2021 Spring Training Game 28: Reds vs. Mariners

Today officially ties the bow on Cactus League 2021 for the Cincinnati Reds. Six-plus weeks of fungo bats, side-toss, slow outfield jogs in windbreakers, and rust-shaking to bad music on the loudspeakers has come and gone, and today the Reds will play their final spring exhibition game before the regular season begins.

Brandon Finnegan will again take the mound for the Reds, something he will not do for them on Opening Day. Still, he’s been one of the better stories in camp after a pair of dastardly shoulders effectively wiped him off our map for the better part of two years, and hopefully today is just the next step he can take towards a return to the Reds in GABP at some capacity. Meanwhile, the Seattle Mariners will counter with starter Chris Flexen and his perhaps ‘most baseball name from the year 2005’ arsenal.

The Reds appear to be rolling out something very similar to an Opening Day lineup today, too, albeit with a DH being used in this exhibition scenario. Joey Votto and Nick Senzel are both back in the lineup today, which bodes well for their availability on Thursday.

First pitch is at 3:05 PM ET, and no, of course there is no televised feed of it again.

Reds lineup and roster is listed below courtesy of Tweetin’ Trent of The Athletic.