Fresh off a three-game sweep of the Rays this weekend, the Cincinnati Reds (56-50) welcome the defending World Series champions Los Angeles Dodgers (61-45) to town for the start of a three game series. First pitch is at 7:10 PM EDT.
While still in first place by four games over the Padres in the NL West, the Dodgers have been in a bit of slide lately. They are 4-6 in their last ten games and have lost two of three series since the All-Star break. However, the Dodgers, with their star-studded lineup, still maintain the best OPS in the National League. Pitching has been a weakness, with their 4.27 team ERA being only 11th out of 15 National League teams.
Lineups
Los Angeles Dodgers | Cincinnati Reds |
| Mookie Betts – SS | TJ Friedl – CF |
| Shohei Ohtani – DH | Matt McLain – 2B |
| Teoscar Hernández – RF | Elly De La Cruz – SS |
| Freddie Freeman – 1B | Austin Hays – LF |
| Andy Pages – CF | Gavin Lux – DH |
| Michael Conforto – LF | Spencer Steer – 1B |
| Hyeseong Kim – 2B | Tyler Stephenson – C |
| Miguel Rojas – 3B | Will Benson – RF |
| Dalton Rushing – C | Noelvi Marte – 3B |
Starting Pitchers
| Pitcher | IP | ERA | WHIP | BB | K |
| Yoshinobu Yamamoto | 109.1 | 2.55 | 1.05 | 37 | 124 |
| Chase Burns | 21.2 | 6.65 | 1.62 | 11 | 35 |
| Links: Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s Stats | Chase Burns’ Stats | |||||
Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto is having a stellar year in just his second season in the major leagues. His ERA sits at 2.55 with 124 strikeouts over 109.1 innings. Since the All-Star break, he’s got a 0.75 ERA in 12.0 innings, allowing only one run in two starts against San Francisco and Minnesota with 15 strikeouts. Yamamoto has a lot of pitches in his arsenal, but utilizes three of them most of the time: the four-seam fastball, the curve ball, and the split finger. The splitter is his best pitch, with a whiff rate of 40.3%. Fifty-nine of his 124 strikeouts have come with the splitter.
In a bit of surprising note, Yamamoto pitches better on the road than at home in Dodger Stadium. He’s made 10 starts at home and 10 starts on the road, but he’s got a 3.23 ERA at Dodger Stadium compared to a sparkling 1.84 ERA on the road. This is probably helped by the fact that he’s allowed seven home runs at home compared to just three on the road. He’s also walked five more batters at home than on the road.
Splits
| Split | PA | H | 2B | 3B | HR | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| RHH | 221 | 43 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 10% | 27% | .218 | .295 | .365 |
| LHH | 216 | 35 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 7% | 30% | .176 | .241 | .266 |
Pitch Usage
| 4-Seam | Split | Curve | Cutter | 2-Seam | Slider | |
| Velo | 95.2 | 90.6 | 76.7 | 91.0 | 94.5 | 85.9 |
| Usage | 38.0% | 25.7% | 17.3% | 10.3% | 5.9% | 2.7% |
Chase Burns
It’s been a bumpy road for Chase Burns in his first month at the major league level. On one hand, Burns has looked absolutely dominant at times. He’s struck out 31 batters in 21.2 innings, including 18 against his slider. The whiff rate on his slider is 44.4%, and he’s made really good hitters look downright silly against that slider. On the other hand, he’s allowed 16 earned runs on 24 hits in 21.2 innings, including four home runs. His hard hit rate is sitting at 51.9%.
Burns has pitched much better in July than in his first couple of starts. In three starts in July, he has a 4.41 ERA in 16.1 innings with 27 strikeouts. Much of his struggles could be attributed to fatigue in the later innings, or veteran hitters are just seeing him a second and third time through the lineup. In the first three innings, Burns has allowed only six runs with just one home run in 12.1 innings, but in innings four through six, he’s allowed 11 runs with three home runs in 9.1 innings.
Splits
| Split | PA | H | 2B | 3B | HR | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| RHH | 45 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7% | 38% | .238 | .289 | .405 |
| LHH | 55 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 15% | 33% | .298 | .400 | .553 |
Pitch Usage
| 4-Seam | Slider | Change | Curve | |
| Velo | 98.1 | 90.1 | 90.8 | 83.4 |
| Usage | 56.9% | 34.8% | 6.8% | 1.5% |
Game Details:
- When: 7:10 PM EDT
- Where: Great American Ball Park
- Watch: FanDuel Sports Network
- Listen: 700 WLW (Cincinnati area)
- Forecast: 85 degrees (feels like 95 degrees), partly sunny, 47% chance of rain
News and Notes
Hunter Greene Update
From Charlie Goldsmith:
Hunter Greene is scheduled to throw four innings on his rehab assignment this week.
— Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__) July 28, 2025
Playoffs?
Minor League News
The draft signing day deadline is today and the Reds had three players yet to sign.
Catch up on all the scores and stats from a busy day for the Reds farm teams yesterday.
Division Standings
| Team | W | L | GB | Fangraph’s Playoff Odds |
| Chicago | 62 | 43 | – | 96.4% |
| Milwaukee | 62 | 43 | – | 93.2% |
| CINCINNATI | 56 | 50 | 6.5 | 21.4% |
| St. Louis | 54 | 53 | 9.0 | 16.0% |
| Pittsburgh | 44 | 62 | 18.5 | 0.0% |
If there was any doubt things are getting serious about the Reds making the playoffs, just consider that the Reds have passed the Cardinals in the Fangraphs projection system. 😉
Holy Cow it’s a miracle. I never thought Fangraphs would give them that much credit.
To be fair, it’s not exactly “Fangraphs” but the various projection systems that they use in their playoff projection system.
So, we’re now at 4% and the Cards have dropped to 3? I’d love it if we proved Fangraphs dead wrong.
Woah… let me get the sleep dust out of my eyes. I Guess this is the first time than fangraphs has higher odds for Reds than for birds
It’s a mismatched on paper. I am glad the game is played on the field. A couple balls bounce our way, a couple calls go our way, and Burns does not give up HR with men on base, and we’ll have a game. Go Reds.
Let’s do this, Reds!
Brewers make a splash and grab Danny Jansen for a backup to Contreras.
I am tempering my optimism for this 3-game series with the Dodgers! The pitching matchups appear to not favor the Reds! Just hoping the Reds can play well and steal a game or even two! I believe the key to winning will be getting into Dodger bullpen early if possible!
Brewers are playing the Stupid Cubs so a win would close the gap between the Reds and either team that loses!
Let’s score early and give Chase Burns a lead to work with!
On a lesser note the Marlins and Cards are playing each other too as well as the Pads and Mets.
Everything points this game is very tough for Reds to get a win. The Dodgers’ weakness has been pitching but when you look the starters scheduled for the series you have to be afraid of…
We can just watch what Burns is able to do against this star-plagued team after he has had to face Yankees, Red-Sox and Phillies among his previous starts…Nothing to do but to play good baseball and give the best for trying to win
I just hope Burns brings more than two pitches to the show.
Sigh. I keep seeing people saying stuff like this and it’s going to cause me to develop an ulcer.
Burns has made 5 starts for the Reds. If we remove the fastball and slider from his usage he has thrown 11%, 9%, 10%, 3%, and 15% “other pitches” in his starts.
The idea that he’s only throwing two pitches is silly. It’s not based in reality.
Does he throw a lot of fastballs and sliders? Yes he does. But he’s also throwing two other pitches about 10% of the time.
+100,000 to Doug for a factual response.
Burns is awesome. Just think how far he’s come in a short period of time. Another Ace in the making.
See above.
He has 4 pitches, but mostly only uses 3 of them.
I brought that up just to see who would respond fastest and loudest. You win, Doug!
My friend – I never win.
The series makes one reflect to the 70’s rivalry with the Dodgers and what a big deal their visit to Riverfront was to this area. I still hate Tommy Lasorda and why did Bob Braun bring him on his show?? I sure Tommy did it for free ribs.
Jeff Carr of Locked On Reds is still 90% sure the Reds will land Suarez. He must have some inside info cause that’s not what I’m reading. 🙂
I like those guys a lot but their glasses are a little rosey. Last year he was sure we’d trade for Brent Rooker lol
Let’s give the Trolley Dodgers something to try and dodge tonight. Hit ’em hard, early, and often. Back young Master Burns and hope he can baffle those Bums in Blue. This extreme dislike for LA goes way back to when there were only two divisions for me.
So … Let’s Kick This Pig!!!!
Steve Garvey. Ugh.
Lovely human being if I recall (eyeroll)
I remember there used to be a bumper sticker in LA, “Honk If Steve Garvey Is Your Dad!”
Sadak is ALREADY driving me crazy. lol
I’m on the WLW feed tonight … anyone surprised?
Me too now. I don’t care if it is a couple of pitches ahead of video. 🙂
That strike on Hernandez was “less of a strike” than the previous pitch. We’re going to have this crap to deal with again tonight?
The zone is really small to start but swinging Ks solves the problem.
Betts gets a fat fastball. All the pitches to the first three batters have been elevated. Larkin notes that he’s gotta get the ball down with the infield in. Even his K of Freeman was elevated 100 mph fastball.
Ump squeezing him a little.
Burns threw a lot of pitches in the middle of plate, two of them were hit turning into a run for the Dodgers …I think he should use the sides if he wants to go deep in the game without big damage
McLain is hitting singles to the opposite side recently
Sounds like a lot of Dodgers fans are there. Have they no shame?
They’re Dodgers fans … it’s the answer to its own question 😀
+10000000
@ GMR
Did you see Alex Cora Red Sox saying Fenway was like a home game for the Dodgers? Hes never seen it.
Fans travel now.
Nice at bat by Elly…great
Little tear formed in my eye.
Double Steal … Double Steal …
I don’t hear the TV crew much, but seems like Sadak and Brantley are a pretty good duo when on the games together? I’m not a huge fan of the Dodgers play by play announcer who happens to be the main FOX baseball play by play announcer. I was surprised he was the main guy calling the World Series in past years.
Brantley generally has a “calming effect” on Sadak. Larkin doesn’t talk much so Sadak dumps even more words out. That’s the biggest challenge I see and I know I’m not alone.
100% with you. Tbh I love Sadak either way though. All you have to do is listen to another teams broadcast to appreciate him.
C’mon Lux … show them your Red Grit.
Gritty RBI groundout.
As close to a squeeze play as you can get there. We’ll take the run.
Steer tagged that. Bad luck.
+5,000
Steer made good contact but with no luck… Ok it’s 1-1 , the offense responded… Let’s see if Burns can hold the Dodgers on
Burns got squeezed by the ump on the pitch at the bottom of the zone.
How about this for a gimmick game next season …
Pick a couple one home game and play it under “Banana Ball” rules. You’d pack the stadium for sure. Still a lot of fundamental baseball in those games. Plus you most definitely pay for walking a batter, especially if it’s a speedster.
Pick “one home game” …
If I had a vote in the matter, I’d vote for that.
Steer is struggling to say the least!
That was the best hit ball of that half of the inning.
Yes it was.
NJ, Petty.
Doug, I posted about safety at the games and canceling my Dodgers plans. Is that not acceptable in the threads? Just curious.
Burns literally threw fire in this inning… But the concern is if he can go through this lineup for the 2nd time just relying on the heater for the most
He’s got 4 pitches. Why would he need to?
Sadak’s strikeout call is annoying. I wonder if he practiced it at home before using it in the games.
He can’t shut up for 15 seconds … annoying to me period lol
The maturing of one Chase Burns before our very eyes.
I say give him 4 innings tonight (I could be talked into 5 if the circumstances were right), and then hand it off to the pen.
Still have to score. Their guy is hittable. Need to make it happen and count.
3 straight 100+ mph fastball to get Rushing. A the kids say, “BAYOU!”
Greene , Abbott , Lodolo , Burns , Lowder ….
What a potentially awesome rotation once everyone healthy … 2025 for Lowder
I mean there. Certainly aren’t many better rotations than that in the entirety of MLB
I meant 2025 for Lowder
2026 geeze
I agree and if they can get a couple of power bats well who knows about next year and beyond.
Singer traded?
I was thinking the same, boy that’d be quite a crew! The odds of them all staying healthy in today’s baseball pretty low, but it’s fun to think about. I’d still hang onto Singer for that reason.
Benson expanded the zone on all 3 pitches, but the pitcher located them amazingly well, fastball just off the outside, splitter under the zone, fastball above the zone.
Yikes. Benson swinging at two balls out of the zone. Except for the pitch up, which he often swings through, I think he has a good eye. Just not a good AB this time.
Burns is being surprisingly pitch-efficient.
Benson & Ty Steve are SO machines!
See if offense can get Burns a lead. Good to pitch with a lead for a change.
It seems Reds have not scored with a single and man on 2nd. A few times in a row now
Are we playing the Rays again tonight? 😮
Terrible ball and strike calls.
If by “terrible” you mean “typical” … 😐
Yes, I’m afraid so.
Gotta capitalize on that mistake.
PS. Elly needs to steal 2b.
You mean like that?
You had ONE JOB!!!
De La Cruz numbers getting better, hitting .284, .363 OBP. When he Friedl, Hays hitting and getting on base, the Reds offense is pretty solid I think. That’d be the case with any team though when your top hitters are doing well!
Clutch hit?
Double Nuts!!!
Wasted chance to take the lead…Hays has no good at bat…
MM and then Hayes just flat out failed to get the job done.Did not even put the ball in play.Easy 10 strike out night again.Goodness.
Lux being Lux. Another great exit velo AB. You know you’re good when they pinch hit Connor Joe for you
Forgot to mention Hayes didn’t even make contact.Down on 3 pitches.
The Dodgers pitcher is good.
Unlike Lux
He is. And so, it appears, is young Mr. Burns.
Agree. We aren’t exactly facing some slouch.
Yes and that’s why when you just need a fly ball or even a ground ball you have to get it.May not get another lead off double in this game.
Cowboy keeping score on the Chumpire and being pretty vocal about it.
Can’t watch game. Following on gameday, and radio.
Reds battling 1-1. Let’s go!!!
Lux has value but not hitting 5th in any lineup in the league.Hits a lot of ground balls and is not an RBI.Good OBP skills and works the pitcher.He bats 7th or 8th on most teams if he starts.
He has the only RBI tonight.
And second only to EDLC among Reds. He has 42 RBI.
Yes and he is second to Elly with now 42.He has 1800 PA in his career and that was his 197 RBI in now his 6th season.The fact he is second behind Elly tells more about this team then in does Lux based on his career numbers.
Burns wheelin’ and dealin’.
Burns has settled in and is looking good. The Reds need to take advantage of his good outing. Let’s put up a crooked number this inning.
My brother sent me a screen shot from an X account “Mr. RedDey.”
The post claims reds and dbacks trade talks have stalled over “Arizona…demanding an undisclosed player from the Reds’ major league roster”
Take it for what you will
The story was planted by Krall. “I tried, but they wanted Abbott….” Just kidding.
+10,000 for the chuckle 😀
Ty Steve never even took the bat off his shoulder and strikes out again.Why?
Yamamoto certainly has something to do with it, but Stephenson doesn’t seem to be living up to his promise.
I trade that guy in a heartbeat if it helped bring back a good player …. Wouldn’t sign him long term for nothing … a walking strikeout
Well … we’re hitting him (for the most part), but it’s weak contact instead of barreling it up.
Back to you, Chase. 8-9-1 … let’s get it done.
Burns has suffered a lack of run support the most of his outings
Offline throw … really offline.
Cowboy said that ball should have had a glove on it. I agree. We need a third baseman.
It’s generally not Marte’s glove that’s the problem. It’s his footwork and throwing. No guarantee Geno makes that one either.
I don’t want to move him, but our best 3B by far is our starting SS.
He should have at least knocked it down. And an error as we speak.
Espy?
“I don’t want to move him, but our best 3B by far is our starting SS.”
He’s out best player at a lot of positions. We can’t play him everywhere.
The Reds were caught napping!
Marte ole’.
He has potential as a hitter, but not as a 3rd baseman
That one was definitely an “ole” flag at the ball.
Agree. Good fielding by 3rd baseman and we’d be out of the inning. Instead, he misses them both.
No need to help them, Marte.
He probably should have had it, but that was a wicked hop at the last split second.
Thx. Following on my phone. All I see is E.
Burns has been unlucky
Very. Had the chance to support him but instead we got a failure to launch.
That might just be another hole too deep. Not a terrible pitch, but not one you can lay out there to Ohtani.
That’s getting challenged next year.
Ends up not mattering, but still.
Simply cannot make defensive errors against good teams like the Dodgers! Especially when your SP is a rookie and battling every batter!
Don’t want to keep on beating the same drum over and over again but….we need a third baseman. :)….more than an outfielder. And no I don’t mean Espinal.
I agree! Does Brooks Robinson have a grandson?
You owe your pitcher, Mr. Marte.
Kid basically gets no run support every time he pitches … it’s ashamed . His stuff is outstanding. He’s been unlucky this game as well .
Wasted opportunities again by Reds offense this game .
Not only him, but all Reds SP
Funny nobody wants Espy playing but when Marte struggles at 3rd , people want Espy. Marte should be playing everyday in Right and get rid of the revolving door of Benson and Fraley. They are who they are.
Marte in right sounds right. 🙂
Incorrect. I want Espy at 3rd and Marte in right.
Espy everyday does help defensively, but even he admitted the wear and tear impacts his hitting. He’s just not a starter anymore.
But you are correct … we’re paying the price tonight.
The approach by Friedl and Marte was not ideal swinging quick for outs on just 3 pitches…Yamamoto is at 70 pitches through 5 IP he’s in pace to go 7 …
Same old same old vs a quality starter. They missed a K on Hays 1st inning, we should be shutout
8-pitch inning for the Dodger SP in the bottom of the 5th! Good grief!
Passed ball error.
His glove was turned the wrong way. I like Stephenson but boy not a good year.
Plenty of mistakes to go around.
Nice job Stephenson – come on man !!!!!
And an E1. Come on guys. Can’t give them extra chances.
Stephenson is really hurting this team in a lot of ways.
Good defense as usual from Steer.
What a clown show! Ty Steve with a passed ball on a strikeout followed by an error by Burns! Focus guys! Focus!
Had my finger on the “Clete Button” for a moment. Looks like our boyz are channeling the Rays now.
What does clete mean, is that a new yuppie phrase to look cool?
Burns deserved better! He gets little if any run support and the defense behind him is bloody awful!
And switching the error to a hit and hosing Burns for 2 ER’s is ridiculous.
+1000
MLB scoring decisions are a clown show.
So far, the message is loud and clear to Mr. Krall regarding what’s needed on offense (again).
He already knows that.
E-1, E-2, …Steer says no to the E-3.
Great charge and flip for the out at home.
Laureano another HR tonight. We need fresh blood from somewhere
Speaking of offense, how about generating some so Burns doesn’t get tagged with another L?
Complete hose job by the Chumpire. 3 inches out of the zone. It just changes the game so much when there is this kind of inconsistency and incompetence.
Incompetence from home plate umpires is beyond embarrassing at this point .
John Sadak comedy hour in full effect now …
Another good reason to clete.
well, we need a bat with some pop but not this kind.
Take a strike swing at a ball
Rinse repeat
That broke the string of 11 reds retired in a row after having runners on the corners with one out in the third.
Not sure I have a full game in me tonight. If we can shut them down in the 7th then MAYBE we have a puncher’s chance. If they score even one more, I’m thinking that hole is too deep.
Yamamoto has been dominant… The sinker confuses a lot the hitters especially when comes inside
Glaring need for a big bat in this order painfully obvious this game …
People may disagree but I don’t think the Reds should trade for a rental, this offense is more than one player away.
They definitely are tonight.
I tend to agree.
I agree overall, that’s why getting just Suarez for example doesn’t really excite me a ton. But there’s still a possibility maybe Marte becomes really good, Steer turns it around, Stephenson maybe is getting healthier and hits better. Those things maybe not super likely this year, but we’ll see.
So don’t get a rental.
That should have never been the plan.
Get a guy for the future.
walks haunt. they can kill.
You need my BP machine, Dennis?
If the front office doesn’t make a trade to make this team much improved, the Reds will have to double up on Bobbleheads,Fireworks nights, and Bark in the Park to improve attendance!
Its over but will see if Ty Steve swings his next time up.He must have been confused last time when he never swung at 6 pitches the last one called strike 3.Loved Burns and his effort tonight.He kept the Dodgers in the park and battled like crazy.Good job.
Is tonight’s HP umpire competing for worst umpire of the year?
I think he’s a lock Dennis!
Barlow in to slam the door on the Reds this game …
Walks walks walks walks … pure pitiful
just settin em up for the ol’ triple play…
Beyond desperate for Bike Helmets now.
just settin’ em up for the ol’ triple play…
Had to take a short break and walk outside and SCREAM! Barlow WALKS the first 2 batters he faces in a game that’s still winnable!
Good job by Burns overall, he’s electric overall with the strikeouts.
This guy behind the plate umpiring is beyond PATHETIC !
And with that I’m pulling a Clete for tonight.
Catch y’all tomorrow.
Clete clete clete… you’re so coop
Worse umpire of the year and that is saying a lot.
It’s amazing what money can buy. What a broken sport. Praying Mannfred fixes it as his swan song
Its about time for the yuppies on here to start using the word clete to try to look trendy.
Do you even know the origin of the term? And it’s always capitalized.
It’s annoying… everyone tries to be the first to post it.
To be honest, I’ve never known what the term means, but can guess from the context.
Where I’m from you sure don’t want to be calling someone a Clete, despite the name’s more honorable classical origin
What is a Yuppie, anyway?
Barlow gives up the game… disaster
Mr. Krall, when you go after that big bopper ask the other team to toss in a couple of relievers.
Go from frying pan to fire … Rogers warming up … soon to bring his gas can to mound
Yep! The Arson Squad!
WALKS kill! And the HP umpire is beyond awful! 2 of the pitches from Barlow to the last batter called balls were clearly strikes! Humans behind home plate gotta go!
i loved the Big Bopper From Birmingham…
Lee May of course it was back in the day.
Clete. Clete clete clete. I’m cool. Clete
Hey everybody. Let’s post clete
Hey. Did anybody cool say clete yet???
Hope Krall is watching! Clearly evident the Reds need bullpen help! Santillan and Pagan cannot carry the load every game!
now fellas, it ain’t over til it’s over. but then it’s too bad we don’t have a yogi Berra playing for us.
I don’t hear no fat lady singing! Not yet anyway!
It’s a miracle Rogers didn’t allow an inherited runner to score
It goes without saying that we need the Mets to beat the Padres later tonight!
Steve absolutely fooled by Yamamoto today
Well he swung and fouled one off but he strikes out again for the 3rd time
Man Stephenson can’t hit a lick … dude is brutal with the strikeouts …not the long term solution behind the plate …. Occasional HR does not make up for his overwhelming strikeouts …poor poor plate discipline for somebody who basically spends the entire game behind the plate
Suarez hit in the hand tonight.
Removed from the game.
I ,for one, am sick and tired of watching Stephenson strike out.
He’s terrible. Can’t even make consistent contact. Average catcher. Well below average hitter. As is most of the team. Still hopeful they can rebound in this series. But a sweep of TB will soon be a distant feel good memory if the Reds return to what the backs of their baseball cards show they actually are. Overall good pitching staff. Poor offensive team. Period. Hey them some help!
I dont think ive rooted for a win this hard since the Atlanta series. This is when a thumper could do the “in one swing” thing. I for one am curious what this team could do if the higher ups believed in them.
What does Clete mean?
It means the poster is basically giving up for the night and will stop watching/following the game. I am not sure of the origin of the term but i think it had to do with an event that occurred with a regular poster that evolved into a light hearted way to say you are checking out because the game is lost.
It means.. I’m a yuppie… trying to be cool..
Everyone on here rushes to say it to be in the in crowd. 1 guy post it twice tonight.
It gets about as annoying as woooooh at the games… We get it, clete clete clete
You can shut it down anytime. No one wants to read your attempted childish BS insults. They add nothing to the discussion. I recommend you clete it for tonight and quit demonstrating what a jackass you are.
And “clete” posted every 3rd or 4th post anytime the team is losing late adds so much? My insults… love your hypocrisy.
Who wants to read “clete” 20 different post every freakin night that the Reds are losing late? We get it, the Reds are losing and people need a clever way to announce that they are leaving. Most of the time they stay on to post, maybe say “clete” again. It’s annoying to read 20 times a night.
It comes from one of the authors -Mary Beth I beleive- who had an older family member named Clete who was a Reds fan and when he would get frustrated at the Reds losing and the game seemed over, he would turn the game off and move to other things. Clete stopped watching. Its rooted in RLN lore for the older posters here and represents a real person and has become a verb instead of a Proper noun/Name.
This game shows that these guys are not ready for the big time yet, they simply don’t hit well enough and one player is not going to change that. To be honest, if you watched the Rays series most of the runs were because of walks and errors. The team needs to hope that some of their better prospects become better hitters than the likes of Steer, Stephenson, Benson and Fraley and frankly it wouldn’t take much.
Fraley was red hot until that Rays series. I’d never play Benson over him while he’s seeing the ball. They could go Benson > Lux and improve the OF
You’re 100% right, Mark. We ain’t that close. I wasn’t overly hyped about the TB sweep. Remembering it was right after losing 2 of 3 to the Fish. Trade the farm for Geno? Idk. He may be out not anyway.
They not be one player away on paper but some new blood pumped into that dugout could have them up on the step rooting for a rally. That stuff is contagious in the late summer especially. As we go into the 8th it feels written already and that needs to change more than anything. Tito isnt the answer alone, he needs leaders. When you have had 2 of the new guys leading the players only meeting that spoke to the lack of leadership that was here when they got here. They need to be shown the way and as much as i like Lux and Trevino, they are super backups. Wonder what Greg Vaughn is up to?
Only 1 game, but the few pom pom wavers on RLN should see that we can’t even come close to dealing with elite pitching.
Rodon dominated
Fried dominated
Wheeler dominated
David Peterson dominated
Yamamoto dominated
We hit Crochet, but they got 7 in the 1st so he let up. Am I missing someone we hit?
Too many offensive holes to patch up with Suarez alone. Idk? Be good to get in and learn from it if we could pull it off, but we’re nowhere close. McLain should’ve bunted Friedl over. Burns electric stuff, but too many right down broadway. Found that crazy slider that one inning then lets Mookie beat him on a fastball w/2 strikes?
He’ll learn. Our rotation should be spectacular moving forward
Yamamoto cruised through the Reds lineup. The offense only scored 2 runs yesterday and got only 1 thus far after 7 innings… Offense down combined with rival good pitching?
What on earth is Rogers doing?
White flag time! The Great Lyon of the Ohio River Valley is now on the mound!
For what it’s worth, 2 of the 4 pitches from Rogers thrown to Ohtani were clearly strikes!
Calls have not gone our way tonight.
Andy Fletcher is HP umpire.
Laureano and Roberts w/HRs tonight.
Just got a notification on my phone about Laureano. He’s on my fantasy team this week. 🙂
Could he be on the Reds team next week? We’ll see. 🙂
Well, Lyon made a liar outta me with the strikeout!
Ive said it before and I’ll say it again. Lefty hitter Lux and Fraley who cant hit the weak side platoon arent the problem. Mclain, Steer, and Stephenson are the problem. they were supposed to be the core of the team. But, they are righties who cant hit good righty pitchy. Benson is cratering again.
Dodgers are defending WS champs so this is a stress test to see who are the solutions and who are the problems. Cant wait to read what Hinds and CES did in AAA as if they would have hit Yamamoto better.
Good teams have good pitching and Reds need good hitters. Hays didnt do anything either.
Going into the game I thought the odds were very low the Reds would win this game. Just hoping we can win one of the next two. I think the Reds have a better chance to win tomorrow and Wednesday.
Pepiot too….28th in era in mlb. Shut us out on 2 hits over 6. Not even competitive vs anyone under 3.50
Ryne Sandberg passed away from cancer. Only 65. Rip
Sad! A class act and great MLB player!
Imagine if Reds lose 4 games in a row like Houston. What hell would RLN scoundrels raise? Look like Reds are just losing a game to a good team. That’s all.
Per Sadak.
Ryne Sandberg has passed away.
5 more w/LA. I’d recommend winning a couple if you want to hang around.
Tyler Glasnow tomorrow. 6’8 flamethrower, but we usually hit hard throwers rather then guys that change speeds well.
If you subtract Joe, Espy, and Trevino we’re 8 for 26 (.307) off Glasnow with 2 doubles, 2 HRs
Can someone please adk John to focus on the game? Please?
Reds no hits since 3rd inning. They have been totally shut down
Suarez was not only hit but hit by the team that may be his best trade partner.
https://fansided.com/mlb/eugenio-suarez-injured-team-that-needs-him-most
Good news for him.
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/eugenio-suarez-headed-for-x-rays-on-hand-after-hbp.html
Who was the lefty we had in the 80s that was a great pinch-hitter? Thats about the ceiling for Lux imo….or 2B platoon if you don’t have anyone.
Larry Bittner?
Lenny Harris was good.
Luis Quinones too
John Vander Wal…lol. He stunk w/us though at age 38. Reds were his last stop like so many others
Max Venable lead the league one year in the late 80’s or early 90’s.
Yes…that’s the one.
Wayne Krenchicki
Three run dinger will tie it up.
Awful game by Marte
Marte takes two down the middle and then chases the third out of the zone.
Wow, Noelvi had a terrible game
Come on Mighty Mac. Give us a bases clearing double.
Walk out off, Matt! You got this.
It
McLain with the chance to be a hero
Couldn’t have asked for more
The Reds have a knack for the dramatic against the Dodgers at GABP. Let’s see it again. Let’s go Matt!
HR would win it…at least Reds making it interesting since yama%@to was replaced
Poop
Nope. Not tonight.
I had Chase 6+ Ks & Under 9.5, but I would’ve been ok with a loss in that situation
Perfect away pitch for his oppo stroke.
But tries to pull it.
They guys have abandoned it again.
I do not understand the decision to have McLain swinging away on a 2-0 count when a walk brings in a run with Elly then coming to the plate with bases loaded. Who made that decision?
McLain rarely comes through this season, generally he can’t respond in clutch at bats… He got 2-0 count and made swing to a pitch on the away side to ground out ..Why not wait for a good pitch?? The press is on the pitcher not the hitter in that moment…
As Krall expected, Reds lose the first against Dodgers and maybe he’s starting to change his mind about deadline…
He tried to pull a pitch he should have taken the other way. Try again tomorrow, hope the good Lodolo shows up and the bats decide to show up.
He should have taken a pitch.
He did I am sure but as VRF said he tried to pull a pitch away.Not sure if it was a strike or not.Looked borderine.Your point is a good one with Elly on deck however.
Failed to get the job done tonight. Time for scoreboard watching. It’s actually fun, really.
MM not getting it done this year. Only .190 w/risp and .148 w/risp 2 outs. Have to relax, but its easier said then done. I left BWW and didn’t see the end, but I’ve noticed Friedl and MM usually swing at 2-0 if it remotely close. Not something little guys should be doing. Usually their job is to get on for the big guys. Aggressiveness is swell, but only if they truly groove a 2-0, 3-1 pitch. I will say Friedl has done alot better with walks this year it seems
But plenty of chances for MM this year, which I am fine with actually. At least we will know what we have at the end of the year.
But I think it’s crazy to have 2 guys with mega power hitting in AAA while we continue not to know what they can do in the bigs. Especially because if either or both can figure it out even somewhat, suddenly the Reds have their RH slugger(s)!
Instead, no one knows what to expect out of either guy with the final stretch coming up and for 2026 to find those needed power hitters from the right side, or any side for that matter.
But meanwhile we either already know what we have with Tysteve, Steer and MM, or we will by September.
Good stuff! Great leadership, team!