After an 11th inning walk-off win last night the Cincinnati Reds will look to keep their playoff hopes alive with another win against the Washington Nationals. First pitch is set for 7:10pm tonight.
Starting Lineups
Washington Nationals
|
Cincinnati Reds
|
| Lane Thomas – CF | Jonathan India – 2B |
| Alcides Escobar – SS | Max Schrock – LF |
| Juan Soto – RF | Nick Castellanos – RF |
| Josh Bell – 1B | Tyler Stephenson – 1B |
| Luis García – 2B | Kyle Farmer – SS |
| Keibert Ruiz – C | Eugenio Suárez – 3B |
| Jordy Mercer – 3B | Tucker Barnhart – C |
| Andrew Stevenson – LF | TJ Friedl – CF |
| Erick Fedde – SP | Vladimir Gutierrez – SP |
Starting Pitchers
Vladimir Gutierrez
It has been a tough stretch lately for Vladimir Gutierrez. In four of his last five starts he hasn’t made it out of the 4th inning, including each of his last two starts. His ERA has jumped nearly a full run in the last month thanks to an 8.84 ERA in those five starts.
Gutierrez had held lefties and righties to a similar OPS on the year until the last few starts, but lefties have been crushing him lately, hitting an obscene .381/.417/.857 against him over the last month. Righties are hitting .269/.333/.429 against him on the season. Lefties are hitting .248/.323/.510 against him. In Cincinnati, Gutierrez has a 5.51 ERA (3.80 on the road) and his OPS against is more than 200 points higher (.920 to .698).
Pitch usage from 2021
| 4-Seam | Slider | Change | Curve | |
| Velo | 93.2 | 83.2 | 81.2 | 77.6 |
| Usage | 47% | 23% | 11% | 18% |
Erick Fedde
It’s been a tough season for Erick Fedde, who has a 5.10 ERA through 26 starts for the Nationals. In the second half he’s had a better walk and strikeout rate than in the first half, but he’s allowed just over 2 homers per 9-innings pitched in the second half, negating the strides he’s made with the ability to throw more strikes.
Left-handed hitters have performed better against Fedde, hitting .288/.354/.488 against him on the season. Right-handed hitters have had some struggles against him, hitting .239/.296/.420 on the year against him. His home and road splits post a similar ERA (5.13 on the road vs 5.07 at home), but the OPS on the road is .806 – 56 points higher than it is when he’s at home in Washington.
Pitch usage from 2021
| 4-Seam | 2-Seam | Change | Slider | |
| Velo | 92.2 | 92.6 | 81.5 | 80.6 |
| Usage | 28% | 29% | 4% | 37% |
When and Where
- Game time: 7:10pm ET
- Where: Great American Ball Park
- Watch: Bally Sports Ohio, MLB.tv
- Listen: 700 WLW AM (Cincinnati area)
- Forecast: 62°, sunny, 0% chance of rain
Notes Worth Noting
Wade Miley to the injured list
The Cincinnati Reds placed Wade Miley on the injured list with a neck strain this afternoon and called up reliever Cionel Pérez from Triple-A to take his place on the roster.
Joey Votto scratched with a sore left knee
Joey Votto was originally in the starting lineup at first base and hitting cleanup, but at 5:25 he was scratched from the lineup with a sore left knee.
NL Central Standings
Playoff odds via Fangraphs
| Team | W | L | GB | Playoff % |
| Brewers | 92 | 62 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Cardinals | 85 | 69 | 7.0 | 99.7% |
| Reds | 79 | 75 | 13.0 | 0.1% |
| Cubs | 67 | 87 | 25.0 | 0.0% |
| Pirates | 57 | 96 | 34.5 | 0.0% |
Cards have now won 15 in a row.
To use a line from Anchorman:
“I’m not even mad. That’s impressive.”
Actually, I guess the line was:
“I’m not even mad. That’s amazing.”
Sentiment is the same, though.
Agreed. You really have to tip your cap and say, you guys earned it without question.
What are the front office’s plans going into the winter? Hopefully Krall gets interviewed soon and gives an indication what they will do (not that it matters-they never did get a SS last winter).
They are holding that money back to give them the flexibility to add players later.
The Cincinnati Reds Hospital playing today against the Nationals.
I hope tonight Vlad regains his previous form and throws very well, though , he should pitch around to Soto and Bell, this kind of hitters kill Vlad…
Vlad is out of gas. He should be shut down.
But I guess he only has 2 starts left after this, so as long as he doesn’t blow out his elbow or shoulder, no harm in letting him throw.
I agree, and not only Vlad is gassed. Miley hasn’t been effective for a few weeks, though he went on the DL today which might hint at a reason why. Gray, also, has been either amazing or below-average, it seems.
Cowboy agrees he is gassed. Thinks that running him out there in the end now is still good for building him for next year. Seeing the impressive run of the (I swear they are cheating somehow) Cards, I think he is right. Vlad is good, just gassed right now
How quickly this weekend series (and home stand) went from being one where the Reds could potentially clinch a postseason spot, to a utterly meaningless series like we saw throughout the entire rebuild.
It’s really been the entire month of September that has been the problem. Reds 8-13 in September, St. Louis win 15 in a row, game over. The weaknesses of the Reds were truly exposed this month — most particularly, the inability to hit lefthanded pitching.
It hasn’t even been September. The wheels started coming off after they swept the Marlins at home and were 12 games over .500. Since that time, they are 10-18. Focusing only on September belies just how terrible they have been since that sweep.
Rebuild was botched. Probably will have to enter another one with hopes of 2025. Should have lost 95 this year. Would be drafting 5th.
I disagree. The rebuild has yielded Gutierrez, Antone, Santillan, Sims, India, Stephenson, Barrero, Senzel, Farmer, Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo. That’s a pretty good core for the next three to five years. What will be a problem is that the front office isn’t likely to bring in the additional veteran help by trade or free agency that will be needed to send this team to the next level.
And other players who were not products of the rebuild era who were brought on this year who look like solid members of the team for the next few years include Cessa, Warren and Schrock.
GR, You are quite right
I agree a mini re-build is needed. The roster construction is out of whack.
If I was King, I would hire a competent GM (Calling Mr. Epstein) and start the re-build process. It doesn’t have to be a long and painful rebuild. They have some very good, young players in place.
They just need to move some bad contracts. I would use the likes of Miley, Gray and maybe Mahle to move the Moose and Shogo contacts. I would hang on to Suarez another year.
When the bad contracts come off the books in 2024/2005, the team will be in a good position to add a free agent or two.
If they don’t fire Krall and just sit around and wait for things to get better on their own, they never will. In my experience, problems usually don’t solve themselves.
A lot of
Tom I disagree at least partially. That is a nice core… especially if Senzel comes around. But, it’s not enough. The front office reputation is so bad, they have to overspend or take chances on FA others won’t. Look at the big 4 FA they now have. Akiyama and Moose are big $ busts. Only got Miley for one of his 2 years. NC is the only success and he got multiple op outs which he will use. The Reds nothing for all that money because nobody wants to come here.
.500 the last two years is a 0 accomplishment. They enemy of great is not terrible. It is good or médiocre.
I understand your point, and I would respectfully say that if you agree that they acquired good young talent that forms the core of the next few years, then the rebuild was successful. Because that’s what the rebuild is about — sacrificing wins and established talent with the goal of high draft picks which you have to get right. My opinion is that they did great on those top picks during those years they were terrible. So I would state that the rebuild was not botched, but the front office has failed on other fronts.
What’s mind-boggling is that if Castellini would run his team like the Rays or A’s (who both so far more with far less payroll), he would both have better teams and would keep more $$$ in his pockets.
He doesn’t have front-office folks who know how to do that effectively.
The Rays and A’s are the exceptions. The Reds and a dozen or so other teams are the rules.
Tampa and Oakland trade players the minute they become expensive. Would you trust Nick Krall to get equal or greater value for Luis Castillo? I sure wouldn’t
Suarez out here looking like a new person
Too bad he couldn’t have figured it out about four months ago. 🙂
Or maybe he’s physically better? A lot of people have attributed his decline to the “Watergate Conspiracy” aka shoulder injury at the pool.
Suarez is the 3b
Just move forward with that contract and no one is taking it . He might just be ok.
Moose is the DH. No one is taking that contract . Votto is 1b. Thats not changing either
Barnhart is the guy left standing with no contract- unless he takes a big cut
I agree in part. I love what Votto has done this year — amazing. But he hasn’t hit lefthanders at all, and to think that will change would be a mistake for the front office. I would keep Barnhart, but have him split time with Stephenson and also have Stephenson play first against lefties. I agree with the rest of your points. Suarez and Moustakas contracts aren’t going anywhere.
Now that I read through that, it doesn’t make complete sense because that would mean Barnhart would catch against lefties. That doesn’t make good sense.
The Reds won’t have a choice at this point, no team is going to take Suarez contract.
I would like to think his shoulder injury is what caused his tailspin, but I’m just not really convinced. Most of his problems this year was failing to make contact.
An injury could explain his problems in the field, but I’m not so sure it explains away his inability to put the ball in play for five months this season.
I hope I am wrong. The Reds definitely need to have a plan B for next season.
Suarez does not have any pressure now. The Reds and his season is over, so he can just go up there, relaxed, knowing his average is terrible, and there is nothing he can do about it. IMO it has nothing to do with a shoulder injury that that happened almost two years ago. When you do not watch the ball you cannot hit it..
Suarez is hitting .370 for September so far, and the month is nearly over. That’s not a large sample, but not a really small one, either. maybe his shoulder is getting better. Maybe he figured something out. But he was good for quite a few years, so it might be stupid to write him off.
Agree on Suarez.
That was one nifty catch and tag by Suarez. He could have easily lost the ball on the tag.
Meanwhile, Guiterrez is not impressing anyone tonight.
You’re right, he’s laboring. He’s been out of gas for a couple of weeks at least. Someone above mentioned that Jeff Brantley commented on radio that he thinks running him out there even when gassed is good for conditioning for next year.
yes, and I want to reiterate that that was Brantley’s opinion not mine. I understand the conditioning for next year argument, but there is….wait… never mind they are pulling him now
Our opinions about the importance of his shoulder injury are utterly irrelevant. We know nothing about it.
Not that it really matters anymore, but the bullpen is going to be gassed soon. Had to eat innings yesterday in the extra-inning game, will have to pitch at least seven today, Mahle starts tomorrow in a home game, and we’ll probably have a spot starter Monday. Yikes.
I would imagine we’ll see Moreta’s debut sometime very soon.
After he sits the mandatory week for young players..
The season is over we should have seen him sooner, don’t you think. Like to see him in a pressure spot, holding a lead in 8th, 9th or even starting a 10th with runner on 2nd no out, just a thought
and here they are suddenly fighting again… twice coming from behind to tie it up
Lucas Sims. That was a very gutsy pitch
* other descriptive word preferred
Juan Soto. Wow. Even protests his own popups
Suarez is cured…. hope he keeps this up next year
Friedl looks so much better than in springtraining, where he had the bat knocked out of his hands too many times.
I know nothing of statistics, but the Reds are surely somewhere near the bottom of the league in scoring with the bases loaded.
It’s just frustration after frustration.
Hoffman is one I would not mind to see replaced in the bullpen as well
Meanwhile, Hoffman is busy murdering worms in front of home plate.
Even Cionel Perez, who was called up today, got in the game before Moreta. Bell hates putting the young call ups into the fire
FarMVP.
Big hit after big hit…for the guys that think he had 1 good month
He’s been critical for a team that didn’t have a major league shortstop when the year began. He’s shown that he can play the position every day defensively at the major league level. IMO, he’s a Jose Iglesias type.
The big question for next year, presuming the departure of Castellanos, is who the heck will be the starting outfield. I think there is real interest by the front office to see if Barrero can handle the outfield defensively.
IMO the Reds are not helping young guys by jerking them around to positions they have not played since travel ball, then we wonder why they struggle at the plate
Hope Barrero gets a chance to prove himself next year. He needs to kick the door down in Spring though. He can’t be gifted a spot based on potential.
They did not play him or prep him at AA for the OF, he got to Cincinnati and DB said here if your OF glove rook, Go be effective there, and oh yea, hit well also, this is your chance at playing time…ridiculous
*AAA
I’m sure Barrero can handle centerfield defensively and speed wise. I’m not in favor of another Senzel experiment. Either Barrero is the next shortstop or he should be traded for a young centerfielder who, without question, can hit.
I’ll concede that Barrero may be the shortstop of the future, and he needs to get more chances to earn his place, but the Reds need to find a position for Farmer. The man comes to play!
or find a new position for Barrero…. farmer has proved himself. Barrero has not
As mentioned above, I think there is some real purpose for the looks Barrero is getting in the outfield.
I agree, Tom.
Once the Reds are officially eliminated, I would not be surprised if Barrero plays every day in the outfield.
What if Farmer’s one “great” month, is the Aquino month of 2021, and he goes back to average and below across the board, and Barrero is in the OF without a “real” legitimate chance to be the SS? We know the will not go sign one.
Chris, my thinking is that who will the Reds have to play the outfield next year without Castellanos? Senzel? Naquin? Schrock? There’s not a legit power bat in that group. I’m done with the Aquino experiment. It’s very clear what he is and is not, IMO. We all hope Barrero will learn to hit in the bigs, and if he does like he did this year, he certainly needs to be a starter in 2022. An outfield otherwise without power might be the best option for him.
It’s scary how good Soto is. 137 bb and only 85 strikeouts at 22 years old!
Does every relief pitcher have to pitch everyday? Everyone one of them pitched yesterday, except Mareta, shocker, and all of them again today. Talk about Guti being gased….the Reds have a game tomorrow, then they will bring up a started for Monday and send the only fresh arm they have to AAA
Moreta warming
Castooooooo….walks it off!!
nick realising that he needs to produce to opt out…. win again… STL losing streak starts tomorow
We are likely to have expanded play-offs next year. Two more WC teams in each league.
I think it’s reasonable to expect that the Reds will likely be in the play-off mix in 2022.
We all hope, All of the 30 somethings, will be a year, older, slower, and still starting. All the young guys need to get a chance in ST and grab the opportunity, that is the only way the Reds improve. Take Casty out of the lineup or AAA to replace that
*there is no one in the lineup
Well, good. The Reds accomplished two things:
1. They stopped the string of losing series, and
2. they’re within 2 games of having a winning season.
These might be small victories, but it would be some consolation considering their collapse over the past few weeks.