Eugenio Suárez knew the Cincinnati Reds had just gone out and traded for Ke’Bryan Hayes last summer when he chose to sign with his old club again this winter. Geno surely knew of Hayes’ chops defensively as well as his contract – one that could run all the way through 2030 if the Reds so choose.
Geno inked his one-year deal to return under the premise that he’d get some time at 1B, perhaps. Sal Stewart, though, has looked the part as one of the best hitters in the game already while manning that spot.
That meant DH was very much in the cards for Geno, even though he knew that he’d get a start here or there at his old home at the hot corner from time to time.
One of those here-theres came on Friday night in Minneapolis as the Reds began their road trip. It also just happened to be on a vintage April night in Minnesota, a night that had wind chills in the 20s and the ball played about as dead as it could.
No problem for Geno, though. Cincinnati’s old 3B turned tonight’s 3B put in a defensive performance for the books, making a trio of vital plays with the glove at the hot corner in a 2-1 Reds win where just about every batted ball could have otherwise determined the game. Oh, and he also went 2 for 4 with a 2-run double that was the single biggest hit of the low-scoring affair, a performance that was 100% good enough to earn tonight’s Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game.
Other Notes
- Brandon Williamson, a native of central Minnesota and one-time gigantic Twins fan, got the start in Minneapolis tonight. He had literally hundreds of friends and family in the stand to watch, and he turned in a rock solid outing. He fired 5.1 IP of 1 ER ball, scattering a trio of hits and fanning a pair. He seemed to get squeezed just a bit on the top and bottom of the zone on the night – he did walk 4 guys – but many of the pitches that didn’t go his way were pretty textbook execution while missing by hairs. The Twins hitters just simply didn’t bite despite the placement.
- Graham Ashcraft, Tony Santillan, and Emilio Pagan – who returned from his tight hammy – looked brilliant again down in the ‘pen. Cincinnati is now what, 10-0 in games decided by two runs or less this season? That’s the mark of a bullpen that’s completely locked-in.
- The Reds have a 3B who hits and, when he gets the chance, can make plays like he did tonight. I think that’s the guy they should be playing at 3B everyday, personally.
- It was cooold, and balls died left and right all night. Nate Lowe, who got the start at DH, tanked a 105.4 mph laser to CF in the Top of the 7th at 24 degrees off the bat only for it to die casually at the warning track 402 feet away. On a decent day in GABP, that would’ve hit the batter’s eye.
- Geno’s pair of RBI gave him 960 for his career, to date. That ties him with Hall of Famer Barry Larkin on the career ribbie list.
- Andrew Abbott gets the start on Saturday and it’s an afternoon affair. Taj Bradley will go for the Twins (a righty), with first pitch set for 4:10 PM ET.
