The last series of the season and there is no playoff implications.
Likely starting pitchers:
- Tonight, 7:00 Eastern start time: Nick Lodolo (3-6, 5.04) vs. Jose Soriano (9-6, 3.29) likely, Jays aren’t officially saying.
- Saturday, 3:00 Eastern: Rhett Lowder (6-12, 6.01) vs. Trey Yesavage (5-5, 3.67).
- Sunday, 3:00 Eastern: Brandon Williamson (5-4, 4.89) vs. Spencer Miles or maybe Max Scherzer? Or someone?
The Reds are 74-85, last in the NL Central (Jays are 77-82, last in the AL East).
The Reds have scored 4.12 runs per game, last in the NL (the Jays are last in the AL in runs per game at 4.00)
The Reds have allowed 5.12 runs per game, second last in the NL (the Jays are sixth in the Al in runs allowed at 4.30).
The Red do have some good players:
- SS Elly De La Cruz: .285/.367/.521, 30 home runs, 29 steals. And FanGraphs has him at +6 outs above average and a 5.6 bWAR.
- C Tyler Stephenson: .243/.325/.408, 15 home runs and a 2.3 bWAR. He’s thrown out 19.0% of base stealers, below the league average of 23.3.
- 1B Sal Stewart: .266/.334/.465, with 32 home runs, 15 steals and a 2.1 bWAR.
Their pen:
- Emilio Pagán is the closer, has a 3.38 ERA and 25 saves (3 blown). Batters are hitting .213/.277/.400 against him.
- Brock Burke, a lefty, has pitched in 77 games (an NL high) (Mason Fluharty (81) says hold my beer). He has a 2.30 ERA, 2 saves, 23 holds, 1 blown save. Batters are hitting .202/.314/.318 against him (LHB .195/.291/.297).
- Tejay Antone has a 3.67 ERA, in 57 games, has 1 save, 11 holds, 3 blown saves. Batters are hitting .214/.295/.368 against him.
- Pierce Johnson has a 4.72 ERA, in 55 games he has 1 save, 8 holds, 1 blown save. Batters are hitting .245/.312/.429 against him.
The Reds have former “almost Jay” Brady Singer in their
rotation. He was was second round draft pick in 2015, but he didn’t sign. There was a fair bit grumpiness over it all. He’s not expected to pitch this series. He has a 5.83 ERA in 31 starts.
I’m going to miss tonight’s game, going to a Men’s Night Out, an excuse to drink and have a cigar and eat (and raise money for a very worthy cause).
Not that it matters, but lets do the poll:
Just a note, it would be great to find someone (else) to do these posts for us next year. If you have some any interest, send me an email.
