change | Curve | |
| Velo | 92.4 | 92.5 | 84.5 | 82.1 | 88.0 | 79.5 |
| Usage | 25% | 29% | 3% | 16% | 4% | 24% |
J.A. Happ
On the season as a whole, J.A. Happ has a 6.24 ERA, but since joining the Cardinals he’s posted a 4.72 ERA in seven starts. He faced the Reds less than two weeks ago and allowed seven runs and didn’t record an out in the 2nd inning.
Right-handed hitters have hit .301/.354/.569 against Happ this season. Lefties don’t get many opportunities against him, but ones that do have hit .277/.325/.420 in 121 plate appearances against him. The home and road splits don’t hold as much value given that he’s been in both leagues this year, but his home ERA is 5.38 in 14 starts this season.
Pitch usage from 2021
| 4-Seam | 2-Seam | Change | Slider | Curve | |
| Velo | 91.0 | 88.9 | 86.3 | 83.0 | 76.5 |
| Usage | 56% | 14% | 12% | 17% | 1% |
When and Where
- Game time: 2:15pm ET
- Where: Busch Stadium
- Watch: Bally Sports Ohio, MLB.tv
- Listen: 700 WLW AM (Cincinnati area)
- Forecast: 81°, sunny, 0% chance of rain
Notes Worth Nothing
Jose Barrero and Tyler Naquin are out
After last night’s collision that saw Tyler Naquin exit the game, both Naquin and Jose Barrero are out of the lineup today. Prior to the game this afternoon manager David Bell noted that Barrero would likely be available off of the bench today and that Naquin was “in pretty good shape, considering (the collision)”. He was still going to be checked out prior to the game, so as of the time Bell spoke to the media he was unsure if Naquin would be available today or not.
NL Central Standings
Playoff odds via Fangraphs
| Team | W | L | GB | Playoff % |
| Brewers | 88 | 55 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Reds | 75 | 68 | 13.0 | 44.0% |
| Cardinals | 72 | 69 | 15.0 | 7.1% |
| Cubs | 65 | 78 | 23.0 | 0.0% |
| Pirates | 52 | 90 | 35.5 | 0.0% |
Let’s go Reds. Don’t let them Bengals upstage you!
This lineup resembles a “Dusty Baker Sunday Special”. #5-9 look about as close to automatic outs as they get.
No Barrero? With lineups like this one I am convinced that Bell is either clueless or doesn’t care! Somebody needs to remind him that there are only 19 games left for the the Reds and we can’t keep relying on someone else to beat the Padres or the Cards & Phillies going forward! Cabrera & DeShields would not even be in the starting lineup for the Pirates! Chalking this up to another road loss, another series loss and another wasted opportunity to catch the Padres and increase the gap between the Reds and the Cards/Phillies! If I am proven wrong I still have crows nesting in my oak trees here in Florida!
As you say, Bell doesn’t know how to win or doesn’t care about winning. I have a hard time imagining anyone being this clueless but perhaps he is. I still think there may be something in AA but the rest of them shouldn’t be there, including Suarez, Nick Kirby’s eternal optimism notwithstanding (i.e., 10 HRs in final 20 games).
What’s the lineup you’d run out there today, assuming that Barrero and Naquin aren’t capable of starting this afternoon?
Anyone but Suarez. He has this week’s HR. He doesn’t hit lefties other than occasionally. The numbers are the numbers. Bell doesn’t seem to pay much attention beyond L/R handedness.
That’s not an answer, LDS.
Tell me the lineup. 1-8, with the positions that everyone is playing.
Schrock at 3rd, Cabrera at SS. Schrock’s BA against LH’ers isn’t great but well above Suarez. And Bell didn’t say that Barrero was unable to play. He said he was available off the bench. Unless he asserts that Barrero is unable to play – start him.
Did the Reds pick up someone else with the last name Cabrera? Surely you don’t mean Asdrubal Cabrera. At shortstop.
I’m convinced you didn’t watch the game yesterday or read about what happened yesterday.
Sorry Doug! My Bad! Wasn’t aware Barrero was hurt and unavailable for today’s game!
We dont know.
Covid strikes again.
In normal times, reporters would have access to Barrero and ask him how he’s feeling and what happened and any injuries.
What we do know is Barrero didn’t come out of the game and was fine to play the rest of the game and no mention of any official injury. Naquin did have official injury- ribs – and looked beat up after the play. Barrero stayed in the game and finished the game and the team issues no injury report.
Bell is engaging in what is classic “plausible deniability”
Because the press has no access to Barrero, he can plausibly start Carbrera and Suarez based on the optics of the collision and deny/infer that Barrero isntphysically ready to play without stating the the actual condition of Barrero. Hes using the collision to continue a much bigger theme for the year, keep playing the players who are paid the most.
This is chapter 9 of the Reds playbook of playing vets over young players who are better.
Or, Barrero could be really sore and stiffened up overnight. I’d feel much better if Bell came out and said…” I talked to Jose and that was a scary collision. He going to fine but stiffened up a bit over night and has some soreness and so with the off-day tomorrow, we wanted to play it safe.”
The bigger question is who goes when Farmer comes back Tuesday? If its Barrero or Shrock, RLN will not be pleased.
Apparently the posters not only don’t know that Barrero might be hurt and not available to start and that Farmer is not available due to paternity. Who is there best available SS? Suarez may be Bell’s only decent choice of very few available options. I guess there is a reason they choose to complain without offering an alternative, or reading the pre-game write up that clearly says Barrero is not startable. Easy to offer opinions when operating in a data-free environment!
Mark Sheldon quotes “bell speculating last night that Barrero “MIGHT” have a sore quad today.”
C Trent reports “ Bell said Barrero is going to be sore today”
Barrero finished yesterdays game and was fine then.
Bell needs to address whether Barrero was truly unavailable to play SS today or whether it was a managers decision to start Suarez at SS and Cabrera at 3b because that was his best lineup.
Is Barrero hurt and unable to start at SS or is David bell playing HIS best lineup in a must win game on the verge of losing 6 series in a row.
We don’t know yet. Bell had not had a chance to see/speak to Barrero when he spoke to the media at 11-something this morning.
I hope Bell addresses this but the notion that a manager can’t contact a player before he makes out the starting lineup is ridiculous. Maybe he didnt want to know so he can plausibly deny why Barrero didnt start.
Every coach even at the high school level is texting his players at all hours on matters that involve injury and availability. . Bell needs to say barrero was hurt and Barrero wasnt unavailable and Barrero let him know he wasnt ready.
Otherwise, its a managerial decision to not play Barrero and Bell is hiding behind the optics of the collision and lack of media access to Barrero due to Covid. What would barrero say? Inquiring minds want to know?
Did you buy your tickets yet, Dennis? I sent you an e-mail (the one LI shows).
I’m probably going to pull the trigger on seats Tuesday or Wednesday.
Haven’t purchased the tickets yet Mark! Again, targeting the 23rd or 24th!
Humm let me see who are the 4 worst hitters on the team , I know I’ll not only play them , I’ll bat them in a row , maybe I could use one of my 17 pitchers to bat some where, says Bell to himself while contemplating
We can only hope for the best with this lineup. I understand if Barrero is hurt and unavailable, but Bell says he’ll be available. Playing Suarez at SS again and starting 0-13 Cabrera is certainly an undesirable lineup regression. Don’t know how it will result in a win, but we’ll see.
From the fifth thru the ninth hitter against LHP has been the Achilles heel of Reds lineup practicly all season… very five vulnerable spots becoming sweet cake for opposing pitchers… Let’s see today and hopefully this gonna change
Whenever Bell says somebody is available off the bench, you usually don’t see them for 4-6 weeks.
So you’re saying we’re going to see them in the playoffs? Fine. I’ll take it.
If they play again in 6 weeks, that would be indeed marvelous.
I’m thinking Naquin is out until Tuesday with the bruised ribs. Barrero not starting isn’t ideal, but I watched that collision and wondered how he stayed in the game. I’m thinking he’s more of an “In case of emergency, break glass” option today. That being the likely case, Geno is the only choice. None of us wants to see Cabrera at SS.
It’s going to take some major Jobu waking up bats action today. Let’s see if we can duplicate the performance against Happ and chase him early.
Does Jobu work on Sundays?
He’d darned well better be working today!!!
https://memegenerator.net/instance/81645099/jobu-7-jobu-will-wake-up-bats
https://images.app.goo.gl/UC2tutKkfCU1xJYq6
Local fans, especially those familiar with downtown … do you know if TANK is running their regular schedule? My hotel is almost a 2-mile walk to GABP, though breaking it up with dinner in Newport is definitely an option (as long as it’s a safe walk in the daylight).
Anybody else looking at the 23rd and/or the 24th?
Mark, there is a Cincinnati bell connector- aka street car that runs so not sure if thats near your hotel. Ive been to several games and seen Uber’s dropping off fans as well.
Old-school – I’m over in Bellevue (staying on points), so it looks like walk, TANK, or Lyft/Uber are my options. I’m figuring Lyft back after the games is probably the safest bet.
WE park sometimes in Newport on the Levee garage on purpose just to get in/get out quick but also a very pleasant walk across the river and you easily access the stadium concourse from the bridge. If you can physically manage, its a nice walk across the river.
Thanks, Old-school. That’s tentatively my plan to at least walk across the bridge and figure out the last half of the travel from there (getting back to the hotel).
I’m developing a major man-crush on Tyler Stephenson. I’d approve him to date my daughter … but I found out he’s getting married in early December.
I thought Cabrera hit lefties well. I wonder how many of his thirteen at bats came against lefties?
it’s 13 at bats people settle down. I think every player on the roster has 13 ab’s where they didn’t get a hit at some point in the season.
Welsh just said Barrero had a big bruise … and Sadak immediately asks Jim Day what the status on Barrero is … I’m thinking we’re quickly approaching that realm where, like Thom, John is in love with the sound of his own voice.
Time to switch to the WLW feed.
Sadak is a million times better than Thom ever was. Every day of every year.
I can’t stand Sadak. Bring back Thom!
Bad start … could be a very early Clete for me.
John Sadak reminds me of a cross between Bob Costas, Al Michaels, Howard Cosell and Homer Simpson.
+500 … very apt description.
I did switch to the WLW audio feed.
Of course we don’t know him personally, but I think most would say “Surely, out of ALL the broadcasters in the United States that no doubt wanted this job, they could have done better than Sudak.” I mean, Al Michaels or Marty Brennaman he’s not. Good grief.
I love listening to The Cowboy and Chris Welsh.
Sit back down Hair Band … Nice job tracking that down, Nick.
I have know idea what happened to this team, they look awful, they don’t even hit the ball hard. After today they could be one game ahead of the Cardinals, which makes me ill. The only positive is they did win the season series. If they are smart if Winker can play Tuesday he needs to start against the Pirates. How much worse could he be than the folks out there now.
4 or 5 hitters can not beat the other team every night.Can you imagine how bad we would be without India and Joey?Nobody would ever have thought one would be rookie of the year and the other one at 38 having the year he has had.
Arenado again.Last time we played it was Goldy and we just kept on pitching to him so I guess we keep on pitching to Arenado until he beats us again which he probably already has.
Cement mixers and meatballs have a tendency to fly a long way
Cabrera didn’t even seem to be hustling … and Nolan air-mailed in the throw.
And he’s still oh-for … but at least on base
How many hits (if any) will carberra have at the end of the season.
What’s up with a Commerical in the middle of the inning.
I didn’t get one
On to face the Bucs after an off day tomorrow.Looks like the bags are packed already.
Way to go with the pitch RoY
Now let’s see if TySteve can follow it up with a Crooked Number.
Nope … long day already in the 3rd
Gray couldn’t bunt to move runner up. Indian single could have scored. Fundamental baseball.
Yep … that’s a failing for us consistently it seems.
Yep.
Runs are hard to come by these days. Failing to do the little things, little league stuff, is inexcusable.
Right idea, Geno … too much lift
And followed up by a weak AA grounder.
Swing boys.Lead off man on and 7 pitches later its end of inning.Plane is ready lets hurry this up.No chance.Happ is laughing and he should be.
Carp got tossed?
Technically a swing by Nolan.
Looks like a totally different team than it was six weeks ago.
No energy. No sense of urgency. Going through the motions. Looks like a they are in off season mode. Castellanos probably can’t wait to get out of here.
Can’t see how David Bell survives this collapse.
This has to be the worst Reds collapse in my time following them and I am 63. I really don’t know who to blame so i guess you should blame them all. The starters have done fairly well but, they have given up a lot of early runs and for a team struggling to score that makes everything even worse.
It’s not just one single thing or even a couple players. It seems like a round robin game of who can under-perform today … with some brilliant days and a lot of turned DP’s mixed in.
It looks like a totally different team than it was six weeks ago. No energy. No sense of urgency. Going through the motions. Looks they are in off season mode.
Can’t see how David Bell survives this collapse.
Somehow I have a feeling that Reds will come back and win today. Keep it close Gray and someone will get a big hit to win it.
I’ll go with that feeling … though it won’t be in the 5th unless Gray finds some green space.
Looks like it’s up to the top of the order to break the voodoo curse and get Jobu to wake up the bats. But first, let’s see another lock-down inning by Sonny.
Yep but 3 or 4 and sometimes 5 guys at the most have hit.In this game today and I know it is what it is but you have 1 hit in 4 innings and its Cabrera,De Shields and the pitcher in a very very important ball game.Come on 2 guys released by other teams and the pitcher’s spot.Now I don’t know what else you do but is this the best roster we can come up with 20 games left.This is 4 against 8 hitting wise today
If you average the batting average of the last five guys in the reds lineup today you get .169.
That’s just plain sad …
You beat me to it.
I looked at the box score and it has the BA
Reds 5-9 hitters
Suarez 0-2 .176
Aquino 0-2 .188
Cabrera 0-2 .232. Hes .000 for the Reds
Deshields 0-2 .125
Gray 0-2 .158
They better turn this around fast or there is some serious questions about the FO and manager.
More serious that the ones we’ve already been asking?
@ mark
It’s mid September and late.
FO and manager can use sample size in May.June or hem and haw in July
Cant do that when the season is 19 games long
Play the best 8 and roster the best 26 and they continue to not do that in a pennant race.
It is what it is.
I just learned that Bengals went for 4 and 1 at their own 30 while leading by 2 TD in the 3rd quarter. I feel good about the Reds.
I know I’d feel differently if he were wearing a Reds uniform, but the little hop and hair flip Bader just did bugged me …
My 90 year old mother calls him “Gorgeous George” lol Referencing some wrestler from the 1950s.
Cabrera,AA,Shogo.Moose.Brach and Deshields wouldn’t have major league jobs with any other team.Sims would be on a team but mop up duty
Why are people expecting a lot from these guys?
Bells lineup of Aquino/Suarez/Cabrera/and Deshields are 2-19.
This is malfeasance on Krall and Bell starting players who haven’t hit all year in the middle of a pennant race.
Those 4 are 0-8 but lineup construction awful
Thanks to Barrero all they got left is Schrock
His bonehead play last night took Naquin and himself out
What bonehead play would that be?
Please educate Redlegnation .
The way I saw that play Saturday night, Barrero came with several inches of making a run saving inning ending catch then Naquin who was a split second too late to have a play on the ball came sliding into his path.
The reality is both guys put their best and complete effort into trying for the out without regard to their own welfare. What happened was nobody’s fault, it was just a baseball play gone bad.
Cards skipper is managing like its game 7 and he should but we really don’t have a chance unless they throw the ball around or walk a bunch.That won’t happen of course.Been a good year anyway but this is just a poor poor excuse of a major league lineup.Like I said once Arenado went deep it was over.
Joey is going for personal record of 4 strike outs game.
You can kind of tell by the look on his face (and what I thought was an F-bomb from him) he’s battling and taking it personally. He really wanted to park one that last time up.
He’ll have another chance.
I can’t think of much good to say right now, Gray has pitched well, but he put a slumping team in a 2-0 in the first inning and that doesn’t help the situation. It also doesn’t help when Votto is 0 for 3 with 3 strikeouts. I think this season has slipped away in a strange way. A stolen base is that legal.
The season is gone because the best players will not play and its not about this game at all.Reds just won’t as Old school said play the best 8 and roster the best 26.
Cabrera oh-forever … it’s just pathetic and painful to watch. Heck, let Tucker or Moose bat there. It just makes no sense at all.
Unbelievable Carbrera double play.
Barrero is on the steps with a helmet ready to play. REPEAT.
Barrero is ready to enter the game.
Krall and Bell are buddies by necessity. Krall picked up Cabrera and needs to prove that hes right and Krall is willing to die on the hill of Cabrera over Barrero, He just died on that Cabrera hill
Honest question: If the Reds fail to make the playoffs, does that spell the end of Bell in Cincinnati?
I don’t know but he should go and take Krall with him. They have been a disaster.
I wish it would end ownership and the front office
Highly unlikely given the patronage he enjoys with the ownership
If they were going to fire him they would already have done so. He will be the manager next season.
You can send Cabrera packing after today and tell him thanks for everything. Just one hit would have been nice.
I can’t believe 6 straight series losses, it is enough to make you sick. The sad part is if it doesn’t end in Pittsburgh the streak will reach 8 next week end. That should end the season and be cause to end the Bell era.
>>>be cause to end the Bell era.
I wish,..but I’m afraid we’ll have no such luck. Bell lost 25 or more games for us this year with his bonehead moves,..but today was just the Cincinnati Chokers returning to form. Apply an ounce of pressure to them, and they fold like a cheap suit. That’s who they are. 9 of the last 13 losses or so they scored one or less runs,..mostly against pitiful pitching. Can you imagine if by luck they possibly got in the one game play-off and went up against a really good pitcher?? It’d be the same as last year’s post season against the Braves. They’d choke and score ZERO runs again. Like I say,..that’s who they are. Then add to that, a manager who constantly makes the DUMBEST moves imaginable, and you have the Cincinnati Chokers. I’d send half this team down and bring AAA players up for these last games. Might have a chance that way. Barrera, Lopez,..and several others that can actually hit a baseball and have an ounce of testosterone. Oh well.
Gray did his job. Reds, will you fold or rise up?
Gray –except for the 1st inning — has been outstanding today. Good enough to win. Reds batters need to hit — and SCORE. Lately, they just look plain awful at the plate against pitchers they should be hammering left and right — at least as far as the top half of the order goes. (I don’t expect much from the bottom half, all things considered.)
Need to score to win.
I’m switching over to the Browns’ opener vs. the Chiefs.
Browns up 7-0 on opening drive…
Strike that — 8-0
I am afraid ownership will say that the RP failures of the first half are not the fault of Bell, and give him another season
Probably because it’s not Bells fault that the front office game him outcasts and scrap heap players for the bp
Can’t. Look. Away. From. Blue. Glove.
+500
Barrero coming in cold there is a really tough spot.
DeSheilds finally does something: leads of the inning with a double. And he dies at third base.
I can’t think of a better summary of the Reds (lack of) hitting over the past 2 weeks.
OK, I think I’m done for the day. No matter how we perform on the mound in the 8th, we’re still in a huge hole and the chances of digging out are slim to none and slim’s out of town.
Back at it Tuesday in Pittsburgh. Hoping for the best here, but realizing it’s probably a fool’s hope.
I agree.
6 series in a row.
At some point Krall and Bell have to admit what they’re doing and who they are playing isnt working.
Wish JI or TS got on base with Deshield, give Castellano a chance, just a chance. Best opportunity of the game gone.
Year after year after year after year there’s a tendency to say the Cardinals are getting old, or “their window of opportunity” is getting smaller. Then for much of the season they play that way and for one reason or another the outlook is not good for the birds. But they always manage to come through somehow, this year they pulled the steal for Arenado. This team always seems to make the moves necessary to extend their baseball lives and they annually seem to find a way to be in the conservation come playoff time. Will this Cincinnati Reds team EVER be in such regard? Under current ownership and front office structure all the way down to the field manager the magic 8 ball says UNLIKELY or DON’T COUNT ON IT. It’s as aggravating as Hell to see such great individual seasons so close to going to waste. AND they’re in serious jeopardy of losing their best player, one that needs to be secured for the next several seasons, but wait a minute and hold the phone — we’re talking about the Cincinnati Reds.
Bengals beat Vikings in OT
Maybe the worm is starting to turn. No turnovers, caused one that led to the game winner and an overall solid effort. Not top notch competition but a very solid effort nevertheless. Good for the Bengals. I’ll also bet that nobody missed the Bengal’s game because of a bruised thigh and/or any other ridiculous “injuries” real or imagined by players not motivated to play or a manager that seems more concerned with the the perceived discomfort of a player than the need to win today.
Unexpected double from Moose, too bad no man on. That’s all she wrote. Let’s pile the runs on Pirates. Pads will lose tonight, so we’ll still share WC2. Winker is rehab-Ing on Tue. Things are looking up already.
Ha — way to look at the bright side!
Winker should skip rehab, he has to be better than what Bell is putting out there.