After dropping two of three to St. Louis, Cincinnati is heading to Detroit to begin a 3-game series against the Tigers. The Reds are essentially in must-win mode, back two games for the final wild card spot with just 17 games remaining in the season. Tonight’s first pitch is scheduled for 6:40pm ET.
Starting Lineups
Cincinnati Reds
|
Detroit Tigers |
| Jonathan India – 2B | Matt Vierling – LF |
| Nick Senzel – 3B | Andy Ibanez – 2B |
| Spencer Steer – RF | Spencer Torkelson – 1B |
| Hunter Renfroe – DH | Jake Rogers – C |
| Tyler Stephenson – C | Kerry Carpenter – RF |
| Joey Votto – 1B | Miguel Cabrera – DH |
| Elly De La Cruz – SS | Zack Short – 3B |
| Harrison Bader – CF | Javier Baez – SS |
| TJ Friedl – LF | Parker Meadows – CF |
| Brandon Williamson – LHP | Joey Wentz – LHP |
Starting Pitchers
| Pitcher | IP | ERA | WHIP | BB | K |
| Brandon Williamson | 98.2 | 4.20 | 1.24 | 33 | 87 |
| Joey Wentz | 90.2 | 6.65 | 1.64 | 40 | 83 |
| Links: Brandon Williamson’s Stats | Joey Wentz’s Stats |
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Brandon Williamson
Since the start of July Williamson has posted a 3.15 ERA in 11 starts, throwing 60.0 innings with 16 walks and 58 strikeouts. His last time out he allowed three earned runs in 6.0 innings against San Francisco. That came two weeks ago as he missed his last start while on the COVID-19 injured list.
The splits for Williamson tell a strong story. While lefties have a higher average and on-base percentage against him than righties do, they hit for absolutely no power. Right-handed hitters haven’t hit for average or gotten on base all that much against him this season. But they have shown good power.
Splits
| Split | PA | H | 2B | 3B | HR | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| RHH | 337 | 73 | 18 | 1 | 15 | 26 | 72 | .236 | .297 | .445 |
| LHH | 72 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 15 | .254 | .324 | .286 |
Pitch Usage
| 4-seam | Cutter | Curve | Slider | Change | |
| Velo | 93.0 | 89.2 | 73.2 | 81.8 | 84.2 |
| Usage | 36% | 30% | 7% | 11% | 16% |
Joey Wentz
After spending a month in Triple-A, Detroit recalled Wentz in late July but his stay only last a little over a week before he was back in the minors. He returned for one day in mid-August before being sent back down. The lefty was recalled two weeks ago and has made two appearances since – one as a starter and one as a reliever. His last outing was a week ago in New York when he allowed a run on two walks in 1.1 innings against the Yankees.
Righties are hitting much better than lefties against Wentz, but lefties are hitting well. Right-handed hitters big advantage is their power output. Left-handed hitters have a good average and walk nearly as often as they strike out against him – but they also aren’t given many chances to face him. Not shown below are his home and road splits, which are also big. In Comerica hitters have a .300/.365/.565 line against him this season. That’s an OPS 114 points higher than it is on the road this year. His ERA is 1.60 runs higher in Detroit than when he’s pitching on the road.
Splits
| Split | PA | H | 2B | 3B | HR | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| RHH | 321 | 86 | 16 | 1 | 19 | 28 | 69 | .295 | .355 | .551 |
| LHH | 97 | 23 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 14 | .271 | .361 | .412 |
Pitch Usage
| 4-seam | Cutter | Curve | Change | |
| Velo | 93.7 | 86.1 | 77.7 | 85.5 |
| Usage | 42% | 26% | 15% | 17% |
When and Where
- Game time: 6:40pm ET
- Where: Comerica Park
- Watch: Bally Sports Ohio, MLB.tv (out of market)
- Listen: 700 WLW AM (Cincinnati area)
- Forecast: 71°, cloudy, 20% chance of rain
News and Notes
Reds designated Chasen Shreve for assignment
With Brandon Williamson coming off of the injured list the Reds had to make a roster move to clear a spot for him. That move was that Chasen Shreve was designated for assignment. We wrote about the move earlier today if you wanted some more information.
Wild Card Standings
| Team | W | L | GB | Playoff Odds |
| Philadelphia | 79 | 65 | +3.5 | 97.0% |
| Chicago | 78 | 67 | +2.0 | 88.4% |
| Arizona | 76 | 69 | 0.0 | 47.8% |
| Miami | 74 | 70 | 1.5 | 19.3% |
| San Francisco | 74 | 70 | 1.5 | 36.2% |
| Cincinnati | 74 | 71 | 20. | 12.1% |
| Playoff Odds via Fangraphs | Top 3 Make Playoffs | ||||
Division Standings
| Team | W | L | GB | Playoff Odds |
| Brewers | 80 | 63 | 0.0 | 99.2% |
| Cubs | 78 | 67 | 3.0 | 88.4% |
| Reds | 74 | 71 | 7.0 | 12.1% |
| Pirates | 66 | 78 | 14.5 | 0.0% |
| Cardinals | 63 | 81 | 17.5 | 0.0% |
| Playoff Odds via Fangraphs | ||||
Can’t believe Benson is sitting for Bader.
India at 1, Senzel at 2 vs the lefty while playing 3rd base is okay and I like Stevenson up to 5 and Elly down to 7, but how in the world do you sit Benson right now for Bader as hot as he is? Plus he put Bader at 8th who hasn’t hit the ball hard yet that I’ve seen since he’s been a Red whil droppibg Friedl to 9th when he is hitting over .300 vs leftys….makes no sense again.
Maybe its somewhat for defense, but Benson is swinging the bat extremely well the last few games.
I really do like India back at leadoff.
FWIW Bader hitting .321 v LH, Benson less than half of that.
Likely Benson comes off the bench later in the game against possible RH reliever.
Understand that, but to me the fact that Benson is hotter than a firecracker his last few games and Bader hasn’t hit anything hard since he’s been on the Reds should matter more. However, we all know with Bell his handedness over rules all other considerations regardless of the crappy results he keeps getting facing LHP.
Seems to be working.
Yeah, me neither.
Quite an interesting batting order – unlike anything we’ve seen this season. I don’t see the sense in batting Elly behind Votto. Slowest guy on the team on base in front of the fastest guy? Makes little sense, unless they are hoping to get Joey some better pitches. But pitchers have pretty much been going after him since he returned to the team earlier in the summer. We’ve got to get rolling…hopefully tonight!
I would guess that is due to Elly hitting RH this game, but who knows.
I hope India stays at leadoff the rest of the way.
What makes you think JV will be on base?
He drew a walk.
I have no HDTBell comments tonight (said them on a different thread).
Here’s hoping we can lasso the Tiggers tonight and cool them off. We need every series we’re playing and starting with a win would be a good thing.
You can update your ratings after the game. 😉
They probably can’t get any lower. And raising them would take a miracle. Plus, he could jump 60+ slots and would still be at the bottom of the heap.
😀
For the next 17 games. Just gonna enjoy the ride.
I mis traditional lineups with players getting a day off here and there.
So again just gonna enjoy the ride and see the reds go 14-3. LOL
+100,000
The Reds have done a good job in comeback wins. But it would sure be fun to come out hot and never look back
Wouldn’t it though? Just crush it starting in the first and keep on crushing it.
Better for Dennis and his blood pressure. 🙂
This is not the lineup I would have gone with, but a major league manager created it, so I assume I’m just too dumb to understand why it’s the best possible lineup.
Sorry, but If you have never managed in the major leagues, you can’t criticize David Bell. Dem the rules.
Bell seems to be doing just fine.
Almost poked that one through
I thought I was watching an old western where a guys buys a poke:) via Sadak.
“Lonesome Dove” as I recall … 🙂
I may not be in the right frame of mind to watch much of this game. I know it’s the first and solo HR’s can be overcome, but given the kind of day I’ve had so far, I’m about ready to check out for the night and perhaps the rest of September. We’re just so banged up and patched together plus lead by (nope … not going there tonight) …
So much hope. So dangerous as a fan that just wants to see winning baseball back in Cincy. A curse on the houses of Bob and Phil for their idiocy.
I do get it, and your right. Wrong time for covid outbreak and injuries. Etc. Etc. Etc
Reds 24-30 since the all star break.
But we’ve got 3 more years of the same leadership (at least).
Danger zone.
And we’re cooked for tonight. Playing short-handed as well, so Senzel going down hurts even more.
Ballgame – nice start Williamson
Williamson got very unlucky 3 straight hitters, 3 hits that are normally outs leading to two runs.
Sorry for the instant negativity (just add Tiggers scoring runs) tonight. It’s been a bad day in general. I was so looking forward to baseball tonight. Instead, we’re getting this.
I wonder if Williamson is asking Bell “Shouldn’t we have IWed Miggy, set up the double play?”
Bell: “I know things.”
For those that don’t like excitable announcers, I present you the Tigers color guy.
He sounds like he’s 93.
OK, one positive thought … they didn’t bat around in the 1st. So that’s something 😮
Other than the HR.
2 dink hits and 2 well placed ground balls.
No walks….just a little bad luck
Yeah and the 2 GBs both would have been GIDPs if not for shift.
One hard hit ball in the inning. 4 hits were bad luck. Oh well. Gotta score some.
Putting the ball in play and going the other way with the pitch is a good thing.Maybe we ought to try that.
This team almost NEVER takes the lead in a game …. Always playing from behind and chasing runs
It’s been so long since this team has played well it is kinda hard to even remember it. Was June really just 3 months ago?
Why in the world is Bader playing at all with 17 games to go – HE OFFERS NOTHING
Dude pitching for tigers is 2-11
Lefty on the mound is the only reason I can think of.
Thank you Friedl and India !
Maybe guys jockey to bat 9th?
Producers!!!
TJ!!
I’ll check it in a minute, but I’m thinking my BP is back down in the normal range.
Nice string of hits to play catch up.
Yep. Back down in the normal range 😀
As expected, Bader with a crappy AB, but Friedl and India both hit it hard and tie it up.
I really, really hope Bell leaves India at lead off the rest of the season, but I just have no faith in him at all when it comes to batting orders to do the sensible thing.
4 months later…
India back at leadoff…Producing!!!
3.5 months too late IMO
I dont think India is going anywhere.
When hes healthy he hits and hes still cheap next year at 3-4 mil. Reds always pay under $3.5 mil.
Jim bowden has arroyo in his next 12 after his top 50. Makes sense to keep India in 2024 and see what Arroyo does.
Not sold on Bader. Benson or Fraley. I know they aren’t hitting over 300 against Left handed pitching, can’t do no worse.
Bader is just not hitting
Dang it! Just when you got a pegged he goes and does something to prove one wrong.
I guess I will have to wait until each game is over, and the season is over to make final judgements.
I wish these guys would perform down to my expectations so I look real smart.
Just having fun, I have nothing to prove on this chat site
Check in to see Bader and his awesomeness. Great at bat while everybody else around him are moving runners and getting hits. But lets get Bader going!! Cardinals piece of cr&+76p.
Rather have a hot hitting LH hitter who can get on base. Wish we had one. 😉
Analytics say Benson cant Play. Lmao as he doesn’t hit left handed pitching. LOL
See my reply to Kevin H just above.
Williamson is struggling mightily
Williamson not helping himself with the nibbling.
Bike Helmets … always a good thing.
Another bad home plate umpire. Geesh. Both sides getting jipped
Hallelujah….Bader with another terrible at bat but we get super lucky and get the Run…yippee
Something about blind squirrel…
Bader comes through with a POWERFUL hit. haha We’ll take it.
Oh, so not a solid double? Lol
How’s that for a two RBI double… holy cow. Talk about lucky…. maybe the Reds are getting ready to go on a serious winning streak after seeing that. We’ve been due for some good luck
Bader comes through!! 2 run double. Reds take the lead. Shows how much I know.lol
Finally some looper luck for the good guys
Elly on that last play made me laugh. Dogging it until he saw it was missed and then turned on the jets.
Just on gamecast, no video – umpiring sounds, um, deficient? Exhaustive pitch counts ahead? Everyone gets to play? Still optimistic – schedule remains weak.
I had to check to see if it was Porter and his Bizzarro Flex-o-Zone. Lot’s of variation.
OK, Nick. Show everybody you can hit RHP.
Oh so close 😀
Ugh LOL
Good to see our old friend Javy Baez having a stellar year. He doesn’t seem so cocky anymore.
I can only get Detroit broadcast and my goodness it is DREADFUL. As if golf commentators were at a funeral
Maybe it’s just a re-mix of Ernie Harwell.
I guess I don’t understand not pinch-hitting Benson for Senzel there. You get to improve the Outfield defense in a huge ballpark with Benson in RF and pull Steer into play 3rd Base since Senzel already got hit in his knee earlier so he’s not feeling great anyhow.
You have the bases loaded with the chance to break the game open with Benson is hotter than a firecracker…don’t get it at all.
Yeah … but I’m sure the book didn’t include that move.
But pitching hitting in the 3rd inning is a tad early is my only guess. I agree with your thinking though. Had a chance to bust it wide open
On second thought having 5 players or 6 on the bench. Why not pitch hit.
But that limits the “impact handedness moves” later in the game … 😮
Plus we’re still playing down one IF with Marte day-to-day. That may have been a factor as well.
I think next season I will not talk about anything in regards to the manager. As the one thing he is, is consistently inconsistent
I’d say Miggy is a shell of the player we once saw, but can a guy that size really be considered “a shell”?
Asking for a friend … 😛
Nice stretch by Joey to get that one.
Day in the booth with Thrall. He’s chiming in on what it will take to make it to October. His best guess is at least 12-5.
Nice job by Williamson to snag that for another scoreless inning.
Bader living right tonight.
Finally earning his keep. Perhaps he’s done stewing about the fact that he’s a Red for the rest of the season and his choice to go to the NYY Evil Empire meant he had to cut his Samson-style hair-do.
Getting 5 from Williamson will help. 6 would have been better, but we all know that ship sailed in the 1st inning.
Well … 5 WOULD have been nice.
And just like that, our lead had vanished.
That pitch might have been 3 inches off the ground
Looked like a sand wedge to me. Maybe a pitching wedge.
D-backs trail 6-1, this is a must win game. Cruz gave it up.
We’re still in it. I’m still watching. So are many Reds fans. This is what makes baseball great. Never Give up!
Pretty sure Senzel could have done that. Oh well … now Benson to RF and Steer in to play 3B.
Just saw the Reds hit in the 6th and they were just over matched.Taking strikes and going down swinging all 3 hitters on balls.Tigers relievers just better then our hitters and it ain’t close 7 punch outs in 3 innings.
We’ll back to normal – can’t get a hit now ; guess strand couldn’t hit for Votto there
Of course not, don’t want to upset anybody. After all it’s not like they need this win.
+1,000 had the same thought.
When was the last time Elly hit one out? Seems like forever.
I believe they said July in the Sunday game.
Can’t stand prosperity of a lead ….
It shall be really interesting to see where everybody plays when McLain comes back.
Somebody should look up the stats for Elly batting when he plays 3B vs SS. May not make any difference. But his time at SS stretches back to India’s stint on the IL.
Yes it will. India 2b, MM ss, Elly 3rd. Marte(new kid on the block sits), Steer OF.
We need to get CES on the field.
Probably DH rotation again by that point.
To be blunt, let’s get some darn runs.
Jobu got stuck on I-75 somewhere. Or he went across the river to the casino or the strip joints once we got a lead.
Boarder lost his horseshoe …. Only thing he does is hit pop ups … weak sauce
…Bader
Well he did give the Reds a two run lead.
Getting ready to find the reliever that doesn’t have it but honestly we could play all night and not score right now.Nobody to rally this young team I guess.
They need to play this like the 7th game of the WS. They’ve done a good job of hanging around through adversity (injuries, covid, etc) but they need to take 5 of 6 on this trip to have a chance. At some point they have to earn the playoff spot. Too many other teams fighting for the spot to back in. The next three weeks has to be treated like playoff baseball. Every run, every strike, every out is important. C’mon Reds. Whose going to step up and carry them across the line?
+1000
Miggy’s about the only guy around you get on that play. At least the only one in the park tonight.
Friedl’s bunts are getting old for me. They are onto him and cheating to cover them. The window for success he had tonight was so tight he would have been challenged to roll a ball into it from home plate let alone bunt an MLB pitch to it.
Tie game on the road, 8thinning, one out, and bases empty, stand in and take your cuts unless they are giving you a free shot.
Plus he beat that one into the ground rather than dragging it. It popped back up and let the pitcher field it cleanly.
A function of the pitch’s action most likely. I actually get the 2 strike attempts if he feels overmatched and the defense has relaxed: but in the situation he was in going pitch one was just giving an out away.
That’s been my beef with his one dimensional approach, learn to drag bunt.
Jim’s right in that 8th inning situation.
Yeah, he’s getting too predictable bunting against LHP, does it a third of the time seems like. Work the count, go the other way, I mean he obviously can hit LHP so make them work.
+500 at least
Put up or shut up time.
That’s just a bad luck out. Meadows made one heckuva play.
Sadly, I’m feeling a Stink. Fish. Pot!!! brewing …
Buckle up, folks. Diaz on the mound.
I just noticed the park has one of those dirt tracks from the mound to home. Can’t remember the last time I’ve seen that.
I like Diaz in the 10th with a runner on second trying to win it after we score in the top half. Not here in the 9th in a tie game.
Unless Bell’s gonna let him go 2.
We’ve seen that story before and the ending is highly variable.
Guy’s not hitting the size of Miggy’s pants and you start him 2-0 … SMHVH.
And then that happens. To their fastest guy. SMHVH repeatedly.
Diaz has no clue where his pitches are going
I don’t think batters do either, and they bail him out on pitches out of the zone often. He must have some wicked deception from the batter’s standpoint because they swing at some ugly pitches at times.
Cutting that rather close, boys.
Need to score at least 2 if not 4 to nail this down.
We need atleast 2 runs in the 10th.
Please get 2 here. I can’t take the pressure of just one.
Drew that one up perfectly. That’s the TySteve oppo stuff we love to see.
Come JV drive the gap
Would you take a rather egregious error?
There we go Marte. Now we better see Diaz back out.
I like Day in the WLW booth. He’s so familiar with the guys from his time in the dugout and brings that to his commentary.
Joey … what in the HECK were you thinking stopping there?
Need to challenge there if they can. But either they won’t or they can’t. So clearly safe.
Bottom line is another blown call by a Chumpire.
Wow – with De La Cruz speed never though about a bunt
Come on Jake
Bell is apparently going to save his challenge, whatever for.
Thrall/Day aren’t sure he can challenge that one.
Why couldn’t they?
Did they call him running out of the base path?
That would explain it.
I’d go with Antone
Absolutely go with Antone.
Me too
Why not bunt with elly. Then why not challenge. It’s crazy the way bell manages. Just mind boggling and frustrating. Yet so many on here defend him non stop. A bunt keeps the pressure on following an error and has 2nd and 3rd with Fraley coming up.
Generally I agree, but he had the slowest two guys on the team at first and second, and a guy who hasn’t proved he actually knows how to bunt at the plate. Plus, Elly hitting lefty actually has a decent chance of getting a hit. That was a tough situation.
Most people that defend, don’t watch the games.
Can’t challenge the play because Votto stepped out of the baseline.
Bunting Elly might have been a good idea, but unless a certain manager calls it explicitly, it’s not happening. EDLC isn’t bunting on his own there.
EDLC should have bunted. Bell should have challenged.
Can’t challenge that one per Thrall/Day in the WLW booth.
It’s Buck
Well, our consensus was wrong. Result was wrong rather.
Completely baffling.
Yep
Yeah baby!!
Nice job by India. Out by a mile there.
Oh yeah…this is.going to work out!
I for one love Buck Farmer.
Scary win! Whoosh!
Pulled that one out. 🙂
That’s a big win right there !
Yessssss!
Buck gets the job done.
Another great comeback win.
Absolutely!
Nearly an ulcer-inducing finish there. Day calling it a “huge” win … I’d have to agree.
16 games to go.
Snakes and Phish are trailing at the moment.
Hooray!!
Needed this one when you can gain on those in front losing.
Big win! Great job by the bullpen. Hopefully we can ride them hard the rest of the way considering the amount of off days we have to finish this month out.
Arizona lost. Miami about to lose.
Cubs losing (early) and Giants losing (very early). Could be a great night.
Complete hindsight speculation, but why didn’t CES PR for Joey? He’s got to be faster by a bit. Oh well … a win is a win is a win.
We still need a longer outing tomorrow by the starter, but you are right. Now we have to make all the possible sacrafices to the baseball gods so that they Reds keep winning.
Something needs to be done re Diaz and free passes turning into doubles in tie or 1 run games. It is only a matter of time before we get burned. Not the best option.
I was not so sure about Buck Farmer when the Reds brought him on but I was dead wrong. The guy has been a real asset. Yes he has had a few bad outings but for the most part he has been solid and I hope the Reds bring him back next year. With Sam Moll it gives the Reds a nice start for a solid bullpen next year.
Antone for a full year next year will be a difference maker, I believe.
I agree and one thing this year has shown is Reds need depth. There are guys like Lodolo that are great pitchers but are hurt for large parts of every year. A healthy Antone would be a huge addition.
I have lost track of the starters with injuries and covid, but is Ashcraft supposed to be back at some point before the end of the season?