Another day, another loss. The Cincinnati Reds (2-7) will attempt for the fourth time to break this week-long losing streak and avoid a four-game sweep to the Los Angeles Dodgers (6-2) in an Easter Sunday showdown at Dodger Stadium this afternoon.
Details:
- Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
- Location: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, California
- Weather: 66º; Mostly sunny
- TV: Bally Sports Ohio
- Radio: 700 WLW
Starting Lineups
Cincinnati Reds
|
Los Angeles Dodgers |
| SS Kyle Farmer | RF Mookie Betts |
| DH Tyler Naquin | 1B Freddie Freeman |
| LF Tommy Pham | SS Trea Turner |
| 1B Joey Votto | 3B Max Muncy |
| C Tyler Stephenson | DH Justin Turner |
| RF Aristides Aquino | C Will Smith |
| 3B Mike Moustakas | CF Cody Bellinger |
| 2B Brandon Drury | LF Chris Taylor |
| CF Jake Fraley | 2B Gavin Lux |
Starting Pitchers
| IP | ERA | xERA | FIP | xFIP | WHIP | K% | BB% | |
| Tyler Mahle | 180.0 | 3.75 | 3.73 | 3.80 | 3.74 | 1.23 | 27.7% | 8.4% |
| Andrew Heaney | 129.2 | 5.83 | 4.01 | 4.85 | 4.12 | 1.32 | 26.9% | 7.3% |
**Stats are from the 2021 season.**
REDS
Today, we get Tyler Mahle on the road, and that’s a good thing. Through two starts in 2022, however, he may be getting better about pitching at GABP. On Opening Day in Atlanta, Mahle pitched five innings of one run baseball with seven strikeouts. That one run was unearned. Earlier in the week in the home opener against Cleveland, he pitched only four innings and gave up four runs while striking out four. However, only one of those runs was earned. Mahle has been the victim of some poor defense in his first two starts, both on the road and at home. Hopefully this afternoon is a better one for the players behind him in the field.
DODGERS
Andrew Heaney became a free agent after the 2021 season and signed with the Dodgers a few weeks before the lockout began. Heaney is an interesting pitcher. Last year, while pitching for the Angels and the Yankees, he had a 5.83 ERA and a 4.85 FIP in 129.2 innings. He struck out 150 batters, but he also gave up 29 home runs, the most in his eight year career. He started 32 games for the Angels, but was traded at the deadline to New York and pitched mostly out of the bullpen and struggled in doing so. His ERA was above 7 during his time with the Yankees and his HR/9 rate was at 3.3, compared to 1.5 with the Angels.
Heaney throws a fastball, a slider, and a change up. He’s not a high velocity pitcher, with his fastball velocity ranging in the low 90s and his slider and change up ranging in the low 80s. Not many Reds have faced Heaney, but Joey Votto does have a home run off him in two at-bats.
News and Notes
Daniel Duarte was recalled yesterday and today he is put on the 10-day IL. The Reds chose to call up Alejo Lopez for an additional bench bat.
The #Reds today announced the following transactions. pic.twitter.com/pj5CKesbdB
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) April 17, 2022
A decision on Jonathan India is coming soon.
Reds will make a decision on India today or tomorrow, David Bell said. He can be backdated three days, so an IL stint tomorrow would be like doing it immediately. Especially with Lopez now active
— C. Trent Rosecrans (@ctrent) April 17, 2022
It looks like Lucas Sims will be returning to the team at the end of the week, if everything goes well.
Lucas Sims is expected to make two more rehab outings with Triple-A Louisville. He's on track to return to the Reds' bullpen on Friday when they begin a homestand against the Cardinals.
— Bobby Nightengale (@nightengalejr) April 17, 2022
Finally, in case you missed it, Hunter Greene broke records last night.
.@HunterGreene17 made history in his 2nd big league start:
? 39 pitches of 100.0+ mph (MLB record)
? 13 pitches of 101.0+ mph (MLB record)
? Averaged 100.2 mph on his fastball pic.twitter.com/SdG2TZ97lO— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) April 17, 2022
Oh, so Bell & co lied and India is likely headed for the IL? Seriously, who would have guessed. As for today’s lineup? Brings to mind the old Einstein quote: “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” Bell never learns.
I’m actually working on a presentation where “unlearning” and “relearning” are key talking points. But an even bigger part is recognizing and admitting that what you are doing now isn’t working and you need to do things differently.
I realize it’s a tough hand to play right now, but still. How can we actually expect different results?
But, where else are we going to go?
Just catching up with things that seem hard to believe but if any of these statements are not true, please flag:
1) After Castellini’s “interview”, the Reds have not held a lead for 45 innings and counting,
2) Losing track of all the injuries but somehow David Bell was able to recall one of our AAA players. With at least 5 of our normal starters hitting well under .200, Bell wanted a 16th pitcher but had to relent when that pitcher immediately got injured.
3) Nick Senzel had what looked like a pretty minor “collision” in the outfield but stayed out of the lineup the next day. Than, he showed up the day after that and was sent home and placed on the Covid list even while testing negative. Now, he is missing a 4th game and CBS Sports reports he will be out until at least April 22.
Even more wackiness than usual. Need a “Saved by the Bell” moment.
Not trying to be contrary, just curious, what lineup would you put together for the Reds vs. Heaney today?
i wouldn’t have minded Lopez in there somewhere
I agree. Let him play 3B. We know that’s not going to happen.
The lineup consists of guys that can’t hit lefties (Naquin, Votto) and guys that can’t hit anyone (Moose, Pham, AA). I’d definitely take a chance on Lopez. Hint, when Farmer is the team’s leading hitter, the team has a big problem.
Naquin in CF and Lopez at DH instead of having both Naquin and Fraley in the lineup seems like one of the basic changes to make. Or Lopez at 3B and Garcia at DH to get both Moustakas and Fraley out of the lineup.
DH’ing your #2 catcher when you don’t have a #3 on the roster is a problematic thing. You can’t just throw the gear on anyone when you need to in an emergency.
Well, Farmer can catch for one thing. But, also, can the DH not switch to be the catcher? I assume you then need to have the pitcher bat, but it would be an emergency anyway.
Yes, the pitcher would then bat. As for Farmer catching … I’m not convinced that’s even an option. It’s been a long time since he had the gear on.
One minor change for today and every day for that matter. I’m in the camp that says Votto 3rd and TS 4th. IF/when we get India and Senzel back (Senzel hitting 2nd), that combination should produce a run or two on a regular basis. We can say what we want about Farmer, and I do think he should move to 3B when Barrero gets back, he is hitting the ball when most aren’t. He’s my #5 hittter at this point. I have no problem with him leading off today.
I don’t understand how Bell can be expected to manage a whole game with only 9 relief pitchers. He’s not a magician! I assume when India goes to the IL they’ll call up a pitcher to take his place, so then he’ll have 10, and whenever Sims is added they can send Lopez back down, and finally Bell will have a bullpen be can work with.
What’s he going to do when the roster reverts to normal? And wan’t the playing bench down to 3 spares yesterday?
“We are better in a weird way” I realize injuries happen, however I still believe that to be the worst comment Bell has ever made. Like said above Bell words mean nothing. He like Krall our robots who say what the organization wants them to say. We all know hamstring injuries take rest. India should of been dl when it happend. Senzel, well we have seen this tape before. I would be shocked if Senzel Plays again for the Reds.
Votto has now struck out in over a 1/3 of his plate appearances this year. That’s slightly concerning. 13 SOs in 32 at bats with a few walks and HBPs. I know he’s slow starter, but last year he was at least making good contact in the early going but didn’t have much to show for it.
To be fair, one of those strikeouts did include a home run.
+500
McLAIN is killing it, if India goes on the IL, just do it Nick, call up the kid and put him at 2B. He’s got 4 hits today with his 3rd HR of the year and a triple. When India comes back move him to 3B. Then we’d have a complete infield.
Where are they playing him on the diamond?
SS
And is he on the 40?
No, but really who cares we don’t have 40 quality players on the 40 man
Just makes things slightly more complicated. You’re right, there are some on the 40 that shouldn’t be there and wouldn’t be in another organization.
They really harping on this non home run
Farmer keeps hitting like this, he’ll be in a different uniform by May. Trouble it, will the return be worth anything much to us?
You really have to give him credit. He is showing very early that he belongs in the lineup every day. (Well, at least, THIS lineup.) 😉
You have to believe the Yankees are watching closely
Farmer and naquin with solid at bats
Deserved better outcomes
All you can ever ask is for a hitter to make hard contact. They will find holes sooner or later.
Yep
For all of Aquino’s K’s is there anyone on the team who has better PAs and gets so little to show for them in the end? He is running a lot of deep counts on K’s and hitting the ball hard a fair amount of time when he makes contact. In the end they pay for results but maybe he is the toughest luck batter on the team so far.
Somebody please find Joey’s wallet …
??
That’s a theme from a few years ago when Joey was slumping. He’d “lost his wallet”.
Aristides Aquino has 24 PA and 14 strike outs
Stop the nonsense
I thought the Reds moved on from this hitting approach
Fraley Moose Aquino and Pham
Are not competitive
Love Votto but its time to start the yearly age question
Hes been awful
Is there anyone else who sees an opposing team score two in the fourth inning and believes the game is over?
No- because this 2022 reds team
Is historically awful offensively
They had some historically awful SP and bullpens and offense in 2020 bad
But this offense minus winker and castellanos is horrific and its time to start questioning votto decline again
It is impossible to imagine the Reds stringing three consecutive hits together.
Yep. Me for one.
Where is the Reds’ team that scored so much in spring training games? Is everybody on the injury list?
I unfortunately agree. It’s been like watching a minor league team playing against a major league team. And nobody with the power to do so seems too motivated to do anything about it.
AA and Moose do not belong in the majors-there is enough of a sample size to confirm this
Any reason Bell is leaving Mahle in?? I mean it was obvious from mlb gameday Mahle didn’t have it this inning. (4th)..
Why burn up the pen in a game you have no chance to win
Then why play the game?
On Johnson’s trip to the mound when the score was 3-0, the Cowboy mentioned nobody got active in the bullpen and maybe no arms were available. So, Bell really needed that 16th arm apparently (for reasons only known to him).
Alright, get him out of there.
At what point do the Reds end the Moustakas and Aquino experiments and DFA them? Aquino had ONE good month in August 2019, close to three years ago now. Moustakas hasn’t been any good since 2019. Just eat the losses and get rid of them.
Aquino I’ll agree with but they won’t dfa Moose simply because of money
Agreed-if Moose is on IL, they still pay him while someone else plays. What is the difference by letting someone else play if he is under performing? FO ego I suppose
Eat it and move on-he’s hurting this team
AA is an easy call-he’s Shogo redux without the price tag
Its April 17 and Reds season is on the brink
6 under after 10 games with 3 more in SD
Getting quickly toward 2023 before 2022 has started
Cant wait to see Phil Castellini marketing message to sell tickets
This was something I said in my pre-season prediction — that with the schedule they have, there is the possibility they could be completely out of it and irrelevant by Star Wars Day. (May the Fourth be with you.)
Where are you gonna go, though?
AWAY
Can’t make playoffs in April, however can sure play your way out in April
+500
Going to face another tough lefty tomorrow and then also another LHP in Gore in the third game. Looking pretty bleak at the moment. This series has been a complete mismatch.
What a way to start a season. 2-8 first 10 games. Should of pulled Mahle when it was 3-0. Congratulations Bell on again mismanaging this team.
Happy Easter Everyone
I just knew at least 1 not smart person would blame Bell because the Reds have the worst roster in mlb
The roster doesn’t matter. How many mediocre years does it take before folks realize that Bell and staff need to go. Followed by the FO, and the ownership. This is 2018 all over again. At least, they fired Brian Price in 2018. We’ll be stuck with Bell.
The roster doesn’t matter ???? Really ???
I think I’m just gonna stop before I say something that gets me booted
Thank you for your compliment. Have a great day.
The roster doesn’t matter in the sense that the Reds have gotten progressively more feeble year over year regardless of who they play. Last year they couldn’t hit lefties and they let the one guy with decent splits walk (Castellanos). When a team, in any endeavor, baseball or otherwise, continues to underperform or not perform, it is almost always the management’s fault. In my career space, I’ve seen more than one mediocre or low performing team turned around by firing bad managers. That some here are willing to discount Bell’s deficiencies and instead blame the players, which to some extent is a valid criticism, is to ignore history and human nature.
Stick to Burger King because you clearly know nothing about baseball
Getting to the point where I think all of us are going to get alot of outdoor jobs done this year.
Tenderloins are out of the cast iron pan and resting. The rest of dinner is coming together nicely. Cheesecake for desert (with homemade blueberry topping if you want it). I’m thinking I’m done. Time to go back to some music rather than watching this beating continue. At 7 runs down, I’m calling Clete officially.
Yep same here. I just made my dinner. Happy Easter Mark.
Maybe a little Steely Dan in the background would go nicely with those steaks
I made tenderloins as well but added some baked chicken with carolina bbq sauce. Mashed potatoes with brown gravy, steamed and buttered asparagus. I have some crusty french bread and a few kentucky bourbons ales in the fridge. Mint Choc Chip gelato for dessert.
Oh, man. You guys are making me hungry. Do you deliver?
Gotta think that if San Deigo is anywhere as aggressive as LA has been, not only will the team be in a giant hole by the time they get back to Cincinnati, the players may start shutting down mentally and go into collect a check mode. Owners have already ditched the season, management is inept. This season looks like it will be historically bad
You could be right. I’ve been wondering whether they have lost as much confidence in themselves as the fan base has lost in them. Clearly they know, like the rest of us, the front office has no interest in trying to improve the team.
I can’t imagine the feeling these guys have knowing they are already out of it with 152 to play.
OMG, I step outside for a few minutes during a 0-0 game. Come back in and it is 7-0??? WTH?
Oh so you’re the one we have to blame. Lol
Could this possibly be the worst reds ofense of all time? Dead serious here I am having a hard time remembering any everyday 9 that had this many black holes in it
I think we are getting weirder in a better way.
They traded for a guy with a career average under .200 and made him their starting LF. And he’s probably not the worst problem in the lineup right now. So, you might be right.
1982 rafael landestoy paul householder .592 OPS!!! and duane walker and dave van gorder and Alex trevino and Ron Oester
Aquino moose and Pham are battling with Paul Householder and Duane Walker for epic futility
Better than 40 years ago 1982 61-101 team … probably?
Nice job old school. I was thinking back to the householder days. Was Seaver still there thst year?
@JB
Seaver was done then with Era over 5
Soto was great but bob shirley bruce berenyi frank pastore jim kern not enough to make up
Thanks for including Berenyi. I could not think of his last name.
I remember Concepcion batting cleanup at times.
2024 is a long way away. To quote the philosopher Mr T. “I pity the fool” that follows this team on a inning by inning basis. Unless you’re into pain? Some people are.
I want to watch a competitive battle not a public execution.
It’s like a really bad accident , Indy. You just can’t help it and you look.
1934 all over again….or worse…..sheesh
During the Bengals’ futility of the Dave Shula years, I had a frustrated friend who decided he was going to boycott the season and commit himself to some sort of self-improvement project for 3 hours every Sunday, for 16 Sundays. He decided to read Gibbons’ “The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire” (I think PBS had run the “I, Claudius” series around them which intrigued him). So, every Sunday for 16 weeks, he read Gibbons for three hours. I think it might have been abridged version, but he did finish. After it was over, I asked him if it was worth it and he replied, “Not really, other than I can say I read “The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, and how many people can say that?” I am looking at the bookshelf as I type.
Yep and at the time you were watching ” The decline and fall of David Shula”.
Nice! 🙂
I think they need to sit Votto tomorrow against Manaea. Just not competitive against LHPs right now.
And play who at first base?
Drury I guess?
The fact you dont know who to play instead doesnt explain the failure of who is playing
Votto isnt getting it done and thats a huge story no one wants to talk about as the $25 million dollar man
Votto is part of the reason they are 2-8
Exactly who isn’t part of the reason they are 2-8?
Stephenson.
I don’t know?
2 weeks from today is May 1. Unless MLB extends another reprieve, active rosters go down to 26; and, more importantly, for the Reds, pitchers are capped at 13 slots. The changes in the option rules and extension of minimum IL stay time for pitchers to 15 days are going to make for interesting times with the Reds.
Bring up the kids that played the last 2-3 ST games. At least, they appeared to actually be able to hit the ball.
I wasn’t referring to you earlier. I enjoy your comments and talking points.
No worries. I’m a stubborn, headstrong, old guy that remembers when the Reds were a proud and serious organization. I don’t take comments here personally.
Six straight. On to SD. The wreckage of an offense in order to get rid of Suarez with Winker’s help and the inability to compete for free agents. A real downer, one of many, in the Red’s long history.
Its clear that the fault for this season falls completely at the feet of Miami Valley Gaming and their unwillingness to make new commericals
The game is not on TV here, but it looks like from the box score that Farmer was removed from the game.
Is that correct?
I hope he’s not injured. He’s one of the few in the lineup who is hitting above his weight.
No, Farmer and Votto were removed… white flag treatment
White flag for the season?
I really want to go see Hunter Greene’s first start at GABP but I also hate the thought of giving any money to the Castellinis right now. Maybe I’ll buy re-sell tickets. I don’t know.
Where are you going to go?
Nobody expects much but if and when India,Senzel,Castillo and Barrera return we get much better especially on offense.Right now our lineup is just awful.Old,slow guys on the downside of their career.I also feel Solano and Strock will make a difference when they return but right now it’s hard to imagine us beating a high school team but it is a long long season.
Well, the Cowboy gets an acerbic comment in once in a while. He and Thrall were riffing a bit on the fact that the Reds had no bullpen activity when Mahle impaled earlier in the game (because nobody was available?) but now in the 8th when the game is well out of reach they get aggressive again to limit the damage because they got to “feel good about something after scoring a run in the 8th.” Thrall also noted this is the first 4 game sweep of the Reds by the Dodgers at home since 1975. Yes, the ownership and GM of the team have serious shortcomings but this team is now built with an eye to the future and a reasonable expectation of near .500 ball. Bell and his staff neither seems to have the preparation, leadership, or skill to make that happen.
.500 ball? They’re lucky if they can get a hit and scoring 1 run feels like some kind of miracle. Meanwhile, the pitching walks too many batters, so that 1 hit results in 2 runs.
I see Tommy Pham’s modest one game hitting streak has come to an end. Joe D. Can rest easy.
Game wrapup posted: https://www.redlegnation.com/2022/04/17/reds-losing-streak-reaches-six-dodgers-9-reds-1/
McLain went 4 for 4 and hit for the cycle in Chattanooga today. Hope for the future.
Real issue are guys getting paid to perform who arent!
That starts with the $25 million dollar man votto and then goes to Moose and pham . Whine all you want about the cBA – but those 3 guys are being paid with zero risk to win
That doesnt include Akimaya who is being paid to make breakfast for his Wife $8 million again
This team is bad.
Old, you’re old enough to know (I know because I am too) that it ain’t the players on the roster that’s the problem. It’s the ownership group that put them there. That’s the only point of focus for change. Everything else is hot air.
Crappy game for sure.
Nice seeing Mclain and Hendrick do well today though.
Cycle on 7 pitches for Matt crazy lol
I would likre to see we bring Jake Bauers up who can play first base or left n right corner of the outfield and only 26. He might be better than Moran. Moose pham n aquino need to be cut or something because they r suck. When we tied series with Champs gave me a good feeling not now. Phil comment almost killed this team motivation as if the A’s players stick to their owners when they didn’t wanna pay their star players. All of this is just my opinion.
Need new Farmer photo. It is his second #17 season.
The Reds have only played 2 home games this year. One was opening day and the other was a rainy, miserable day. Not paying $400 for opening day seats where I’d have to in order to get usable pictures, and wasn’t sitting in the rain the next day.