Cincinnati Reds

[M4Cat]

6.5 games in the NLC. Only 24-19 at home. Gotta defend the home turf better than that.

Only 1.5 GB San Diego for the 3rd Wild Card spot.

[TheDude]

Would be a pretty stupid way to cheat. Dbacks pitchers have to pitch there, what, 3 games per season and the Reds pitchers have to 81 games. Brilliant strategy.

But I hope they’re right and it gets rectified. Our pitching may be better than we think.

Our relief pitching could use some help.....

[CB3UK]

Seems like we always have a tough go of it with Philly. They've got some stellar pitchers slated to go against us too. Taking this series would be HUUUGE

[M4Cat]

Reds may be catching Philadelphia at the right time with the way the rotation lines up. Cincinnati won the season series over the Phillies last year, won 2 of 3 on the road in Philadelphia. Need Abbott to keep doing what he has all year long tomorrow, Nick Lodolo is going Saturday against the Phillies. Lodolo has had some success vs Philadelphia throughout his career. 2.76 ERA through 5 starts.

[drew_ukfan]

I think it’ll be a tough series. Phil’s have Suarez and Wheeler going this weekend. Having Abbott going game one gives us a big advantage, getting game 1 is always big

trade deadline talk, we need a pen arm, if Moll would come back to form, that’s huge as lefties are never cheap at the deadline. Also need a OFer but we have for a decade so I doubt we go after someone

[Joneslab]

Seems like that lefty bullpen arm has vexed the Reds forever. This year several times.

You've got to be a buyer with where they stand now, I think...but VERY cautiously. Don't want to give up too much of value.

[Catsrock]

Cowboys just went Hannibal Smith. Love it when a plan comes together. Huge inning gives the good guys 6-3 lead in Philly.

[M4Cat]

Up to 9-4 now. Steer has done a complete 180 on his season once he started getting healthy. Good decision to pinch hit for Hinds and bring in Benson to drive in a run. Costly blunder on the base paths though. It is nice to see the bats show up today. Need the bullpen to finish the job the rest of the way. Philadelphia’s offense can catch fire at any moment. Fun game so far.

[M4Cat]

Taylor Rogers is awful in high-leverage situations and allows way too many inherited runners to score whenever he comes into the game.

[drew_ukfan]

Espinal is completely worthless

[Trueblujr]

I had a concert last night so didn't get to see the night game. You just knew the pen was going to blow the afternoon game.

Reds have had a problem stringing a streak together. I remember that team in '99...they went through June and July just on this wild tear. This team will win two, then lose three. Then back and forth for the next week. Haven't been able to really lock in and get a streak going.

I will say about them though that they're fun to watch and sort of put you in mind of those 2010s teams.

They’re only 1.5 games out of the Wildcard race. So there’s a chance, but they can’t seem to get over that hump of four games over .500. They seem to be able to play pretty well against the good teams they face, but then will do something dumb like lose a series against the Rockies or something. Hopefully they can get over that hump with a strong homestand going into the AS break. Will be interesting to see if they make any moves before the deadline. Definitely in need of a RF with a bat. Fraley is hurting and Hinds isn’t cutting it offensively.

[Catsrock]

Nice start so far for Lodolo. Taking a lot more pitches for him than for Suarez so may not go as deep. But so far so good.

Win this series!

[EKYCat]

Why did he throw Bohm a fastball there?

[drew_ukfan]

Said it before, CEStrikeout cannot play third base

[Catsrock]

Said it before, CEStrikeout cannot play third base

That could have hurt. Got away with it. The meatball from Santillan though—another wasted quality effort by a starting pitcher.