The Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs both did a bunch of scoring early on in the game. But the Reds slowed down by the middle and the Cubs did not as they continued to pule on runs in what turned into a blowout win to even up the series that has now seen 40 runs scored in the two games.
| Final | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Reds (64-71) | 5 | 7 | 1 |
| Chicago Cubs (76-59) | 17 | 19 | 0 |
| W: Gausman (8-11) L: Abbott (6-10) | |||
| Statcast | Box Score | Game Thread | |||
Chicago wasted little time in striking first in this game. After the Reds went down in order in their half of the 1st inning Pete Crow-Armstrong hit the second pitch from Andrew Abbott into the seats to put his team up 1-0. Seiya Suzuki followed up with a single before Alex Bregman then hit the second home run of the inning as the Cubs extended the lead to three runs.
In the 2nd inning the Reds got on the board thanks to a ground-rule double from Tyler Stephenson that was followed by a 2-run home run by Eugenio Suarez. The 1-run deficit didn’t last long because Chicago went right back to work against Abbott in their half of the inning. Back-to-back singles start the inning. A fly out to right field moved both runners up, but the throw to third was cut off by Elly De La Cruz and he tried to get the trail runner at second, but fired the ball into the outfield and allowed a run to score. Pete Crow-Armstrong then hit his second home run of the day to make it 6-2.
The day continued the way it had been going in the top of the 3rd. Elly De La Cruz worked a 1-out walk and then came around to score four pitches later when Sal Stewart crushed a 431-foot home run to make it 6-4. In the bottom of the inning the Cubs had a run wiped off of the board when Tyrone Taylor’s double bounced into the ivy and got lost and sent the baserunner back to third base. A walk and then an inning ending strikeout followed to keep the score at 6-4.
When the bottom of the 4th began it was Abbott headed back to the mound for the Reds. After giving up a leadoff single he was replaced by Julian Garcia. He gave up back-to-back singles to start his inning with the second one pushing the 7th run of the game across the plate for Chicago. Cincinnati got a run on a JJ Bleday sacrifice fly in the top of the 5th, but the Cubs got to Garcia again in the bottom of the inning on a 3-run home run from Carson Kelly that made it 10-5.
After Sam Moll tossed a shutout inning in the 6th the Reds turned the game over to Tony Santillan in the 7th. He retired the first batter of the inning but then walked back-to-back hitters on just nine pitches to put two on for Pete Crow-Armstrong. The MVP favorite did what you would expect and he clobbered a 3-run home run – his third home run of the game – to make it 13-5. Santillan then walked the next batter on four pitches. He hit the next batter before getting a pop up for the second out of the inning. Nico Hoerner then came through with an RBI single to tack on yet another run and made it 14-5.
When the bottom of the 8th inning began the Reds moved catcher Jose Trevino to the mound and brought in Will Banfield to take over as catcher. He would give up three runs as the home team continued to just pile it on. Cincinnati would get a walk from Hector Rodriguez in the 9th but that was it as Chicago held on for a 17-5 win.
Key Moment of the Game
Carson Kelly’s 3-run home run in the 5th that made it a 10-5 ballgame.
Notes Worth Noting
Sal Stewart became just the 14th rookie to ever hit 30 home runs and drive in 100 runs in the same season. During the game I wrote up an article about his accomplishment and if you want to see the other 13 players on the list we’ve got you covered right here.
Stewart and TJ Friedl both had two hits in the game. Elly De La Cruz went 1-2 and walked twice.
Jose Trevino’s ERA now sits at 16.50. It’s probably a good thing that he’s a catcher.
Up Next for the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds vs Chicago Cubs
Sunday August 30th, 7:20pm ET
Chase Burns (14-3, 2.77 ERA) vs Shota Imanaga (8-9, 3.78 ERA)
Interesting the Cards DFA Ferguson. He struggled for them. Kinda odd since he did well for Reds.
I’ve wondered whether his colorfully-worded outburst at the second-base umpire contributed to the Reds’ decision to ship him to St. Louis.
“Jose Trevino’s ERA now sits at 16.50. It’s probably a good thing that he’s a catcher.”
I bet there was some scouts at the game thinking they could fix him and make him a closer. 😉
Abbott in 2026 reminds me of Joey Jay in 1963. Jay won 21 games in 1961 and 1962 then lost 18 games in 1963. He then bounced back (in terms of ERA+) in 1964 more like his 1961 and 1962 numbers.
Abbott may be just having an off year. He had three straight pretty good years in 2023-24-25.
I am nowhere ready to give up on Abbott. The guy normally puts up a solid game for a starting pitcher. I feel like he is a decent #3, and pretty good #4 guy in the rotation. Losing Greene for another year is really going to hurt. I suspect the team goes out and gets a middle of the rotation starter if we even have a season next year.
@jaythered no comment on Greens injury. I agree that Abbott is a very talented and an important fixture in the future
My interest in the remaining Reds season consists of me checking the box score each day to see what Sal Stewart has done. What an incredible year he is having.
Yes, Box Score watching or seeing the Reds win a game and then watching it on the replay I cancelled my MLB subscription at the start of Aug. This team was just not what we were all hoping for. Hope continues to not be a strategy. Like many here I am ready to move on from the front office decision makers. The team needs new thinking and strategy.
Looking at some free agents for next season. Luis Arraez is available. A good hitter and plays 2nd. Reds could do it!! Bring in another hitter and see what happens.
Looks like bullpen needs a look again as does the starting rotation.
FA rarely sign with the Reds. Top shelf FA even less often. Dave Parker in 1983 remains the best FA ever signed by the Reds.
They’ve actually signed quite a few FAs, but their track record with the highest paid FAs in recent years has not been great (Candy, Moose, Myers, Montas, Shogo, etc.). Can’t afford to do that and also complain about payroll disparities.
I meant GOOD FA signings. None of those were.
What does Dave Parker have to do with anything.
Reds have signed free agents. A few did okay their time here,however I was simply stating Reds needs going into the off season.
Dave. Parker. Is. The. Best. FA. Ever. Signed. By. The. Reds.
I was responding to the first part of your initial statement: “FA rarely sign with the Reds. Top shelf FA even less often.” It needed clarification. The Reds sign plenty of FAs, and not all of them are off the Dollar General rack. Too many of them have been disappointments.
We’re all aware of the Dave Parker signing. He gave the Reds a hometown deal after several mediocre seasons in Pitts, so he was not a payroll breaker. Finished second in MVP voting in ’85. He also provided a chip to trade to Oakland for Jose Rijo. I think the point in this conversation is that the Reds have not duplicated the success of that FA signing. And it was more than 40 years ago. That’s not good.
And btw, Kev, I’m with you. Arraez has not been that expensive on the market. A .320 hitter would look really nice in front of EDLC and Sal.
Wasn’t Greg Vaughn and Kevin Mitchell free agents?
I would also argue that Nick Martinez and Emilo Pagan were two pretty good FA signings. I mean they weren’t high price free agents but were solid.
Pretty sure the Reds traded for both. Vaughn came from SD for Reggie Sanders. Mitchell from Seattle for Norm Charlton.
Agree on Pagan and Martinez. My point wasn’t to say the Reds have hit .000, just that their overall hit-miss has not been great. And the misses have hurt.
Thanks for the clarification Johnny Sofa!
@Votto4Life – I was just thinking about Mitchell as well. Scotter Gennett has a few crazy good years too, or did the Reds get him in trade?
I am sure there are some other pretty good pickups as free agents as well. Castellanos was pretty good the 2nd year he was here.
John Smiley, Pete Schourek?
Reds traded Norm Charlton to SEA for Mitchell the first time in 1992. Then minor leaguers to BOS for him in mid 1996. He declined to sign with Reds as FA twice.
Reds traded Reggie Sanders (et al) to SDP for Vaughn.
Schourek was a waiver claim from NYM. Smiley was FA signing but not comparable to Parker.
I like the idea of signing him. Reds need probably 2 guys who hit for average and have on base skills and at least slightly above average running speed. Who knows maybe he will run into a few at GABP similar to Hayes’ power numbers.
All I know is you can’t get to the playoffs with 4 or 5 guys hitting under .200 or slightly above. I know batting average is not everything.
Abbott hasn’t been good recently going back to the awful outings in May so it would mean he is showing signs of being gassed or something has to be adjusted again…He had an ERA of around 3.85 few games ago, now that has rocketed to 4.49.
Reds offense went hitting well thru 5 innings but after Cubs scored 3 runs to put the game by 5 runs they apparently gave up turning absolutely harmless…Hope they will be back hot tomorrow and can provide enough run support to Burns although the opposite pitcher will be reds killer Shota Imanaga…
Non-pitchers pitching should be outlawed by MLB. It’s not cute and it’s not funny. It’s embarrassing. If you want to save your bullpen, get better pitchers. I guess when you’re a cellar dweller nothing really matters.
I also find it repugnant and disrespectful to the game. How can it not be ? Pitchers belong on the mound and the Reds got plenty of ’em. If they really don’t have any pitchers that can go, just forfeit.
Seriously , how is the game disrespected?
I also don’t think this should be allowed unless the players make the rule status for two-way player.
MLB does not need more unnecessary regulations. They are baseball players! Let the manager decide what position they play during a game.
Why do some of you get so worked up over NOTHING?
What is the match-up of the batter vs. the pitcher worth ?
It’s what the game is about. It’s dishonest to make a mockery out of it, which is what happens when a position player comes on and just lobs the ball to the plate. Yes, it is possible for a position player to also pitch, but that’s now what’s happening, and it shouldn’t be happening. It’s not good baseball. it’s a fraud. is that enough of an explanation ? Probably not, because some people like it.
I don’t like the rule either. Reds at the time were down 8 runs.
Remember Reds were down 6 runs in top of 9th and came back to beat the giants. Anything can happen in baseball. Yet, it is what it is
MLB has tamped down on this practice. As for disrespect for the game, that’s a little much. One of the most beautiful aspects of the game is the grind of a 162-game season. Especially in an era where pitcher injuries are all too common, avoiding unnecessary fatigue is beneficial and respectful to the nature of the game.
A bad Reds loss, for sure.
Even worse is that, as we approach September, every defeat decreases their chances of overtaking the Pirates to finish out of the basement.
Just 26 games left to make it happen.
I really don’t think they give a darn about last place. The they definitely being the front office and to some degree the players. 3 years in a row now the players have been left high and dry by the lack of deadline improvements. Even Krall said it: “start hitting better.” Sorry Nick it is not the fault of the players. There is not enough talent on the roster to hit better. Keep playing Hayes, McLain, Marte, and others and you will find out the same darn thing next year. Several on this site said this over the winter when we whiffed on Schwarber and didn’t add any high powered OF bat. OD lineup had Marte, Benson, McLain, and Friedl. We can try that again in 2027 and I would bet alot of money that it is not good enough to overtake the Brewers and Cubs. We need 3-4 better hitters. Until we admit that we are going to be stuck behind the Brewers and Cubs. It is a shame we are in this position. But have missed on the talent evaluation piece and now have to spend a big chunk of money to be competitive with 2 other teams in our Division. It will be interesting how management reacts to this situation over the winter. They have to prove to me that they intend to be competitive.
No whiff on Schwarber. He preferred and chose the Phillies.
My post was, of course, cynical.
While other teams enter September in a race for a division title or wild card, we enter in a race for fourth.
From a standings standpoint, that’s all we have to live for, unless, perhaps, we hold out hope of catching the Cardinals.
OWNERSHIP.
The whiff on Schwarber was the Reds not offering more money than the Phillies.
No whiff at all. Schwarber preferred the Phillies and said so.
Maybe you heard Schwarber say it, I didn’t. So, in my book, it was a whiff by the Reds to not get the slugger, now in his thirties, to play for his boyhood team.
Pirates remaining schedule is way softer than the Reds. Not likely the Reds finish ahead of the Pirates in my view.
We got out slugged. It was not a bad loss. It was a big loss, a lopsided loss.
The Reds offense showed up and was hanging in there until the bottom of the 5th, where the Cubs scored 3 more and made it 10-5.
The bad part was the Abbott got creamed out there …
For this insane schedule, The Reds will be lucky if they win 15% of their remaining games. I see some sweeps in our future against the Reds, not for.
Wind blowing out at Wrigley always results in football scores.
Wrigley’s a good place for the Bears to play while they get their new stadium in Hammond, Indiana.
All of the sudden Reds have starting pitching problem. Abbott and Lodolo regressed big time this year. We need at least 1 young arm from minor to develop quickly. On offense we need 7 more hitters.
I agree CincyDo. The only legit starter we have is Chase Burns. The only legit hitter we have is Sal Stewart. You can’t have a championship caliber team with two players.
I’m as embarrassed as anyone with the Reds lineup day in and day out. Today they had 5 guys with worse BAs than the Cubs’ worst hitter. But saying Sal Stewart is the only legit hitter is just overboard. Makes me wonder why some people don’t like EDLC. It’s ridiculous.
Elly De La Cruz is a legit hitter.
@Johnny Sofa
100% agree
The only legit hitter? The Reds currently carry 4 guys in their everyday lineup who are above average for their position.
Elly has an OPS of .825, and an OPS+ of 128.
Sal has an OPS of .821, and an OPS+ of 126.
JJ Bleday has an OPS of .758, and OPS+ of 110.
TySteve has an OPS of .743, and an OPS+ of 106.
That’s 4 out of 9 spots that are above average.
If you throw in Dane Myers (OPS+ 98) and Suarez (OPS+ 96), that’s 2 more guys who are slightly only below average, giving the Reds 6 spots in their lineup that are at least close to average for their position. At least so far, HRod (OPS 103+) has been slightly above average as well, which makes 7 spots.
Unfortunately, injured players Steer (OPS+ 104) and Blake Dunn (OPS+ 101) are unavailable currently. With them added in, there is the ingredients of a good lineup.
Why just one young arm ? Greene is out for 2027, Lodolo is a question mark. Burns is a force or nature. Abbott and Singer and Lowder are 4+ ERA pitchers, sometimes on, but with the Reds offense … I like it that we will play the best in the National League to finish our season in September. If you want to be the best, then you have to play the best. We’ll see how they handle it.
Abbott’s 3 inning start could not have came at a worse time.Pen was gassed and got hammered.Anybody know about Pierce Johnson and why he isn’t being used.Since June 23rd he has logged 17 innings and last appeared prior to today on August 23rd.He comes in today for one out down by 9 runs and throws 2 pitches.It really doesn’t matter but 17 innings in a little over two months is well odd to me.If he can’t go then how does that help?Could be I missed something but it was a big deal when he was signed for 6.5 mil.I know he spent time on the IL for most of May and June.
The truth of the matter with this Reds team is that they are going to have to go outside the organization and bring in someone that has clear vision for what’s it’s going to take for the franchise to become revelant again by the Castellini’s like ask permission from the Dodgers to talk to Brandon Gomes about coming to Cincinnati and taking over the entire baseball operations and allowing his people to make all the important decisions without any interference from above and giving him the financial resources necessary to compete with the other franchises in the MLB.
Find another Bob Howsam. He succeeded Bill DeWitt who was a pretty good GM except for the Frank Robinson trade. DeWitt succeeded Gabe Paul who was also a pretty good GM who led the Reds efforts to sign black and Latin players in the 1950s.
Walt Jocketty was a pretty good GM, too. But the Reds need another Howsam to fix the current situation.
Hey Quint
Getting a better GM may help some but IMO the ownership hires and signs the checks and yet Krall is still here.
Krall again was hired to make sure he keeps the faithful just hanging on with an occasional mediocre team with an outside chance to squeak into the playoffs via the last wild card spot. Nothing could show this more than last years results. Krall’s marching orders are not to complain about the budget and keep the attitude and mantra with the public we’ll get em next year. Simply getting a new GM will not work unless they change their ways of profit margins over success. They allegedly have the best manager in Tito and see what difference that has made. Alas my hope rests on the new CBA to add some fiscal sanity to the game and to the Reds. We shall see.
Another Trevino pitching appearance.
Deadline trades are more about selling tickets and adding a few wins for a stretch run at a championship. Maybe lightning in a bottle for playoffs or perhaps keeping best players from opponents. The Reds do not really have any marketable players to trade. Like they are going to trade 5 guys for 2 months of Tarik Skubul. Think it would take Elly, Sal or Chase and any soon to be MLB players like Dunno. Other teams are not going to take on Reds dregs in exchange for all star players. That said, the Reds need to start drafting and signing more talented players. Position does not matter, Almost anything they add will be an improvement on their current starting lineup. Maybe lose 100 for next 3 years to increase chances of higher draftees. A change in the FO would help too.
JohnnySofa and Kevin H,
I actually like Elly and yes I would agree that Elly is legit. I just think that his approach to being the best that he can be is not on the same level as Sal. I actually think Elly could be much better than he is and maybe some day he will be the superstar that most people think he is now. Time will tell.
So while Elly has improved each year to superstar level and Sal has had one great you. Your opinion is Sal is better?
Some on RLN truly have unrealistic expectations of Elly. The dude could hit 50 homeruns and 180 rbis and someone would find fault. Simply unreal.
Side Note Sal is a very good player. I will hold off crowning him the next coming of Joe Jackson
I will hold off crowning Elly as the next Barry Bonds. If I had to choose between them, I would take Sal. Sorry we disagree.
I’m with Kevin. Let’s see Sal play SS. Let’s see Sal play LF let alone RF or wait, CF, as many have suggested he do, and transition effortlessly. Let’s see Sal assume responsibility for anchoring the middle infield at age 22. Let’s see Sal switch hit. Let’s see Sal score from first on a single. Let’s see Sal’s numbers when Elly was out.
I like Sal. He’s a good ball player. He’s a good kid. But this discussion is dumb, pitting one Red against another. They are very different ball players and to compare them is fruitless.
Position players shouldn’t pitch ever.
And this is what – the 30th loss the Reds have suffered by 5 or more runs?
ugh. I liked yesterday better.
I liked March and April when this team was exciting to watch and they had many 1 run game wins. I knew it would not hold up but I didn’t expect this team to be under .500 for the year. Many people dog on Suarez, but the guy has 20 Homeruns and has walked a decent number of times. His strikeouts have hurt him for sure, but that is nothing new. Also, he can’t seem to get his BA over .215 lately. He is getting toward the end of his career and if you thought he was going to give you the number of home runs he hit last year, I knew that would not happen. I was hoping he would hit like .230 plus and hit around 30 dingers.
Agree on Geno expectations. Dont look now but there is a chance Geno could still finish the year with a 750 OPS and be the third or fourth highest on the Reds. I had somewhat higher hopes though. But compared to my disappointment for about 4 other OD starters, it isnt even close. And disappointment may not even be the right word. Probably it is more of a question of how can we keep running these guys out there and expecting positive results.
I would rather have Suarez at 3rd all day long over the worst hitter in MLB, that being the great Kebryan Hayes. I’m sure old timer will tell me how great the reds record is with him starting at 3rd. He’s always hurt, cant hit and should flat out be released but Krall wont do it because that would be admitting it was one of the worst trades ever. I don’t care about his defense, when you cant even hit over 150.
McLain 2 for his last 26.
.189 batting average.
75 OPS+
Atrocious. Laughable that he starts.
Sal, what a terrific ballplayer. Now he just gets it. Professional at bats, excellent zone awareness. Plus that internal drive to be the best. What a talent and joy to watch.
I agree about McLain. I really hoped this would be the year he turned it around, but it doesn’t look to be the case.
Going forward, the Reds simply can’t afford to have 2 defense-only guys out there everyday. I’m fine with starting McLain and batting him 9th (for his defense), but this means Hayes CAN NOT start at 3rd. Two offensive black holes is too much to overcome.
Totally agree on the unacceptability of more than 1 sub 200 hitter. I know we are primarily talking Mm and KH but I am not convinced that Marte, Arroyo, and Johnson are not potential qualifiers either. Following the same principle, that could mean as many as 3-4 guys needing employment elsewhere next year. While we each have our own ideas or preferences here, I think it is erroneous to assume that Hayes leaves before McLain, Marte, and Arroyo. The point is that several need to exit if we are going to limit ourselves to one sub 200 hitter. And I think we are pretty unified on who these guys are.
In 2023 a lot of people were CONVINCED!!!! that Matt McLain was the Reds best player. Their poor showing in 2024 was bad luck that McLain missed the whole season with a shoulder injury.
2025, well McLain is BACK! And well, he did not have a good year because his shoulder was still weak and he was healing
2026, McLain had an AMAZING!!! Spring Training. McLain was back!!!
Well, no he wasn’t. I don’t know what is with the guy, and I am not trying to run him down, as much as try to lower people’s expectations of ball players.
Sal Stewart has had an absolutely terrific year, offensively. I hope next year is better, but….it might not be. Pitchers adapt…he may get pitched to entirely differently next year. This game is a lot harder than it looks to the fans.
Santillan, another really bad relief outing. I think Tony is not in shape to pitch. Don’t know what they do roster wise, but I guess he stays, and they keep running him out there to get his head handed to him.
Arraez is playing for the Phillies now…and if they have any brains they will sign him to a long term contract.
Interesting that the Pirates made a lot of trades, acquisitions, improved their team, yet are only about 1 or 2 games better than the Reds at this point. Skenes has lot something on his fastball, and they would have a lot more victories if he was the Paul Skenes of 2025. And that’s why you can’t count on everyone doing what their baseball card says they will do.
And why losing Hunter Greene (effectively) for the 2026 season stinks, and now he will be out all of 2027.
It seems like you have a good idea what is “with” McLain. He butchered his shoulder.
Edwin Arroyo had a similar shoulder injury, had surgery and has obviously completely recovered. Has had an excellent year in 2026 at AAA, and has played alright in limited time with the Reds in 2026. His should seems completely healed.
My point is that McLain is who he appears to be. 2023 was the outlier.
This is who he really is. He has some home run power for a guy his size (5’8″) but cannot seem to make consistent contact. Maybe he can change his hitting approach, maybe he can’t, or won’t. But his is who he is.
I’m sure he will be around next year. The Reds aren’t going to let him go, as they will with TJ Friedl, who will very likely be non-tendered after the season.
Arroyo struggled at 2B and at bat in a limited trial with the Reds in 2026.
… Arroyo has dominated in Triple-A this season, slashing .309/.377/.547 with 33 extra-base hits and 13 stolen bases. However, in 45 games with the Reds, he’s struggled, slashing just .242/.284/.280 with four extra-base hits and no home runs. He also struggled defensively, making five errors in those 45 games …
So far in 2026, McLain has 75 OPS+ and Arroyo has 59 OPS+ (both mostly at 2B).
@David. No comment concerning Greens medical mismanagement. You brought up a good point that Pittsburgh brought many new players and they basically inept as the reds but,I’m sitting here with my reds cap on
@ Dennis
I am still rooting for the Reds. This season ended up being a disappointment, and the long term structural nature of ML baseball will probably doom the Reds to being on the periphery of the sport for years to come.
This is the way the players and the big owners want it. As Reds’ fans, we are pretty powerless to change things. We can choose to still root for the team, or we can just forget it all and walk away.
There is no use in getting perpetually mad at “The Castellini’s!!!!”, and the rest of the management group. I just wish they would hire more clever and thoughtful people to run the team.
@ Oldtimer
My point is that Arroyo seems to be healed and healthy enough to hit well. He has been…alright….as a rookie plunked down in the Majors, playing, essentially, out of position.
McLain plays fine in the field, but he is just not hitting with any consistency. It’s not his shoulder…it’s him.
Cal Raleigh hit 60 homers last year with Seattle. This year, really struggling. A guy has a tremendous career year, and then people think that is the new normal. I guess my point was that I think that McLain had a career year in 2023, and fans thought this was going to be a guy with a great future.
He struggled in MLB the first time up. Many rookies do.
He needs to hit much better to be everyday 3B. And 3B is not easy to learn at MLB level.
Yep, some people are expecting pixie dust to fall onto MMs bat. The shoulder excuse has now been replaced with meaningless calculus.
I wonder if the Reds will pursue Ian Happ in the off season. Has local connections and demolishes the ball at GABP?
That would be as Reds as can be.
After the clobbering the Reds go for the series win today at Wrigley.
Well said, best post on this thread.
Yes, despite how bad the game was on the 29th, it was just one game.
Bounce back and win today, August 30th
regarding Trevino pitching….it’s unbelievable that he has pitched in 5 games this season….tells you all you need to know on the kind of a season the reds have had. And as far as McLain, a few weeks ago he was having a little hot streak and now has fallen right back into the the pit….hits the ball in the air way too much and makes me believe he is always going for the HR….just a theory
We can argue with reality but we will lose every time. Reality – the quantity and intensity of players who performed not only below but radically below expectations. A majority of opening day starters. And even if and when expectations were just somewhere within shouting distance of average. That list includes
McLain
Hayes
Friedl
Suarez
Marte
And then there are starting pitchers
Lodolo
Greene (yeah, he got hurt, too)
Williamson (yeah, he got hutt, too).
And relievers
Santillan
C Phillips (remember him)
Moll
And, in addition, the bullpen was hampered by injuries – Ashcraft, Pagan and more.
A bunch of other guys were just “OK” – Stevenson (not a bad year though hot and cold), Myers (a singles hitter), Bleday (he faded), Singer, Abbott, Lowder.
Elly, Sal, Chase and Burke were outstanding. Mey came on strong. TJ was really good, too.
All in all. We just ain’t very good and we ain’t gonna be. It’s brike. Only a radical reshape would fix it Hope and wishful thinking ain’t a strategy.
I ve made the point multiple times that JJ Wetherholt is tiring. His 2nd half numbers are awful. He was removed from the Game Tuesday and didnt play Thursday despite Mason Winn going on the IL.
Wetherhold is tired after all. He was placed on the IL today with wrist tendinitis. Wetherholt now will have no time to undo his terrible July and August and will run out of time trying to change the fact he played 1/2 of a season really well and was a non contributor the 2nd half of the season.
Time for Sal to shine and take ROY for himself and get the REds that extra draft pick in the 30’s as part of the PPI. Last time Reds got the extra pick in the 30’s was when Nick Castellanos signed as a FA for more than $50 million…..and the Reds were awarded a pick in the 30’s…….which they used to draft Sal Stewart. Could be a full circle moment.
McLean is a good pitcher but 10-8 wont cut it. The Mets young OF is a nice player but .768 OPS wont either and the Rockies rookie is a good hitter playing in Coors with nowhere near the Sal counting numbers and production as a hitter.
Go Sal!
Almost no voter for the award is going to look at the record for McLean. They’ll look at his innings, his ERA, his walks, his strikeouts, etc.
Also chews sun seeds in the dugout 4 of every 5 games.
He’s no Doc Gooden or Fernando Valenzuela or Jacob DeGrom or Paul Skenes -rookie SP to win ROY. See how September plays out.
Sal is in some very elite company with his production as a hitter.
Tied with Ohtani in homers and ahead of Harper.
Chasing Frank Robinson and Pujols power numbers. Those are transcendent names.
Should be a good game tonight. Votto and Cowboy on the broadcast. Sal and PCA prime time. Burns on the mound. Ill be watching.
McLean has an ERA+ that’s better than Stewart’s OPS+, which means that at least in terms of ERA and OPS, McLean is better than the league average by more than Stewart is. There’s obviously more to it all than that for both guys, but he’s having a very good season even if he’s not Doc Gooden. Sal Stewart isn’t exactly Pete Alonso or Mark McGwire.
So if its close to a tie on really good pitcher vs really good power hitter…. Ill take the guy who plays every day 162 to help his team win instead of a guy who plays 30
Games to help his team win.
Where would this Reds team be without Sal hitting every game ???
Position guys play every day but have a much smaller impact on each individual game. Pitchers don’t play every day but have a much larger impact in the games that they do play.
But the Reds and the Mets would both still suck a lot without these two guys.
JJ put on the IL with a wrist injury.
watching Sal AB’s is at least something of interest to see in Sept…..also interested to see how Elly closes out the season (hot or cold) and hoping that C. Burns does not totally crash as the season comes to an end
The more I read comments in regards to the analytics. The more silly it has become. Sal Stewart is more valuable and having a great rookie season. He no doubt should win rookie of the year. It is not even close.
Why even bother playing season if we are gonna project, or all the other analytics that now seem to come into play. Sal playing first apparently doesnt count.
Just becomes silly to me
I think there’s an argument that could be made that the ROY has most always (approximately 2/3) gone to the offensive player and the rest to pitchers.
I also think there’s an argument that could be made that WAR needs to be recalibrated to some extent especially for 1B.
I have come to understand war. My opinion though all the other things in analytics seem too much.
To me watching baseball tells me all I need to know. As well as the simple stats I follow. Just my opinion and no disrespect to those who go by all the analytics.
“I have come to understand war”
That sounds like the opening line to a good movie.