Cactus League, Game 13 - Cincinnati Reds play Cactus League baseball for 13th time this year

The Cincinnati Reds have been rippin’ and rollin’ through Cactus League play of late, winning a decent number of ballgames that are somewhat hard to define given that they spent the last weekend playing split-squad games all over the American West.

Anyway, the 125 hits they’ve launched so far this spring ranks as the second most of any team in the game, to date, while their .369 team OBP (6th) and .825 team OPS (8th) also rank well amongst their peers. On top of that, the 19 steals they’ve combined to accrue so far ranks as the most of any team in the game, perhaps an indication that the new rules and larger bases could well provide a new wrinkle to how this offense operates in the upcoming season.

Havoc!

Speaking of havoc, the Reds will send Luke Weaver to the mound again today, something that so far has propelled opposition offenses to the kind of success I just outlined for Reds hitters above. Weaver has been shelled for 6 hits and 5 earned runs in just 2.2 IP so far this spring, though he’s not yet walked anyone and fanned 4 while working his way into regular season form. He’s still got an inside-shot at a spot in the team’s Opening Day rotation with Justin Dunn injured, though the recent news that Chase Anderson has earned a promotion to big league camp on the back of a strong outing certainly does throw a wrinkle into that race.

I’ve now said wrinkle twice in barely 250 words. It’s probably time to just mention today’s game against the San Diego Padres in Peoria will commence at 3:05 PM ET without local televised coverage, drop a lineup tweet, and get the heck out of here. Find it on MLB dot TV courtesy of the Padres feed if you dare!