Reds vs. Cardinals, Game Three - News, Lineups, and Pitching Matchups

Just at that moment when the Cincinnati Reds start to give you that feeling of despair, and you think that the season could be over, they come back and totally redeem themselves. They pull you back in. I was watching Friday night and totally assumed they’d lose. I don’t know why I automatically thought that, I guess the Reds had made me sad. That bubbled into some renewed hope with the win last night. They’re still playing the role of the comeback kids of the MLB and they make things exciting. Now, they go for a seventh straight victory against the St. Louis Cardinals and a huge sweep going into a road trip that will see the Reds visit the selling Chicago Cubs and the dangerous New York Mets. These next seven games will likely determine whether or not the Reds are truly buyers or sellers, or at least they traditionally would be if the team wasn’t owned by Banana Bob.

News

• It’s a Sonny day out there.
• The Reds also aren’t facing a terrifying guy out there this afternoon. Hopefully, they can put up some early runs to support Sonny.
• Eugenio Suarez is getting the day off and I could see it being an extended sitting. Yesterday, Cowboy basically publicly called for it on the radio broadcast which is pretty rare. However, David Bell is starting Mike Freeman at third. I don’t know why. I get matchups but you have Alejo Lopez on your bench who is a switch hitter. I’d much rather see Alejo or Max Schrock getting playing time. Whatever.
• Shogo Akiyama takes a seat after playing savior the night before with a tremendous leaping catch where he threw his body into the outfield wall. I could see him being a little sore today, but it’s still a measure of the Reds trying to find time for all the guys in the outfield. Tyler Naquin will be in center field with with Aquino in right and Winker in left.
• Speaking of players not playing. The radio broadcast brought brought Charlie Goldsmith in yesterday to talk roster moves and player rehabs. I did not realize that Mike Moustakas had plantar fasciitis and had torn the plantar fascia twice. That sounds terrible. Also, Nick Senzel will be starting rehab this week and Tejay Antone will be starting throwing bullpens this week before rehab appearances. I think Lucas Sims is on a similar timeline.

Roster Moves

• I didn’t see any.

Game info

1:10 pm start, Bally Sports Ohio, WLW.

Lineups

Redlegs:

WLBs:

Pitching Matchup

Sonny Gray - 2-5, 13 GS, 66.2 IP, 3.65 ERA, 86 K, 1.35 WHIP

Johan Oviedo - 0-5, 12 GS, 13 G, 4.81 ERA, 58 IP, 45 K, 1.50 WHIP