In his final start of the season, Sonny Gray will try to avoid letting the White Sox (90-68) hit any more home runs this week as the Cincinnati Reds (82-76) look to rebound from last night’s 7-1 loss. The Reds are going for the two-game series split on the south side of Chicago tonight.
Details:
- First pitch: 8:10 P.M. ET
- Location: Guaranteed Rate Field
- TV: Bally Sports Ohio
- Radio: 700 WLW
- Weather: 64 degrees and clear skies
Starting Pitchers
| Name | IP | ERA | xERA | FIP | xFIP | WHIP | K% | BB% |
| Sonny Gray | 130.2 | 3.99 | 3.12 | 3.94 | 3.65 | 1.21 | 26.9% | 8.7% |
| Carlos Rodón | 127.2 | 2.47 | 2.67 | 2.64 | 3.03 | 0.97 | 35.1% | 6.6% |
REDS
Gray has battled through a couple of injuries over the course of the 2021 season, but has still pitched 130.2 innings with an ERA just under 4.00. His expected stats are a little lower than his actual stats, so his numbers could be even better. He’s coming off a start on Friday night against the Washington Nationals where he pitched only four innings and gave up four runs on five hits, including two home runs, in just four innings. The good news for Gray is that he’s pitched better on the road, with a 2.89 ERA in 60.2 innings compared to a 4.89 ERA in 70.0 innings at Great American Ball Park.
WHITE SOX
Left-hander Carlos Rodón is having one of the best years of his career. Through the month of June, Rodón had an ERA of 2.06. He threw a no-hitter, on April 14 against the Cleveland Indians, and earned a spot on the All-Star team in July. But Rodón has also thrown a lot of innings this year. He’s thrown 127.2 innings, the most since 2018 when he threw 120.2 innings. As a result, he went on the injured list with left shoulder fatigue in the middle of August, but has since returned and has made three starts in September. Before going on the injured list, Rodón was pitching every fifth day. In September, he’s pitched every ninth day and only about four or five innings each start.
The key to Rodón’s success this season has been his strikeout percentage. It’s up to 35.1% on the season, by far the best of his career and the top four percent in the league. He’s throwing his four-seam fastball around 95 mph. This is increased velocity from the last two years by about three percent. Rodón’s throwing his fastball harder and faster than in the past, and it’s paying off for him.
Rodón’s a lefty, so don’t expect too much for Reds hitters tonight. Nick Castellanos, however, does has one home and three RBI in eight at-bats against him. (And of course, he’s getting a night off tonight).
Starting Lineups
Cincinnati Reds
|
Chicago White Sox |
| 2B Jonathan India | SS Tim Anderson |
| C Tyler Stephenson | CF Luis Robert |
| 3B Eugenio Suárez | 1B Jose Abreu |
| SS Kyle Farmer | C Yasmani Grandal |
| CF Jose Barrero | LF Eloy Jiménez |
| DH Delino Deshields Jr. | 3B Yoan Moncada |
| RF Aristides Aquino | 2B Leury Garcia |
| 1B Max Schrock | DH Gavin Sheets |
| LF TJ Friedl | RF Adam Engel |
News and Notes
The Reds announced a starter for Sunday’s game in Pittsburgh. Reiver Sanmartin will get one more chance to pitch in 2021.
Reiver Sanmartin, who beat the Pirates in his big-league debut on Monday, will start for the Reds in Sunday's season finale in Pittsburgh.
Vladimir Gutierrez will be available out of the bullpen for the Pirates series.
— C. Trent Rosecrans (@ctrent) September 29, 2021
Final Thoughts
Since the Reds were officially eliminated from the playoff race, David Bell decided to sit Nick Castellanos and Joey Votto tonight. You can be upset about that, but regardless of who is in the lineup, the fact of the matter remains: there are only four games left of Reds baseball in 2021. Enjoy it while you still got it. You know you’ll miss it in two months.
Rather see Barrero at SS but this is this is a start in the right direction.
Ashley, I’m going tonite live north of Chicago, and I said yesterday on here, Rodon only going 1 or 2 innings, on a very strict pitch count, suprised lineup is so heavy,right handed I asked for youngsters to get a whole game, WSOX will follow with Kopech-r, Crochet,-l, both probably 2 innings, Ruiz, Burr both-r, then Kimbrel , was really hoping to see Friedl, Barrero, play a whole game, but I feel like I get to see Cabrera, Barnhart, , unfortunately, well I’m here , hope I’m wrong , just wondered bout your thought on letting youth play to finish season and most importantly Moreta in a important spot, thx
This lineupn is a pretty good indication of how the Reds see the future (Barrero in CF). I’m hoping this is a Bell thing and not management, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re trying to mess with yet another rookie’s career
If Farmer and Barrero are on the field together Barrero should be the SS. Enough of the feel good story.
And you know this how?
Defense
If you would have asked me what I thought our likely lineup for Sept 29th would be in say…April?…I wouldn’t have guessed this one in 10,000 years. Ask me who the relievers are on the roster…I bet I can name about 6 of the current 12 or 13 pitchers on the roster.
I bet Votto and Casty aren’t happy since they’re having great years and want to keep that going to the end. I’m sure they both feel like they’ve earned the right to go after 100 RBI.
I am quessing they were given the opportunity to play or not.
I think the lack of Cabrerra in the lineup, even with the post-elimination, give the vets a break, lineup, is notice that he is not going to be a part of the team after 4 more games
If the Reds are going to move forward next year then they really need Barrero to be a lefty basher! For some reason the Reds faced the fewest lefties in mlb for April-May I think, but when teams got smart and just started peppering the Reds with lefties then thats when the season went south. That and Winker but he doesn’t help vs lefties either.
Well another Brewer’s pitcher broke another very key guy’s hand. Self inflicted this time, though. Funny how this world works, at times anyway.
The Aquino experiment is over: DFA or try to trade?
I think the Reds should release Aquino even if he is gonna hit 40 homers with another team but i am tired to see him getting K after K even against lefties… I don’t think he will be picked up with a divisional rival because they know him very well and don’t want his struggles unless it only be in the opposite side… Maybe he can go to an AL team, i don’t know…
Aquino needs to join Shogo in Japan.
You rally should have a left hander playing first
Haven’t seen alot of these games lately, but looked like the same old Geno to me. K’d on 3 pitches. 0-1 93 mph fastball right down broadway and he takes it. If you’re seeing the ball at all vs real mlb pitching then you don’t take 0-1 fastballs down broadway
Sonny Gray has had a horrible September. I think they should try to find a taker for him.
He’s losing velocity. It’s creeping down each start. Not a great trend for an undersized pitcher.
https://www.fangraphs.com/players/sonny-gray/12768/graphs?pitchgraphs=true&statArr=&legend=1&split=base&time=daily&start=2019&end=2021&rtype=mult>1=15&dStatArray=FA&ymin=&ymax=
Not a good showing in Chicago so far, looks like 82 to 84 wins tops.
Nope, not so far but I’d like to see them stick with a similar lineup. Maybe call up Lopez and bench Suarez, move Barrero to SS, etc. Let the vets sit out the rest of the year. Not really enough time to see what they have but better than nothing.
Aquino….why?
The White Sox are pretty good.
Judging from this short series this team has a long way to go to be compete against high level teams. My question is, What part of this team is ready to play at a major league level, starters, bull pen, speed, fielding, power, hitting for average, athletically, coaching LOL, front office LOL?
That’s a fair point, especially considering that the Reds schedule against AL teams in 2021 was limited to the AL Central division, which, other than the White Sox, was probably the weakest division in the AL. What would happen next year if their interleague schedule was exclusively against the more powerful AL East?
I wouldn’t read too much into a meaningless, end of year, two-game series against an American League team. If they don’t make significant moves in the off-season and lose Castellanos (significant moves to include guys from the minors being ready to join the team), then I’ll worry.