RC+ Preview: Reds visit last-place Pirates

by — August 23, 2019 in Game/Series Preview

For the first time since the ugly series in Cincinnati before the trade deadline, the Reds (60-66) and Pirates (52-75, last place) will square off again this weekend. One would imagine the umpiring crew will be on high alert for any shenanigans in this series. From a baseball perspective, the Reds’ last chance at getting back into the playoff race start tonight. They have seven straight games against last-place teams (Pirates and Marlins) followed by a road series in St. Louis. Anything less than a winning road trip, and we can probably say goodbye to even a remote chance of a playoff run.

First pitch of tonight’s opener in PNC Park is set for 7:05 p.m. ET.

Pitching Matchup

Anthony DeSclafani played with fire in his last start, but escaped with a solid line overall (5 IP, 1 ER) in a win over the Cardinals. Per usual, keeping the ball in the park will be the challenge for Disco tonight (1.83 HR/9). Fortunately, he gets more wiggle room in a fairly pitcher-friendly park.

Mitch Keller is the Pirates’ top pitching prospect. The Reds gave him a rude greeting to the big leagues on May 27 by scoring six runs in the first inning. The right-hander’s peripherals are much better than his ERA, but they’re still pedestrian thanks to rough walk and ground-ball rates.

Pirates Lineup

Reds Lineup

Derek Dietrich was activated off the injured list today and gets the start at first base. Nick Senzel, who has struggled at the plate of late, slides to the eight hole.

[Graphics: Baseball Savant]

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Matt Wilkes

Matt Wilkes got hooked on Reds baseball after attending his first game in Cinergy Field at 6 years old, and he hasn’t looked back. As a kid, he was often found imitating his favorite players — Ken Griffey Jr., Adam Dunn, Sean Casey, and Austin Kearns — in the backyard. When he finally went inside, he was leading the Reds to 162-0 seasons in MVP Baseball 2005 or keeping stats for whatever game was on TV. He started writing about baseball in 2014 and has become fascinated by analytics and all the new data in the game. Matt is also a graduate of The Ohio State University and currently lives in Chicago. Follow him on Twitter at @_MattWilkes.

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