After starting the season on the road for the first time in over 30 years, the Cincinnati Reds will open the gates for the first time at Great American Ball Park this season. The Reds split their opening series of the season with Atlanta and now host the Cleveland Guardians to kick off the home schedule.
Starting Lineups
Here’s the lineup for Tuesday’s home opener:
Cleveland Guardians
|
Cincinnati Reds
|
| Myles Straw – CF | Jonathan India – 2B |
| Steven Kwan – LF | Tyler Naquin – RF |
| Jose Ramirez – 3B | Tommy Pham – LF |
| Franmil Reyes – DH | Joey Votto – 1B |
| Amed Rosario – SS | Tyler Stephenson – C |
| Owen Miller – 1B | Nick Senzel – CF |
| Oscar Mercado – RF | Mike Moustakas – 3B |
| Andres Gimenez – 2B | Kyle Farmer – SS |
| Austin Hedges – C | Jake Fraley – DH |
| Shane Bieber – SP | Tyler Mahle – SP |
Starting Pitchers
Stats are from 2021.
| Pitcher | IP | ERA | WHIP | BB% | K% |
| Shane Bieber | 96.2 | 3.17 | 1.21 | 8.1% | 33.1% |
| Tyler Mahle | 180.0 | 3.75 | 1.23 | 8.4% | 27.7% |
| Links: Tyler Mahle’s Stats | Shane Bieber’s Stats |
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Tyler Mahle
The 2021 season was a breakout one for Tyler Mahle, though the breakout probably started in 2020. But some weird stuff happened in 2021 for Mahle as he was one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball when he was on the road (2.30 ERA in 18 starts), but when he pitched at home he pitched like a guy who should probably be in Triple-A (5.63 ERA in 15 starts). His splits versus lefties and righties were big, too. Mahle dominated lefties, while righties were quite good against him.
In the season opener he picked up the win while being charged with an unearned run in 5.0 innings. He held the Braves to just three hits and two walks while striking out seven batters.
2021 Splits
| Split | PA | H | 2B | 3B | HR | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| RHH | 387 | 92 | 18 | 2 | 18 | 7.8% | 24.5% | .270 | .342 | .493 |
| LHH | 372 | 66 | 13 | 1 | 6 | 9.1% | 30.9% | .198 | .276 | .297 |
Pitch Usage
| 4-Seam | Slider | Splitter | |
| Velo | 94.0 | 86.7 | 86.4 |
| Usage | 53.1% | 31.1% | 15.8% |
Shane Bieber
One of the best pitchers in baseball, Shane Bieber has a 2.91 ERA over his last 63 games dating back to the start of the 2019 season. He’s made two All-Star teams in that span (there have only been two All-Star teams to be made) and he’s won a Cy Young Award.
Bieber has interesting splits. Lefties certainly hit better against him in 2021, but they also struck out significantly more. When they made contact they made it count – at least by comparison to what righties did.
2021 Splits
| Split | PA | H | 2B | 3B | HR | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| RHH | 200 | 39 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 6.0% | 29.0% | .210 | .260 | .328 |
| LHH | 205 | 45 | 11 | 1 | 6 | 10.2% | 37.1% | .249 | .337 | .420 |
Pitch Usage (in 2021)
| 4-Seam | Change | Curve | Cutter | Slider | |
| Velo | 92.8 | 87.4 | 83.1 | 88.2 | 85.7 |
| Usage | 35.3% | 4.7% | 31.2% | 3.2% | 25.5% |
When and Where
- Game time: 4:10pm ET
- Where: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati
- Watch: Bally Sports Ohio, MLB.tv
- Listen: 700 WLW AM (Cincinnati area)
- Forecast: 65°, cloudy, 20% chance of rain
News and Notes
Phil Castellini tells Reds fans to be careful what they ask for
This morning Reds COO Phil Castellini joined hosts Mo Egger and Scott Sloane on 700 WLW and he said some things that if he were being advised by a marketing firm on what to say would absolutely have been on the list of things NOT to say. He complained that the games economics work against the Reds, said where else will fans go, a new owner might move the team to make more money – it wasn’t great. We wrote about it here, addressing many of the points Castellini attempted to make, and have a link so you can listen to it in its entirety.
Lucas Sims sent to Triple-A to begin a rehab assignment
Reliever Lucas Sims will join the Louisville Bats starting tonight for a rehab assignment. The Bats are on the road in Omaha for the next six days.
Nick Lodolo officially named the starter for Wednesday
The worst kept secret in Cincinnati was confirmed by the club this morning when they officially announced Nick Lodolo would start the game tomorrow. He’s not on the roster yet and the team will need to make both a 40-man and a 28-man roster move to activate him.
Luis Castillo threw a bullpen session today
Luis Castillo is throwing a bullpen session at GABP. Reds hope he’ll be on track to return by the end of April.
— Bobby Nightengale (@nightengalejr) April 12, 2022
Can the Reds get Steven Kwan out?
Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan has played in four Major League Baseball games. He’s picked up nine hits and five walks. He’s hitting an absurd .692 with a .789 on-base percentage. Kwan hasn’t struck out in the regular season in 19 plate appearances. He didn’t strike out in 34 plate appearances in the spring. Last year to end the season he played in four games against the Reds Triple-A affiliate the Louisville Bats and in four games he also didn’t strike out. His last strikeout game on September 26th against the Nashville Sounds – 72 plate appearances ago.
Around the Beat
Jonathan India’s rise
Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer wrote about Jonathan India’s journey and how he got the help from his parents along the way. Also, Jonathan India’s dad can bench press your dad.
Nick Senzel clears the air with the organization
Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer has a piece on Nick Senzel that looks back at what happened last year, how Senzel went about his offseason, and how things were addressed when he got into Goodyear.
It certainly is sad what nepotism produces,
Mahle for Cy Young Award!
I’d settle for Mahle being a better pitcher at GABP.
Really hoping the offense shows up. We’ve been singles-heavy in the first series and we can’t continue successfully sequencing those together forever. The offense’s exit velocity, through 93 balls in play, is last in the league by a pretty wide margin. Trying not to be pessimistic, but that’s potentially a huge red flag moving forward.
Side note, the team’s hardest hit ball thus far is a Jake Fraley groundout that ranks as the 248th hardest hit ball this year. That means the average team has 8-9 harder hit balls than the Reds’ hardest hit ball. Hoping it’s just small sample size…
Maybe its because Fried, Morton, and Ian Anderson are pretty good. Just a thought
Unfortunately Bieber is better than all 3.
Unanimous 2020 Cy young.
Are Fried, Morton, and Anderson any better than every other teams 1-2-3 starters?
I would have preferred Bell move Pham down, maybe ahead of Moose, and shift the other guys up. Pham is still hitless. May bounce back this season but hasn’t yet. And isn’t Fraley better defensively than Naquin?
Well, THOSE were two really nice throws by TySteve. Right on the money for the tag. Big reset for Mahle getting out of the inning at 17 pitches.
Strange way to start a game, not a good challenge by the Indians.
Really dumb move by Cleveland when you consider the bandbox we play in. The OFs are so close that a hard hit single might not score a guy from 2nd even w/2 outs and they took a guy off the bases for their 2 best power hitters. As a fan its a much better game when people run, but it doesn’t make sense most of the time.
The Reds month of April schedule has to be one of, if not, the toughest in baseball.
poor decision making by the Guardians… Pham strikes out again… gotta think that starting him at three was a mistake until at least he got up to speed.
take a look at his at bat…..gets ahead 2-0…..in a hitters count….with 2 outs you look to do some damage…..looks at 2 pitches right down the middle of the plate…then swings at a pitch in the dirt…..really
Welcome to Cincinnati Mr. EuTommyio Phamez!
Pulling his head just like our boy.
+100
Mid-season form.
Ouch… 2 miscues in a row…. gotta get this under control
Speaking of Suarez….He went deep today.
Lorenzen last night. 6ip 2 hits, 1 run
I think the Reds are going to regret letting Lorenzen walk. Geno not so much.
Nibbler Mahle at GABP doing what he does.
He is afraid to throw strikes with men on base. This is mental.
There is that improved Reds defense
an embarrassment of an inning Defensively… gotta get it stopped and score some runs
Looking super fellas, just super
Well atleast we got a proven player like Pham to replace Winker in the lineup and I on the field.
Yeah, he looks good, just super
I mean, that was just painful to watch, especially given an offensively challenged Guardians offense (against everyone other than KC).
If Senzel end up on the IL in the nexteek, I will start to believe in curses.
This team is really offensively challenged, there is no other way to look at it. The lack of power is really going to hurt.
I love how they’re hyping up this dumpster fire. Guys we have eyes. I think I’ll just hit mute.
Sorry for off topic question, but does anyone know if they changed the old AL rule that a DH can’t switch and play a position in the field during the game unless the pitcher bats going forward? Tried googling and didn’t necesarily find an updated 2022 rule and was thinking that if our outfielders had both been hurt, with Fraley at DH (and gulp at that anyway) and had to move, might have been a problem.
Only DH rule change I’m aware of is the Otani rule. If a pitcher is the team’s DH & is removed for another pitcher, he can remain in the game as DH.
Thanks! I wasn’t aware of that one, but makes sense.
Moose’s catch in foul territory has me concerned for the visitor’s dugout railing. That was one large tookus and, thankfully, it was not at ramming speed!
Well, the Guardindians bullpen is potentially shaky, but with Bieber probably pitching two more innings, that might be enough.
Oh dear God, it’s a Jeff Hoffman day already.
It’s a sad day when you’d prefer a strikeout
Standard Operating Procedures for Castellani-Ball
According to Cleveland radio, Bieber is limited to somewhere betwen 72 to 80 pitches.
So after that inning, 8th inning in play?
any prediction on how long we will have to watch the Pham “revenge tour”?
Well, the first true white flag of the week
This team desperately needs an MLB lefty bat and MLB lefty reliever. 2 glaring holes. It’s Votto and then reasonable Naquin and then nothing. Moose is going to continue to get thrown out there so he gets his chances and has the pedigree but Fraley is a 4th outfielder but not an every day hitter.
This is starting to repeat last year. Only hope in 2021 was Suarez magic turnaround. Only hope this year is Moose magic.
Has any Reds FA position player started off worse than Tommy Pham?
Didn’t Moose go 0-27 right after the Pirates series when he came back? Wasn’t his first appearance like Pham obviously
Cabrera was pretty miserable last year
Pham 0 for 15, he is getting to that dangerous point where you have trouble ever digging out of such a terrible start. Bell needs to move him down or sit him a game or two. Well now he is hurt, nothing is going right today. Hoffman on, oh boy. A very poor outing by Mahle, he does not resemble an ace in any way shape or form.
Sitting isnt going to help, never really understood why people want to do that based on 4 games. Moving him down the order works for me, or maybe have him 2nd since he takes walks consistently.
Most all the comments on this game are pretty much worthless only the 5th game into the season.
The Krall to the Castellani Family Finish Line, 2022, is underway.
And no Phil, Bob, you will recieve no quarter after your display today.
Almost again? What the heck is going on out here?
I hope we see a chewing out of Aquino for that near collision. He put both Senzel and Farmer at risk.
Cut Aquino now. If he did that to Trout or Griffey he would be cut. Outrageously selfish dangerous play.
Old School, yes., exactly. David Bell better get in Krall’s face and set the tone, now. You let Acquino set the tone for nonchalance on a player safety issue, you lose the team’s respect. Not good.
Its really attempted murder when you consider Senzel’s history. I heard he was in a full body cast as a 4 year old from a Big Wheel accident
Ugh, just terrible defensive fundamentals for the LF to ignore the CF calling him off. That is how guys get hurt, and especially when its a guy with Senzels history that cant happen. Stupid for a minor role player to do that as well, not sure what Aquino’s thinking there.
And Farmer, pretty much the only SS.
Farmer had pulled off at that point… the camera doesn’t show the full turn but he did pull off.
I’d argue that ignoring the CF’s call put Farmer at risk, in general. Yes, he pulled off, but Acquino didn’t know that. He was looking up
Coming minutes after a previous collision.
I just tuned in so I missed that. That makes it even dumber. Nice throw earlier though, just watched the replay for that.
More examples of bad fundamentals from this team though, which is on the coaching staff.
I see Bell put Jeff “The human white flag” Hoffman into the game. Maybe the Reds will battle anyway
this is them “battling”
He’s not doing to bad, coming in on a clean inning is better for him
Ty Steve is bright light in this otherwise bleak game
To be fair, Hoff held down the fort.
And whatever the Guardians saw in their scouting report to run on TS is not working out.
Credit due
Look at the bright side. We could be the Pirates with the ever dangerous Kevin Newman batting 6th (.574 ops/5 hrs in 2021)
Newman!
Guess who cashed Suzuki Over 0.5 rbis at +165! Just hit his 2nd hr today and 3rd overall.
I got +230 on Stephenson the other night too
Frailey breaks the NO NO… India… get us some runs
CALLED IT!!!!
*gets!
Left Bieber in too long, take advantage…
This just in. Jon India can play baseball.
That was beautiful hitting by Fraley, pretty much what we’ve been looking for several years running now. Almost Jesse Winker- like, before he started pulling for power. With the exception course that Fraley can run
Aristides Aquino is being set up for a huge at bat
NAQUIN OFF A LEFTY
Naquin against a lefty. Dang nice AB
Unreal! I have to look at his career stats, but he’s been a April-May hitter for us
Anyone know who drafted and DFA’d naquin?
lol its CLE
His 1st 6 seasons were with Cleveland
If this was intended as humor, nicely done. A+
Yessir
Think in this context fair to answer Indians…
This is Brandon Phillips V2. Cleveland is our best farm team.
I was wrong about Stephenson defense and arm. Still miss Barnhart, however catching position in good hands.
Question. I live near Toledo Ohio. If I got mlb network would reds games be blacked out?
Last season ballysports didn’t show the games like the guide said when I had spectrum streaming. Any suggestions..
Yeah I was very confused why everyone wanted to move him off of C last season. His bat plays other positions, but why wouldnt you want that bat at the catching position, especially after putting years of development time into it. Plus I’m assuming thats what the player wanted.
Also I’d just suggest pirating the games if that ever comes up, but it depends if youre comfortable with that.
I’m comfortable with it. Any tips on where/how?
Mlb 66 dot ir
MLB has a page on their website where you put in your zip code and it will show who is blacked out. I would assume it is is CLE and DET
Thank you and it says reds blacked out too. I follow on gameday.
Great jump and still almost got him.
I’m still irritated that they couldn’t keep Winker since everyone knew they were going DH fulltime. That and IDK why they couldn’t just let Lorenzen start instead of washed up/injured Mike Minor?
Overall though…this team is watchable and has some nice potential down the road. Once Joey & Moose are off the books then maybe even Bob C. can go out and get somebody like Suzuki or a medium priced FA slugger like Moose was supposed to be
Don’t go there Indy
Winker for me was your Duvall.
But, this team is fun to watch.
30 mins ago I was thinking no hitter.
My opinion is Winker is better than Pham, Aqunio, and Fraley. So why they traded him makes no since. Winker to me is a solid base all player who could end up batting champ.
Winker was in the deal so they could unload Suarez
Winker is a better hitter when he’s facing RH pitchers. He’s not a good fielder or runner, and he misses tons of games. He gets injured swinging the bat, too.
I do believe the bull pen is a definite up grade from last year.
lol Larkin is ridiculous
No…. No… Bad Miami Valley Gaming
+100
The schtick is old
Dinner is over, so I can chime in here now. Today marks 36 years for us and homemade crab cakes and grilled lobster tail were on the menu. Otherwise, I’d have eaten in front of the TV watching the game (it played in the background anyway).
No bueno!!!
This year’s bullpen seems better. So it begs are question.. why not pitch Cesa in this situation. Or have Warren or Satalin pitch 2 innings. MAYBE 1 of the rookies? As Strickland isn’t that great
plus 1000 times
How much is Strickland making…. gotta think he isnt surviving long pitching like that with a bunch of rookies that are really hungry
I don’t know if it’s Bell, or just the foolish mentality of most manager’s now, but why do follow some sort of new rule that says a guy in the late innings can only go one inning? You just had to know that Strickland was going to give this game up. Plus he was horrible in the spring. Mind-boggling.
Bell should have been more aware of certain aspects, with a good chance of rain tomorrow he could have let Santillan go another inning. However, Strickland has flat out not gotten the job done.
Good to see the old David Bell has returned. You’ve got a guy who’s thrown 11 pitches and looks nearly unhittable, so obviously you need to get him out of the game for a guy who’s looked very hittable since the beginning of spring training. I was concerned I might actually have to start liking Bell this year, but that seems not to be a serious problem.
I call Clete. Time for the old folks to watch Jeopardy.
Back at it tomorrow.
Santillan, a starting pitcher until mid season last year, can’t throw another inning after only throwing 11 pitches because David Bell needs to make sure he’s hit his quota on changes during a game. Last year that would’ve been where he double switched Winker out of the game as well. Lol he’s such a terrible manager
Is Strickland on the block to make room for Lodolo tomorrow? Asking for a friend …
and do you think anyone in the postgame will challange Bell with a question about it….zero chance…..it was a winnable game that you just gave away
I have been giving Bell the benefit of doubt the last 4 years. That ends today. To not bring back Santilan after throwing a clean efficient inning in the top 9 in a tie game in favor of the clearly worst bullpen arm is inexplicable.
…And people say that Manager’s don’t lose or win games. LOL
Normally I say players win or lose the games. In this case yes Bell lost the game with his decision making. You could of pitched Warren or Satallian 2 innings, and Cesa to close.
I think that is obvious to virtually any Reds fan, but even still, there will be plenty that make excuses for this move.
You could have indeed, but the manager–unlike the fans–actually has to be concerned about keeping guys healthy for the whole season. The manager also has to find out, preferably early in the season, who is helpful and who isn’t, since every guy on the roster is going to have to used.
No Green, that’s just foolish. Your job as a manager is to WIN ballgames; not see who can do the job in crucial moments of a game, when you have something working already in that moment. Your job is NOT to worry about health; that’s the GM’s problem. Your job is to play your players in games, using them correctly so that you WIN games. I’ve never seen a manager win manager of the year because he kept his players healthy.
So much for the bull pen looking better, but let’s be honest Bell made a major mistake and with this offense those types of decisions can not happen.
Agree.. He still doesn’t have roles for his bullpen. I dunno this bullpen has 4 or 5 guys who can pitch. 7th, 8th, 9th should be Warren, Cesa, Satallian.
if going 2-159 would get Bell fired, I would sign on the dotted line yesterday
It would probably earn him another extension.
Bell does not have the managerial instinct of ‘go with your best, regardless, to win the game.’ Giving everybody a chance is not going to produce a winner.
That’s why I think all managers should bet on their team to win. 🙂
hahaha 🙂
Hindsight is 2020 and all that, but is there a single Reds fan watching this game who wouldn’t have let Santillan pitch the 9th? If such a person exists, surely they would have brought Cessa in, correct? Bell had a good game the other day, but he’s still terrible at this. He’s just so determined NOT to do whatever thing seems most obvious to everyone else. I just can’t imagine what goes on in his head as he repeatedly tries to prove how smart he is.
+1000
If it were June or July. My thought would be maybe certain pitchers not available. This is game 5, and yes Satallian should of stayed or heck Warren for a 2nd inning. Cesa as well. As again its game 5.
I am afraid we will be having this conversation a lot in the coming months. It just shows the more things change the more they remain the same.
How many times this year will Cleveland’s offense score 10 or more runs in a game?
If Moose ever gets hot, please trade him. I’m not hopeful they will of course. He looks old and over-matched.