Cincinnati’s offense went off last night as the Reds picked up a win in the first game of the series. A win today by Cincinnati would mean a series win over the Cardinals. St. Louis and Cincinnati will both be sending lefty starting pitchers to the mound with ERA’s over 6.00 this evening, with the Reds going with Mike Minor and the Cardinals countering with Steven Matz. The game will be available free on MLB.tv if you are out of market. First pitch is set for 6:40pm ET.
Starting Lineups
Here are the lineups for this evening’s game:
St. Louis Cardinals
|
Cincinnati Reds
|
| Dylan Carlson – CF | Jonathan India – 2B |
| Tyler O’Neill – LF | Brandon Drury – 3B |
| Paul Goldschmidt – 1B | Tommy Pham – LF |
| Nolan Arenado – 3B | Joey Votto – 1B |
| Albert Pujols – DH | Kyle Farmer – SS |
| Tommy Edman – 2B | Donovan Solano – DH |
| Brendan Donovan – RF | Nick Senzel – CF |
| Edmundo Sosa – SS | Stuart Fairchild – RF |
| Andrew Knizner – C | Mark Kolozsvary – C |
| Steven Matz – SP | Mike Minor – SP |
Starting Pitchers
| Pitcher | IP | ERA | WHIP | BB | K |
| Mike Minor | 42.0 | 6.21 | 1.48 | 15 | 38 |
| Steven Matz | 37.1 | 6.03 | 1.39 | 8 | 44 |
| Links: Mike Minor’s Stats | Steven Matz’s Stats |
|||||
Mike Minor
It’s been a tough season for Mike Minor. He missed the first seven weeks of the season before returning in early June, but since his return he’s only had one start that could be deemed quality in any way as his ERA sits at 6.21 through eight games.
Left-handed hitters haven’t had much success against Mike Minor this season, hitting just .200 with a .241 on-base percentage in limited action. But when they have had hits they’ve been for extra-bases nearly half of the time. Right-handed hitters are crushing the ball against Minor, making plenty of contact, and hitting for tons of power.
Splits
| Split | PA | H | 2B | 3B | HR | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| RHH | 133 | 36 | 10 | 0 | 9 | 12 | 24 | .316 | .391 | .640 |
| LHH | 58 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 14 | .200 | .241 | .400 |
Pitch Usage
| 4-Seam | Slider | Change | Curve | |
| Velo | 90.5 | 84.9 | 84.5 | 79.1 |
| Usage | 46.0% | 25.8% | 21.2% | 7.0% |
Steven Matz
Two really poor starts have the ERA for Matz over 6.00, and he also missed five weeks from mid-May until late June before he returned for a minor league rehab stint. Today will be his first big league start since May 17th.
The lefty hasn’t faced many left-handed hitters this year, but when he has the hitters have gotten the best of that match up, hitting over .300 and showing a little bit of pop. Right-handed hitters aren’t getting on base a lot against him, but they are hitting for a solid .275 average and they are hitting for plenty of power, too.
Splits
| Split | PA | H | 2B | 3B | HR | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| RHH | 126 | 33 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 32 | .275 | .310 | .492 |
| LHH | 38 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 12 | .314 | .368 | .457 |
Pitch Usage
| 2-Seam | Slider | Change | Curve | |
| Velo | 94.4 | 89.6 | 85.2 | 77.6 |
| Usage | 48.3% | 3.2% | 28.7% | 19.8% |
When and Where
- Game time: 6:40pm ET
- Where: Great American Ball Park
- Watch: Bally Sports Ohio, MLB.tv
- Listen: 700 WLW AM (Cincinnati area)
- Forecast: 90°, partly cloudy, 15% chance of rain
News and Notes
Mark Kolozsvary called up
Cincinnati called up catcher Mark Kolozsvary to take over the roster spot opened up by Tyler Stephenson heading to the injured list.
Alright, gotta suffer through another Minor start. got Matz off of an injury so maybe we get lucky.
His ERA may be really bad but Minor has been averaging better than $1M per start so far this season.
Why is Votto hitting 4th against a left handed pitcher?
Why is Votto hitting 4th against a left handed pitcher?
He plays first and hits 3rd or 4th until he decides not to do it.No way he does anything else other then an occasional DH so Moose can play first.
Votto has no chance against 96 from a lefty.
Just gonna have to let this one play out. Stephenson is hurt. Moose is bad. Drury will be traded. Solano will be traded.
Reds have intentionally not had a succession plan at first base. Mcgarry in AA looks promising. Votto gets to write his 2022 script as the every day first baseman.
Your right of course.
Minor can’t walk hitters and expect to last long.
Or give up lead-off doubles like that one.
An absence of 3M yet again. I realize Matz is a lefty, but I thought that didn’t matter with the FO and DTBell. Wonder what’s up with him?
Inning leadoff 2B followed by an RBI 1B and that SB. Watching that already high pitch count climb.
And then Goldy does THAT.
HT to Goldy for RBI #1,000
Matz looking liking Cy Young and Minor looking pretty much like he has for the last 3 years or so.
Not surprised, are you Roger?
Nope cause Minor has 90 at best and unless he has perfect location which he doesn’t major league hitters eat him for lunch.Cards have major league hitters that just wait a guy like him out.He can’t throw it by them and everybody knows that.Old soft tossing lefties well are just that.
and Good old Minor comes back, regretting my under bet at this point
So much fun to watch the WLB’s take batting practice … just great fun.
So what person in Reds management thought that Mike Minor and his hefty contract was a good bet?
Probably the same person that felt Wade Miley was not worth $10 million.
Minor needs to be moved to the pen once Mahle is back. Unfortunately Castillo and Mahle will be traded leaving us to watch Minor start the rest of the year.
My math may be fuzzy, but it appears as if Minor is earning as much or more than the rest of the 6 man rotation combined.
It’s only a one-year contract, but two more months of this will be unbearable.
Bell or Bull Krall need to man-up about this.
He’s not an “innings eater” or an “innings nibbler”.
Minor is an “innings gnawer”.
Nice thought, but since it’s what the FO wanted, nobody is holding anyone accountable and neither of those gents will “man up”. Their jobs are secure.
Nope whoever made that deal will insist he starts the rest of the year so we live with it and move on.
Meanwhile, in Chattanooga …
Siani walks, steals 2nd, moves to 3rd on an overthrow
ELDC walks
McClain hits a flair to LF for an RBI
Got back the run they gave up in the top of the 1st
Hopkins smacked one over the RCF wall to put the Lookouts up 4-1
I wonder if there’s anyone on the Reds bench or coaching staff who might have a word with Koloszvary.
“Dude. You’ve had 11 MLB abs. He’s throwing a bit wild right now. Why not look at a few pitches before deciding you’re going to ground out back to the box?”
Drury is the MVp
Oh yeah. Now Pham or Votto, let’s drive him in
The man hit 37 doubles in 2017, at a faster clip than he’s bagging them now.
He’s got a track record.
Day getting a little animated about RoY running through that late stop sign by House. Thrall says he couldn’t stop so he didn’t. Looks like we’re tied.
No challenge. Chance for Pham to up his stock (albeit only slightly).
Nice Job Drury and good hustle India
Plus he tagged up on what Pham provided.
Time for Mr. ButButBut to deliver.
Drury has come up big all year and has done it again.
He has seemed to thrive in the clutch.
His approach at the plate seems patient and selective.
Is anyone on the bench watching?
Is it mandatory to put JV in the line up ? As 4B ?
Yes. Yes it is.
Pham and Joey well you knew right.They will be back again game after game at 3 and 4 well because they just will.Drury gets up even for now.
The Lookouts chased the Smokies’ starter after only 1/3 of an inning. His ERA line shows 108.0 … 😮
Votto heating up of late. Modest 6 game hitting streak. Lets hope he continues the climb.
Minor says, “Thanks for tying it, guys. Hold my beer.”
If there is a worse SP in MLB than Minor I haven’t seen him
He’s looking way more like the old “long man” who came in to mop up after a starter like he’s been so often.
I’m pulling for Minor’s ERA to nudge up over 7.00
I want Bull Krall and Bell to see that number each time they look over the roster and Bell rewinds his post game blather.
Think about it Bull. It’s all on you.
Hate to say it, but I’m feeling a Clete coming on. This is just pathetic.
88 mph “fast”ball right over the plate.
Is there an “automatic homerun” like there is now for intentional walks?
Save some time with Minor pitching.
+500 for the laugh on that one Johnny
Same old Mike Minor! Good for 6 runs per game! Best FA signing ever!
Milton (the goat and the SP) would agree.
He was acquired via trade, for Amir Garrett….not a FA
Actually, the Reds traded for Minor, giving up Amir Garrett, a once-promising but troubled (and seemingly lost) high ceiling ‘prospect’ that went from fire-balling starter to situational relief man to ineffectual situational relief man in short order.
Sound familiar?
Stephenson. Cingrani. Greene?
Please take Minor out and don’t let him ever return. Wasted money, without a doubt.
We could maybe trade him and Sadak for a bucket of BP balls and some slightly used popcorn?
Why would you include Sadak and completely destroy the trade…sometimes teams needs innings for a month.
C’mon….go marinate some meat. Sadak is a trade killer. Stick a fork in my eye.
With any luck, we will only have to suffer through another 10 weeks with the likes of Mike Minor, unless of course Nick Krall resigns him.
Part of me, perhaps the masochistic side, wants to see Minor fail even worse.
No disrespect to his wife and family who are no doubt the real beneficiaries of his gratuitous contract.
I don’t want there to be any weaseling or postgame Bell bull.
Krall has got to eat this one uncooked.
And keep it front and center while he’s thinking about busting up another china shop with one of his trades.
I am better then Mike Minor
I doubt that..But I’m open to it
Maybe throw a bullpen on youtube. It’s a low bar.
No, no your not .. lol
Minor eats some innings…but gives up a lot of Runs. Reds Management messed up and screwed up in thinking Minor would be a decent pickup for them this year.
If I am not mistaken didn’t Minor sign for basically same amount Miley would of made this season?
They traded Amir Garrett for Minor
duh Kevin, lol that is right.
They saved 10 on Miley and spent about 3.5 on trade for Minor.
This is just a throw away game every time Minor starts. Not even close to being competitive. Thanks Krall/Bell! Sad.
Siani walked and stole 2nd again. EDLC just laced a double into the RF corner to score him.
That was McGarry in the 3-hole, not McClain. He got the first RBI and just walked.
As Elly stole 3rd
Thanks
Keep the updates coming.
Nice to hear the CrossMan is picking it up in AA.
Reds say they have no money.
Then they sign Minor, Pham, Solano, Strickland.
Right…..
I literally laughed out loud. So, so true
We know whats going to happen before it happens.He is a fly ball soft tossing lefty that must be perfect to even give his team a chance but 7 out of 10 times depending on who he is facing he will go 4 or 5 and give up 4 or 5 at best.He just really is awful and I am glad he gets the 10 mil which only happens on the Reds.Go ask Pham he will tell you all about how generous this team can be.
I switched to herb from drinking a few years ago and it’s been great for my health.
Particularly when watching the Reds.
I don’t know what Krall and Bell are doing to get through this but I doubt there out there contemplating Baba, standing with the Sisters of Mercy, looking for the Veedon Fleece.
I’m done for tonight. Just too painful to watch another one float away in the backwash that is a Minor start.
Catch you all tomorrow afternoon for the matinee. Or maybe the Manatee. We’ll see.
+100 this one may get nasty.
Elly just made a nice shoestring grab on a little flair just over the mound. He was playing deep and still snagged it.
I think Okey can do better.
The Mike Minor trade now makes sense to me. The Reds were seeking to increase bleacher ticket sales – catering to the fans who crave catching that long home run ball. A very savvy, underrated marketing move.
+1,000 for a solid theory. Let’s go with this for now.
Cy Matz just struck out the side so I say so long.Bell will use 4 or 5 more pitchers one inning a piece as he looks ahead for what I am not sure but he will look ahead.Reds will probably trade Drury for PTBNL at the deadline so we can enjoy Moose at third for the rest of the year.Pham will convince somebody he is worth 8 mil next year just to be the #1 cheerleader since he believes the Reds are close to competing.
Minor needs to be dropped and Kuhnel sent down
Agree 100 percent.
Pham is getting his exercise in tonight.
I’m not going to be happy if Aug 3rd comes around and Castillo is the only one traded. They need to unload alot of these players and get some kids up here. I don’t care if they get $50 for Someone. Just get rid of these old guys and AAAA players.
and Votto chases Matz from the game
Nice diving catch by Siani. Smokies are trying to crawl back into the game. 6-3 now.
Tennessee just tied it with a 3-run HR. Pitcher thought he had the guy K’d (probably did).
Followed by a solo HR. Back in a hold again for our young guys.
Sounds like our bullpen
Pham is like a broken clock, work once a day with a single, the rest he strikes out looking, and he hits 3rd in Reds line upZ nuff said
I always laugh when someone proposes trading Tommy Pham.
What GM is out there thinking
“what we truly need to put us over the top is an outfielder who hits .239 with very little power and is somewhat of a head case” ?
I think we can safely concluded Tommy Pham’s “Revenge Tour” has been a failure.
So the Lookouts must have heard about the big club giving up HR’s by the bucket load tonight. Three of them in the 4th alone to give the Smokies the lead.
Gave up EIGHT (8) runs. Wow …
Bell pinch hits for Senzel in a meaningless game. Senzel hitting about 350 in the last month but what the heck. Let’s tick off your young guys. The guys coaching just confuses me.
Agree. Let the young guys play please Bell.
I do rememer them saying Senzel may have twinged something
Bell was playing for the HR there. Hoping Naquin would get ahold of one.
I had no idea EDLC was such a tall, skinny dude
Looks like he’s got good bat speed. Just yanked another single to RF.
Then add another SB to his CV for the year. They didn’t even get a throw off.
Eric Davis
Yep. Minus the developed shoulders. But spot-on comparison.
Don’t get my expectations up.
LOL.
Take it nice and slow with EDLC.
Let the folks down in MiLB enjoy him for awhile.
He’ll be packing the seats.
I enjoy hearing these reports.
Was he even around for Arizona camp this year?
He’ll make some noise Way Out West in spring 2023.
Bell must think his job is in jeopardy. He has the best job security I have ever seen for a record like this.
When your team has used well over fifty different players this year due to injuries and it’s not even August…
When your team traded away three former All-Stars, a 2x Gold Glove catcher, a pitcher who threw a no-hitter, Sonny Gray, and others all in the same offseason…
…the problem isn’t Bell. Given how well this group has played since April, Bell is the least of their concerns.
Time for me to shut things down for the evening. Looking bleak in Chattanooga as well as Cincy. Catch you all tomorrow.
The series is on the line tomorrow.
Kolo’s first homer
Unbelievable for India to get hit on the sane wrist again. Hopefully it’s nothing serious. This team has unbelievable injury luck this year.
Hit a HR to tie it up here Pham and all is forgiven
Nope. This is a weird kind of revenge tour.
Joey changed back to his usual batting stance again.
Rugged night for JV.
He has that hitting to the pitcher down though.
But, but , but
I’m missed this . Senzel was taken out of the game?
Was there a reason?
Lefty–righty switch for a right-handed pitcher. Possibly a tweak of an injury but that is pure speculation n the TV guys’ part.
Barrero 3-5 with no strikeouts and Aquino 2-5 tonight for the Bats.Matters little cause no report of either walking on water.Both can run with great arms but we don’t need anything like that on the big club.Yeah its one game but just thought I would add to the discussion.
I’m a barrero guy but the Reds just took out Senzel in the middle of a meaningless game. we need August 2nd to come. David bell stinks at chess and the last thing he needs is deciding more who is a rook and who is a queen on what day and what inning, Bell needs less pieces to manage…not more.
Just get to August 2nd.
Old guys at 3,4,5 are 1-12 with 4 strikeouts.Come on August 2nd.Yeah saw that on Senzel and Naquin looks at strike 3.
Oh by the way Old Guy Solano can hit.
Moose sighting against a dude that throws 100.Guess he will do better then Fairchild.
Moose pinch hitting in the 8th inning down 6-3 on a team 23 under .500? Senzel pulled in the middle of a worthless game. This shi#@t show from David Bell needs to stop. What is he doing micromanaging a team in the middle to late innings down 3 runs 23 under .500? Mike Minor the starting pitcher 23 under .500 pushing august tells you all you need to know.
He just woke up after the break.This is what he does since we have the DH and can’t double switch the pitcher’s spot.It is just all show and nothing more.Senzel and now Fairchild are just young players and we know he loves these young guys.He will tell you it was his best chance to get back in the game which he may have been in if Minor doesn’t start the game to begin with.
Moose goes to third with Drury in right and Naquin to center.Bell is a genius at managing.Just think if we ever get in a meaningful in a couple of years what he could do.
I gave up and cleted when he pulled Senzel. Who did not look very happy on the bench. I’ll wait until Aug 3rd to see if I’m watching anymore this year. If they trade no one and keep playing the retreads I’ll find better use of my time.
Now Reynolds hits for a guy that homered his last at bat.Little league manager,little league owner and pretty much a little league team.Ice cream for everybody and a participation trophy at Jerry’s in about an hour.Has everybody played?
alright, this loss was completely on Minor…. I did hit my under though
Pham will hit 3rd tomorrow and Joey 4th. Got to get them going. 4th place is in sight.
I don’t have a problem with the moves that Bell made tonight. Except for starting Minor. We lost the game right there.
Bobby Nightengale had a great article on the Enquirer about upcoming trade deadline and free agency. Reds hold the cards. Reds need to be very very picky and dig there heels in and expect nothing but TOP prospects on return for their current players going into free agency this year and next year.
If the Red’s play their cards right, they could become, in the next couple years, the ‘darlings’ of the NL, certainly the NL Central. Similar to the sudden turnaround of the Bengals.
Which of the following players will be in a Reds uniform in 2023
Pham
Minor
Drury
Solano
Naquin
Almora Jr.
Reynolds
Fairchild
Moreta
Kuhnel
Hoffman
Gibaut
SanMartin
Schrock
Cessa
Detwiler
Kind of sad when you look at all these names and realize only a handful at most will be on the 2023 team.