The Cincinnati Reds (27-52) have lost five of six, but they are hoping that the return of Nick Lodolo to the Reds rotation can be a positive boost. The Reds lost last night 7-4 to the New York Mets (50-30), and it won’t get any easier against the NL East leaders as the Mets have Max Scherzer on the mound tonight at 6:40 PM. Update: The Reds announced that the first pitch for tonight’s game will be at approximately 7:30pm.
The Reds and Mets will likely deal with some rain at some point tonight. There are some scattered thunderstorms coming from the northwest all evening.
The Reds made a bunch of moves earlier today, and Doug wrote about all of those.
Starting Pitchers
Nick Lodolo will make his much anticipated return to the Reds rotation. Lodolo mesmerized Reds fans with a brilliant start against the Cardinals back on April 24th (5.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 7 K), but was then sidelined with a lower back/side strain. Lodolo was sensational at AAA during his three rehab starts with 16 strikeouts, 2 walks and 0 home runs in 10.2 innings.
Max Scherzer will be making his first start for the Mets since May 18th. He has been injured with an oblique strain. The about-to-turn 38 year old has been great for the Mets when he has been healthy in his first year in New York. Scherzer has a career 1.84 ERA in 9 starts against the Reds. If you looking for any tiny positives, Scherzer did have a 4.50 ERA in his two rehab starts at AA-Binghamton.
Starting Lineups
| Mets | Reds |
| 1. Brandon Nimmo (CF) 2. Starling Marte (RF) 3. Francisco Lindor (SS) 4. Pete Alonso (1B) 5. Mark Canha (LF) 6. Eduardo Escobar (3B) 7. Jeff McNeil (2B) 8. J.D. Davis (DH) 9. James McCann (C) |
1. Jonathan India (2B) 2. Brandon Drury (3B) 3. Tommy Pham (LF) 4. Tyler Naquin (RF) 5. Donovan Solano (DH) 6. Mike Moustakas (1B) 7. Nick Senzel (CF) 8. Matt Reynolds (SS) 9. Michael Papierski (C) |
Here is video of Albert Almora Jr. taking Max Scherzer deep.
Conclusion
Wins and losses do not mean very much to me for the rest of this season. It is all about seeing positive signs from development. Nick Lodolo is a guy that the Reds need to be a front-end starter in the near future. He has all the talent to do so. Let’s hope tonight is another step forward for the Reds future star pitcher. Go Reds!
Votto on a recovery day but Moose is still starting Should have DFA’d him
I think Moose is 1 for 7 since his little tirade in the dugout. Usually when players do that they come out and tear the cover off the ball to show the coach how wrong they were. Not our little Moose. Nobody pops up like the Moose.
His bat is just slow and he is late on the fastball so he cheats to get to it It happens to all of them.Nothing he can do cause his bat is slider speed right now.Pitchers just say here it is and hit it if you can and as players get older they can’t hit a fastball.
The Reds owe Moose a little over $30M right now. My guess is they want to be absolutely sure before they declare his contract a “sunk cost” and cut him. I believe this is why he’s playing almost every day. He didn’t improve in June. While I hope (and I’m sure the Reds do too), he’ll show himself capable of hitting league average and serve as a DH, the progress just isn’t there right now. Given the team’s record and I don’t see him blocking anyone else’s playing time (I realize this is debatable), I can see him continuing to get regular ABs at least through the trade deadline. At that point, it will be time to reevaluate.
I agree. Anybody tradeable is going to be showcased this month. For Moose to get better, it’s going to take an act of God to provide that miracle.
Honestly, I hope we don’t trade him. Even if he catches fire for few weeks, his contract will be a major drag on any trade and if the Reds are going to move players like Castillo and/or Mahle, they need to get full value in return. This team needs talent and can’t afford to dilute a trade with his contract.
The trade deadline may bring in other players the Reds need to evaluate and there are a couple at AAA they should want to give extended looks to (Barrero for sure and perhaps Shrock).
The CIO I worked for a few years ago had a philosophy that said fire the guy and payoff the contract, a year’s salary or whatever. He contended and was generally proved right that the cost was less than the damage the guy did to the team and the projects.
Were those contracts paying millions per year?
In a couple of cases, yes, the total payout to walkaway topped a million.
Now Almora sets.Just have to give it up I guess cause Moose,Joey,Pham and Farmer are just going to play for the most part.Looking ahead to 2024.
Farmer is not back today and they are at the backdating limit of 3 days for any IL move with him. The 3 days will stay hand unless they use him in a game; but, if they would have made the move quicker they’d be 4-5 days away from bringing him if he was ready versus the 7 it will be when they get around to making it now.
Jim,
I certainly appreciate your knowledge of all the tricky player compensation and transaction rules so that some things start to make more sense. The real eye-opener was that health insurance benefit for getting promoted to the MLB for just a game. Now, I see why David Bell gets “friended” a lot with the everybody gets to play strategy.
Also very ironic that Nick included a video of Almora taking Max Scherzer deep in this preview but the Reds in all their wisdom choose tonight to sit Almora. 😉
I’m just waiting to see who plays after the trade deadline. Right now it’s showcase time.
I’m waiting for…
1. For the trade deadline
2. Who plays after the revised roster is known
3. 2024
…in that order
Naquin should absolutely start ahead of Almora. #1. Naquin’s a free agent in 2023–Reds should be trying to build his value given this year’s paltry record. #2. Naquin is a better hitter and a much better hitter vs. RHP.
There’s that … and the fact that Naquin has been Red hot during his rehab.
Mets announcers say the game will be delayed
it may be a short delay, tarp is already off
Weird. It says on the outfield big board that they are expecting storms at 7. Why would you have the tarp off
conversly they could have just not put it on yet
So what were all the moves again? Kolo sent down Okey DFA’ed, Schrock sent down, Naquin, Lodolo activated, and we picked up a pitcher on the waiver wire, pushing Tony to the 60 day?
do I have that right? or what am I missing?
Votto has day-off apparently, just today vs RHP Scherzer , well…
reported first pitch time of 730
Thanks
Angel Hernandez at fist base tonight means behind the plate tomorrow.Anybody with Wednesday tickets should go and as got a refund now and tell them it is due to umpire. If it starts costing owners money maybe they will get rid of him.
Angel was behind HP yesterday.
James Hoye was the HP umpire yesterday. Angel Hernandez was at 3B.
Lodolo with 96 mph past Lindor for strike 3.
Seeing what Lodolo may become in the first.Lots of pitches but his stuff is electric.
What is up with India.
IS anyone else picture/images on Bally’s constantly blurring and freezing?
Yeah, it’s been happening here the last couple of games. I’m glad it wasn’t just me because I thought it might be our DVR going bad.
Reds can’t wait to get back to the dugout.Drury up 2-0 and Pham swings at the first one.India was ahead 2-1 and never made contact.Lodolo just set down.Little League awareness of whats going on.Now you know why Max didn’t need another rehab start.He figured this would be the same as one.
Mets are coached by a smart manager. They will make Lodolo throw pitches like they did to Greene. Get them out of the game as quickly as they can so they can get to that Reds bullpen.
Exactly…which is why Lodolo needs to pound the zone. He’s getting ahead, then starts nibbling….lots of deep counts as a result.
Professional hitters that go up with a plan as a team and as an individual.Reds normally start swinging in the dugout.Winning teams just have different approaches then losing teams,Been mentioned on here before but the Reds will have to learn how to win again because they have lost for so long and you can’t just turn that on.
They had a winning record last year. Went to playoffs in 2020..
I truly believe future is bright for the 3 rookie starting pitchers.
They have shown me enough that they belong. Just have to fine tune their stuff and hit their spots.
I agree and combined that with Mahle or Castillo that is a solid rotation. I think they need to keep 1 of those 2. Mahle is younger.
Agree
India does not look good at all at the plate.
Time to bench him or send him down. He has lost it and is probably a bust. LOL
I expect Lodolo to only go 5, then the floodgates will most likely open. But, Lodolo looks very good seems more advanced than Greene but remember he is 2 years older. I think a lot of teams would love to have the Reds 3 rookie starters, hope they don’t screw it up. I also wouldn’t sleep on Dunn.
I think this start for him has already been a success. Coming off the IR and throwing 4 shutout innings is better than I hoped. I suspect he will throw another inning as well. But again, I am already pleased with his start no matter what happens now.
Two years older and didn’t lose a year and change to TJ surgery. Both pitchers go about their way in a professional manner. Greene, Lodolo, Ashcraft, Dunn, Williamson, Petty, etc., loads of very good starting pitching prospects knocking on the door.
Overton may play into this as well if he can stay healthy
Yes, Overton did impress in a small sample size.
“If he can stay healthy”, lol. The Reds talk about their health more than a Florida retirement community …
Good point on Dunn.Starting pitching looks good going forward.
Forgot about Dunn. Reds do have a young core to build around. All joking aside, India is a keeper and a mvp caliber player in Stephenson to build around. I say they can compete next season.
If they improve bullpen.
If they sign Drury and Solano
Then come 2024 the young kids will be mlb ready. Cruz McLain, Etc
Curt casali had a bad oblique injury and is out for Awhile. He turns 34.
I’d try and get him back in the Reds orgnaization. Hes managerial material
Corey Miller still around? He would be a good manager I think
Loved his mustache.Need him just to start a fight and wake some guys up.
Solano and Moose down on 6 pitches.No chance at all.Joey smiling on the inside.
Solano had the Reds first hit …
Will take a look at Senzel’s at bat then call it a night.Lodolo was really good and maybe better then I thought he maybe tonight.Dude has electric stuff from the left side and that plays any time.
Wow, a Red’s reliever prevented an inherited runner from scoring.
Strange.
And he didn’t walk the first batter he faced. Strange days indeed….
Very good start.byb lodolo. I’m with Larkin. So excited by.our rookie starting pitchers.
So glad the team had some positive energy tonight they sure needed it. Go Reds!
Larkin doing his best Thom impersonation tonight! I mean there’s gushing and then there’s gushing. But in a crummy season, I appreciate his enthusiasm for the future.
So glad the team had some positive energy tonight they sure needed it. Go Reds!
I see MLB is making new rule that allows Albert Pujols another all-star appearance. I am fine with it, but I hope they remember it next year, so Joey gets a proper send off.
Now that the Reds are 45,000 games out of first, the bullpen shows up.
India 10 for 68 – .147 since coming off the injured list. Just not comfortable up there right now.
Mets throwing a lefty tomorrow.
Reds starting 7 righty hitters against Scherzer and giving Votto the day off with a lefty tomorrow? That makes no sense .
Moose and Votto are now 2 of the few last lost souls on page 2 of Fangraphs 1b/3b OPS leaders.
Reds need a big lefty young bat yesterday and more pitching. Thats what Castillo needs to bring or just pay him $130 million.
Reds have no lefty bats anywhere close to beating good righties.
Would have liked Schwarber but flea market Bob wasnt paying dollars for those homers.
True story.
I sat with Schwarber Dad in a private box at an IU game. super guy and family. Schwarber went yard that day and it wasnt close. Ridiculous college hitter
89 Pitches for young Lodolo in 1st start after injured list for 60 days due to a back issue seems pretty stupid by a manager to me. If he shows up injured with a similar issue in next 2 weeks it will be pretty obvious Bell & Johnson were asleep at the switch.
The “Fire David Bell” brigade never rests.
Would you hire David bell to manage the reds in 2023 after these 4 years?
That’s what rehab was for. This isn’t Little League, with 20 pitch limits.
@Fitch & VA – something tells me you two will be the first 2 whining about Lodolo’s injury history later this month and blame the player.
So for all the people who went to reds games this year, do the Reds still have Redzilla? Or did Bob sell it because he couldn’t afford did give out free tshirts.
still have it. One of the most enjoyable part of the game this year.
+1000
Robert Stephenson is 0-1 with a 6.57 ERA and -0.4 War
Reds won that trade.
Can we just not draft high school pitchers in the first round anymore?
He was a gigantic bust
Like Hunter Greene, right?
TBD
I was a Kyle wright college guy in 2017.
Hes 9-4 with a 2.91 ERA pitching for the defending World champion Atlanta Braves as a #5 overall pick.
Nice game tonight by Reds pitching. Our “closer” Is up in the bullpen.
Senzel 17 for last 40. Hitting .425 more of that little Nicky
Senzel spraying the ball everywhere and still hits to RF. Nice hit.
Tommy pham needs to be traded.
Love Almora but his 1.9% BB rate and .272 OBP and 79 OPS+ need to be validated with every day playing time.
Beautiful bunt.
Maybe the best bunt (in a situation that called for a bunt) that I’ve ever seen.
Whose job is it to go over in the dugout and tell India that that was a really bad at bat.
No patience…reached for it.
He’s not going to come to that conclusion on his own.
People keep talling about the lack of situational hitting by the Reds.
We get a great (unexpected) bunt from Papierski ….following a hard worked walk by Reynolds and India jumps on the first pitch.
And pops up.
Bad fundamental baseball.
Who informs the young players?
I think one of the main reasons he is struggling is that he is trying to do too much right now. Getting TySteve back will help India relax maybe.
Drury is pressing against his former team.
I dont see him getting any prospect capital. He might get a big market team to help unload Moose some.
Face it…..this team just stinks
We have some good talent in Chattanooga and Dayton and must use this trade deadline to supplement that talent. Castillo and Mahle should bring back the biggest hauls and we should be able to get a pretty good prospect for Drury too. Minor, Pham, Naquin, Farmer, Garcia, Solano, Reynolds, Almora, Hoffman, Strickland, Cessa and Detwiler should also be looked at getting moved. That’s 15 players that can possibly bring 20+ new players into the system. It’s like a second draft after the MLB draft. I know that not all 15 will be moved, but Krall should try his best to move all of them. Getting cash back from some of them is also an option if the other team is not interested in trading a player. What happens from now until 8/2 is the start of the Reds youth movement and road to roster flexibility and sustainability throughout the organization. Draft and trades have to be the majority of how we makeup the rosters, not FA signings.
It should be on the veterans to teach scenarios like that. Phillips and Cozart were so good at getting that run in from 3rd.
The organization that the Reds have to try to pattern is our next door neighbors in Goodyear, the Guardians. 4th lowest payroll at $69M and over .500 record. Very few players (3-4) over 30 on the Guardians and none in their minor leagues. All teams in their system are over .500 record at the moment. They stress winning at all levels of their organization. Many of their players are aggressively promoted in their organization and their AAA team roster has about half of the players under the age of 25. I have often stated after Dusty Baker got fired that we should’ve hired Mike Sarbaugh, who was their AAA manager and was coming off of a couple of AAA championship seasons. He is now the 3rd base coach with the Guardians. Instead the Reds hired Price and we have not showed any kind of consistent winning thereafter. As we continue to align payroll with resources, we have a great opportunity in trying to right the ship before 8/2. C’mon Krall, let’s see you pull this off!
Huge difference, the Guardians have Tito, the Reds have DB
hopefully we have a walk off win day
I’m in the mood for a walk off dinger.
I think India needs a few days off to just clear his head and he will get that at least at the all star break. I think he comes back after the break re-energized and has a nice 2nd half.
It would be great to see both he and Senzel reaching their potentials simultaneously.
No bunt from Solano in my opinion. I like his chances to walk it off.
I didn’t want Solano to bunt either. The guy has been pretty good since joining the team.
Bases loaded and our number 1 whipping boy up. Let’s see if he can actually do something
Walk two batters to get to the Moose.
The Mets are playing the odds.
I’m sure a lot of people lost money tonight. Not to many people bet on the Reds against Mad Max. Good win for the team tonight and good job by Lodolo and the bullpen.
Moose actually delivered – wonder of wonders. And the Reds bullpen held them scoreless. Stunning turn of events.
A great game to wrap up the first half of the season.
THAT was a good game.
Yes indeedy
Good win for the boys.
Walkoffs breed confidence.
Moose value just peaked!!
Second walk off of the season, both happening in the past week.
Man, so that is what good pitching looks like! Thank you, may I have another?
Loved the game! Was great to see great pitching by the bullpen and the starter. And to have Moose get the sac fly to get the winning run was just nice to see.
Let’s take the series now. Ashcraft is due for a good outing.
And the Reds take the win in the ninth (1-0) with Moose’s sac fly !