Last night the Cincinnati Reds got an outstanding all around performance as the pitching, defense, and hitting all came together for a win over the Mets. That victory gave them two in a row in New York and today they will go for the 3-game sweep as they look to keep their winning ways going. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10pm ET.
Starting Lineups
Cincinnati Reds | New York Mets |
| Blake Dunn – RF | Carson Benge – RF |
| Elly De La Cruz – SS | Bo Bichette – SS |
| JJ Bleday – LF | Juan Soto – LF |
| Sal Stewart – 3B | Mark Vientos – 1B |
| Eugenio Suarez – DH | Marcus Semien – 2B |
| Nathaniel Lowe – 1B | A.J. Ewing – CF |
| Spencer Steer – 2B | Eric Wagaman – DH |
| Tyler Stephenson – C | Brett Baty – 3B |
| TJ Friedl – CF | Luis Torrens – C |
| Andrew Abbott – LHP | Huascar Brazoban – RHP |
Starting Pitchers
| Pitcher | IP | ERA | WHIP | BB | K |
| Andrew Abbott | 56.2 | 3.97 | 1.47 | 26 | 38 |
| Huascar Brazoban | 26.0 | 1.73 | 0.92 | 10 | 19 |
| Links: Andrew Abbott’s Stats | Huascar Brazoban’s Stats | |||||
Andrew Abbott
After struggling for most of April and having an ERA of 6.59 things have gone much better in the last five outings for Abbott. During that time he’s allowed just four earned runs in 28.0 innings (1.29 ERA) and given up just three home runs.
The splits against Abbott this season have been strange. Left-handed hitters are hitting for a high average against him so far this year, but they aren’t walking and aren’t hitting for any power. Right-handed hitters aren’t hitting for much average or power, but they have also walked more than they’ve struck out when facing him.
Splits
| Split | PA | H | 2B | 3B | HR | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| RHH | 187 | 40 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 23 | 22 | .247 | .339 | .383 |
| LHH | 60 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 16 | .304 | .333 | .411 |
Pitch Usage
| 4-seam | Curve | Slider | Change | |
| Velo | 92.8 | 79.7 | 82.0 | 86.0 |
| Usage | 47% | 15% | 19% | 19% |
Huascar Brazoban
This season Brazoban has pitched out of the bullpen in 19 of his 22 games. His three starts have all come this month but have been limited to 1.0, 1.0, and 1.1 innings. He’s essentially been an “opener” and that’s likely what he’ll be again tonight. He has a pitched a few multi-inning games in relief this year, with a 2.2 inning appearance on April 11th serving as his longest out of the season – he threw 38 pitches in that game.
The sample size is still quite small for Brazoban in 2026 because he’s been mostly used as a reliever. With that said, hitters are doing very little against him this season. Both lefties and righties are walking at a good rate against him, and lefties are making a lot of contact against him, but when they are making contact they are doing nothing.
Splits
| Split | PA | H | 2B | 3B | HR | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| RHH | 50 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 13 | .133 | .220 | .244 |
| LHH | 52 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 | .178 | .275 | .244 |
Pitch Usage
| 4-seam | 2-seam | Cutter | Slider | Change | |
| Velo | 96.7 | 96.2 | 90.7 | 87.2 | 90.8 |
| Usage | 5% | 50% | 2% | 2% | 42% |
When and Where
- Game time: 7:10pm ET
- Where: Citi Field
- Watch: Reds MLB Channel, Reds.tv (in-market), MLB.tv (out of market).
- Listen: 700 WLW AM (Cincinnati area)
- Forecast: 76°, partly cloudy, 5% chance of rain
News and Notes
Rhett Lowder’s on the comeback
Rhett Lowder had a successful session of facing hitters. More on that and what’s next. #reds
— Mark Sheldon (@msheldon.bsky.social) May 27, 2026 at 4:22 PM
Prospect Hector Rodriguez hit 3 home runs today
Outfielder Hector Rodriguez hit three home runs this afternoon for the Louisville Bats. The top 10 prospect started his day with an inside-the-park homer off of the wall in right-center and then put two of them over the wall later in the day. Video and a bunch of words about Rodriguez available at RedsMinorLeagues.com from our story there if you wanted to watch and or read.
What’s important for the owners in the next CBA?
Evan Drelich of The Athletic took a look at what the owners of MLB teams are looking for in the next collective bargaining agreement – which is what will be negotiated this offseason (they are currently negotiating, but they won’t get serious until after the season ends). The short of it is that they want “soaring franchise values and a salary cap”. You can read the article here (FOR FREE).
Division Standings
*entering the day*
| Team | W | L | GB | Playoff Odds |
| Milwaukee | 32 | 20 | 0.0 | 81.7% |
| St. Louis | 29 | 24 | 3.5 | 23.5% |
| Cincinnati | 29 | 25 | 4.0 | 19.2% |
| Pittsburgh | 29 | 26 | 4.5 | 53.4% |
| Chicago | 29 | 26 | 4.5 | 45.2% |
| Playoff Odds via Fangraphs | ||||
Cards ripe for the overtaking.
I would guess that Brazoban does not pitch more than 3 innings, assuming he doesn’t get hit hard and give up runs, or is wild and walks a ton of guys early.
Just my guess on the situation.
Looking at team pitching statistics, and the weirdest thing popped up looking at them
Among all 30 teams, with anywhere from 53-56 games played (each team), there are exactly 7 complete games pitched, and no more than one for any given team.
Braves lead in Team ERA, which has risen to 3.09 from where it was a few weeks ago, and guess who is second? Milwaukee Brewers, at 3.14. Pitching wins games.
Reds are now 26th out of 30. with a 4.67 Team Era, and tied for 3rd (with three teams) allowing 74 HR. The Reds team ERA was about 9th around April 20th. Nationals lead with 77 HR given up, and Cubs are second with 76 HR given up.
Slipped from 9th to 26th, eh? That’s quite a tumble. Hopefully, it gets righted ASAP.
The Mets are trying to put things tough going with an opener maybe Brazoban and Warren, Pintaro, Myers who didn’t give up anything to the Reds on Monday…we’ll see how the Reds offense can respond to the challenge
Thanks for the link to The Athletic, Doug. Interesting article. My weak crystal ball skills say lockout for an extended period of time. If that happens and most of the 2027 season is a wash, all bets are off on what MLB looks like when it comes back. May pivot from expansion talk to contraction talk. Who knows.
Okay then … on to the business of Kicking some Metro Butt over the Water to LaGuardia!! Here’s to the Good Abbott tonight.
Maybe We’ ll be just following and rooting for Reds farm system teams in 2027
Friedl sneaks into the lineup in the 9th spot! Let’s see what the days off have done!
Hoping Abbott is on and challenges the Mets hitters but pitches carefully to Soto!
Let’s score early and often and sweep the Mets before welcoming the red-hot Braves to GABP on Friday!
The silence before this one is a bit spooky… The lineup is looking good, and AA is on the mound. We’ll soon see if the Reds can put together another good game.
Bull pen games are something the Reds had to put together on a regular basis, and we did surprisingly well doing so. Nothing is given.
Ah, there they are !
Interesting info today.
ESPN ran an article on ABS challenges by player, team and umpire today.
The umpire at the bottom of the list who had the highest overturned pitches was CB Buckner with nearly 78% that were overturned.
According to the data as of 5/26, he has only umped the plate twice this year, our game, and one other which he didn’t finish due to taking one in the mask.
Does any one know if MLB dumped him, or are keeping him from umping the plate?
Would be interesting to find out (if we even can). But not really surprised Buckner is high on the list.
A big game tonight. A win tonight and the Reds are in 2nd place. This is the kind of game that they have often let escape them in the past. The best way to overcome unfavorable tiebreakers is to beat everyone else and win the division. Krall needs to find a bit more firepower.
Speed is a good weapon at top of lineup.
Don’t pitch inside to Soto anymore
Or maybe don’t pitch to him at all.
I’m OK with the “unintentional” intentional walk when dealing with Soto! He just kills the Reds year in and year out regardless of the team he’s playing for!
Elly and Sal need to go back to April for this team to make a run.
Soto did what Soto does …
Need to bear down and get some hits. We know the Boyz are capable. Let’s see it happen.
Have to tip your hate to Soto. That wasn’t a bad pitch. On the black and at the knees. He was just sitting off speed.
Did I not say earlier that Abbott needs to pitch carefully to Soto? Toughest out in the current Met lineup!
Caught it square, just not enough of it.
Let’s see how a well-rested TJ does.
Smart bunt.
Nice choice from TJ there. Well executed.
TJ can still lay one down effectively ! Men on 1st and 2nd.
Reds are so frustrating! 3 hits and no runs! Mets have a single hit! Soto’s HR of course!
Reds batted twice…Mets only once
Dirty Birds lost earlier today! Reds have a chance to move into 2nd place in the NL Central Division with a win tonight!
Mets aren’t sitting on their hands tonight. Another long ball…
You hang ’em, we bang ’em! Need Abbott to limit the long ball!
Mets keep giving us gifts. Need to capitalize.
Woo woo!
Love me a manufactured run. Too bad we couldn’t muster another one or two.
Lowe comes thru ! Need to keep it close !
Jim Day is losing it 😀
Needed to challenge that 3rd pitch from Abbott, clearly a strike.
He gets him anyway…
Three broadcasters laughing so hard they can’t call the game.
I’ve never seen that before.
But a Cincinnati chili egg roll will do that.
A Goetta egg role might be good though.
The look on Day’s face as he continued trying to eat it.
Hope they know how unprofessional and non/entertaining that half inning was. Terrible. Time to let Thom Brenneman out of the penalty box and get rid of Sadek.
Thom was 100x worse
I was t always a Thom fan either but he is Vin Skully compared to Sadak.
Good 3rd from Abbott ! Reds down 2-1
Anbott almost give up another 2-out homer…the pitches going inside has been smashed
Just not sold on Dunn, need to bring up Marte.
he swings so much at bad pitches…not a good lead-off hitter
Interesting at bat from Elly. He came out swinging ! Lots of off speed from Tong, who is now the apparent starter.
Reds have had several loud outs this game.
Dunn, Elly, TySteve and Lowe all flew out to the warning track. If just one of those had gone out, it would change the feel of this game.
Hope this isn’t one of those games where the Reds keep JUST MISSING the big hits they need.
Came to say the same after Geno’s deep fly.
Now Steer
Mets are jumpin’ on him early, but Abbott is keeping it in the park.
What should have been a BB (challenge required) is a lazy ground out.
That’s the longest 400′ I’ve seen in a while.
I was hoping they would leave Tong out there just long enough… they didn’t.
Good to see Sal taking a walk for a change.
Add Steer to the list of Reds who have flown out to the warning track.
Reds have been threatening every inning but they stranded a lot of runners…there have been good contacts but with no luck
3-0 to Bleday looked like a ball, but no challenge? Could’ve made that inning really interesting, but we’re still right there
Y’all see that bending on the way to Elly?
Elly’s 2-out error was untimely to say the least!
Not a bad pitch by Abbott, but Benge makes us pay. Let’s hope they only get one.
3-1 is not out of reach going into the Reds half in the 6th.
Unlucky Abbott
Abbott limits the damage to one run! Time for the offense to wake up!
Kind of feels like the 6th is do or die for our guys tonight.
Feels like a loss coming tonight. 2 of 3 would not be bad, but hopefully wouldn’t start a losing streak with Atlanta coming into town.
Friedl should have bunted there and he knows it.
There’s no place to put Bleday, one out.
Marte 3-4 , sac fly, HR .379
worthless AB by Friedl …get the ball to the right side! Help your team!
Someone just needs to get a hit wrisp
Time to do some damage!
The Reds have hit well but for one reason or another they have scored just 1 unearned run so far…nice chance here for Elly
Still on this!!! Sal hustles down the line!
Sal hustles down the line!
One back feels a little better.
Needed more than one there
That was a spot where you hope a guy that you signed for $15 mil. in the offseason can come thru
Reds only get one making it 3-2 Mets… after a leadoff dbl by Ty Steve.
Geno Can’t comes thru in this clutch moment… Today is one of those days Reds can’t find a shot
The Reds have just not got the big hit tonight. Friedl is just killing this team. Marte now at .379, wake up folks, call him up.
IMHO that TJ and KBH should be finished as Reds. They are real downers
BIG missed opportunity there! Still down only one run!
I’ve seen enough of Friedl! Time to give Marte another chance!
Big momentum killer there – Juan Soto caught stealing 2nd !
Was really hoping for more from Suarez this season. His stats are down across the board: ISO, HR%, HH%, EV, more GB & LD, fewer FB. Age, injury, bad luck, all of the above? Regardless, the Reds need more from Geno. Or they’ll ship him off at trade deadline.
when the reds made the big pitch for Schwarber in the off-season, it would have been a dream come true with his bat in the lineup instead of Geno
Nice idea but realistically I doubt many of us here ever believed it would happen. Still hoping Geno comes around and lights up the league.
Hopefully somebody is warming up in the bullpen!
Thankfully Abbott gets the K on a 3-2 count to Ewing … this should be his last inning.
Abbott did his part. We know how to do what needs to be done. Gets tougher at t his point, but a W is still on the table.
Let’s kick it into another gear!!
Who’s going to be the hero on O?
Not Abbott’s best outing but Elly’s error cost him one run!
Don’t let Lowe bat off a left hander, he swung at a ball that almost hit him = ball 4.
he had a great AB going till he gets to 3-2 and swings at a terrible pitch….it was never a strike
Saved the challenge and walked anyway.
Luke Weaver comes on the face our PH Myers batting for Friedl … Yeah, that Luke Weaver.
and the drama ends quickly on the first pitch.
Myers hit it hard ! That guy can pinch hit.
He’s found a bullpen niche in NYC either with NYY or NYM. His last 3 years have been pretty decent despite some nagging injuries.
How many bullpen pitchers have the Mets ? Wow
Looks like the Stupid Cubs are going to break their 10-game losing streak!
We should give credit to Mets OF defense today …
Reds have outhit the Mets 7 to 5 but just can’t seem to come up with that clutch hit!
Two more chances! Reds bullpen needs to hold the fort!
Off day tomorrow, but Sugar gets to pitch in a 1 run game.
Not a fan of this at all.
It’s weird Tito bring in Maxwell in a 1 run game and an off day tomorrow
Maxwell? Really? Rubbing my lucky rabbit’s foot!
that must be Big Sugar out there on the mound for Cincy in the 7th.
Maxwell would be wise to get 2 more outs as Soto is up in 3 more batters!
Even if Maxwell got out of this inning unscathed that was a very reckless move by Tito
I agree, he must be looking ahead. The Reds are good for one more run anyway.
I agree!
Run-scoring single on an 0-2 count! Good grief!
The pitch was way high, but the batter knew another fastball was coming.
Feels like we’re done with that score.
I’m in Braves country (Savannah) for the upcoming series. Maybe I’ll do the free trial for their package. Trying to avoid any extra travel to Canada 😉
Thanks Maxwell …. Nice work as always …. This is why the kid will never stick at big league level. Too many walks , too many balls , too many pitches , no movement on pitches … million dollar arm 10 cent head
Now Francona pulls him.
30 pitch inning and still going….that’s not what you want in a 1 run game that was still within reach of a win
When will the Reds learn that Maxwell nor Mey can pitch at this level. Poor inning for Francona.
Agree Mark … definition of insanity …
Well, he did it! Walked Bichette to get to Soto! Don’t forget to duck!
Ferguson on to face Soto with 2 on and 2 out.
A hit by pitch loads ’em up for Vientos.
Catcher’s Interference
I can’t believe Tejay Antone or Caleb Ferguson couldn’t start this inning…Tito has a lot of confidence on the Reds offense or hasn’t it at all and is giving up the game
Maxwell makes me so mad in general. He was gifted the crazy ability to be 6ft 6inches and throw 100+mph but he consistently for years has struggled to throw strikes. I am not saying his weight is the reason he can’t, but being 75+ lbs over weight definitely would make it harder to repeat your mechanics, which is one of the number one causes of pitchers being wild.
I love to root for him, but it’s hard to take his career seriously when it looks like he doesn’t.
Well, that’s one way to keep Soto from driving in a run!
That’s one way to avoid pitching to Soto … 😐
Ferguson looked terrible on his rehab. I’m not hopeful in this big moment.
Vientos has been worse really
Reds down by 2 with 2 innings to go…
We used to be able to say, that’s right where we want ’em.
Louisville must be some magical baseball place where all players who are sent there routinely crush the ball all over the place and the pitchers seem to get people out fairly consistently without walking every other batter. Then the phone rings. they take off the “Bats” uniform and put on the “Reds” uniform and the wheels just seem to fall off almost every single time.
well, still a game….need a bloop and a blast
It might not matter but pinch running for Tyler in the 7th inning was not a good move. Now that they are down 2 almost any rally will involve his spot hitting.
Every deep drive dies at the warning track
Do the Reds have a couple runs or three left in those bats …
Only McLain on the bench for pinch hitting duties.
Well, Dunn can bunt let’s tie it right here, Elly!
Not a real smart move by Weaver. That’s how you screw up an ankle or worse.
Elly flies out to the warning track AGAIN…
Balls are just DYING for us 😮
that was the inning to get it done…lead off man on…2-3-4 hitters come up—nothing….why was Sal not looking to drive something??? You’re not looking for a walk in that situation
Done commenting for the night, friends. My hopes faded nearly to black with Stewart’s AB.
Stewart should make swing in this situation
Dunn hitting 340 with a OBP of .400 but that isn’t good enough for some as a lead off hitter.
Good job, but he can’t drive the ball like many want their lead off hitter to do.
So who do want to be the lead off hitter?
Dunn sets the stage, but our big guns don’t come thru…
Looks like a sweep of the Mets is not gonna happen! Too many warning track fly outs!
Hard to sweep. If we keep winning most series we should be ok
Today we did not get timely hits. And they got a bunch of timely well placed hits
Too many missed opps on O.
Sal is in another place where he is not driving the ball. I may be crushed for saying this but while I think Elly is a very good player he has a ways to go to be a great player. My biggest concern is he just doesn’t drive the ball consistently enough.
Elly really got a pitch to drive in that 8th inning….but just a fly out
Elly could hit 500 and people would still complain. My goodness
Dunn doing well and people saying he isnt a leadoff hitter.
Nice outing by Ferguson
Ferguson shuts the Mets down quickly in the 8th.
We have Geno, Lowe, and Steer coming up to face their closer.
Geno on first !
Lowe follows with a walk of his own.
Williams working the edges of the strike zone.
Really needed this one with the Brave series coming up and poor pitching match ups.
That at bat by Sal, weaver painted a cutter on the corner, painted a change up on bottom of zone, and painted a fastball on the other corner. Crazy how people criticize him already.
Reds could never beat Williams on the Brewers, but maybe as a Met they can?
I saw the Skyline Chili Egg Roll bit…sounds pretty nasty! But I like the attempt at creativity by the Mets food folks.
Great walk by Higgins
Higgins walks to load ’em, Myers comes to the plate with all our hopes.
It’s now up to Dunn…
Great at bat by Higgins
Really nice ab by Higgins there.
Veterans Suarez, Lowe, Higgins, good long at bats to get on base.
Horrible at bats by Myers and Dunn
Well, that inning there was just the perfect way to end the game….runners all over the place followed by failure at the plate
Strand 17 runners isn’t going to win
Ya broke my heart.
17 LOB by Reds tonight.
One word! Yikes!
too much pressure on Myers and Dunn. Great composure by Higgins.
Reds lose, but it was interesting.
Sweeps are tough, but the Reds really needed this one.
No one was able to get a big hit. Tough, frustrating loss.
Man when Williams has you with that Changeup, he really has you. The older guys seemed to have the patience, younger hitters in that inning just couldn’t lay off the change up. Well, 2 of 3 overall good. Tough series against Atlanta coming up.
I agree great post.
Pathetic.
17 runners left on is the story.
Says it all
Terrible loss, 17 left on base, and the Braves coming to town with the Reds having their worst pitchers going. Oh well, 29 and 26 and 5 out.
17 runners left on base? Who can win in that way…I was hesitant the Reds hitting well today against the Mets bullpen day, but they hit and walk enough to have won although they stuck with runners on base
9W +8H= 2Rs
Mets tried to give it to them.
tried to…reds said: “no thank you”
How much longer Krall plan on keeping Marte in Louisville???!!! … getting ridiculous now
Tonight’s line …3/4 , 2 RBI , another HR , .379 Avg
WAKE UP VAN WINKLE !
Marte and Arroyo would easily replace Friedl and McClain who have been pushed to the end of the bench.