by 
The Reds didn’t have any participants in this year’s Home Run Derby, so they decided to have an impromptu one on Tuesday night, bashing five dingers en route to an 8-4 win over the Angels. Tucker Barnhart went deep twice (96.7 mph and 97.8 mph exit velocities) and Eugenio Suarez, José Iglesias, and Aristides Aquino added blasts of their own.
The Suarez and Aquino bombs were sights to behold; Suarez (451 feet, 110.8 mph) just edged out Aquino (448, 108.9) in distance and exit velocity. But Aquino did hit a single harder than Suarez’s homer, so The Punisher wins that title tonight.
Anthony DeSclafani didn’t have his best command or control. Just like he did to Freddie Freeman in his last start, Disco gave up another three-run homer in the first inning on Tuesday, this time to Justin Upton. He would give up another homer to Mike Trout in the fifth inning. The long ball continues to be the sharpest thorn in DeSclafani’s side. There are several reasons for it, but this one stands out: his ground-ball rate is a career-low 39.5%. Still, it’s hard to complain about him as a No. 5 starter. League average ERA, FIP, and xFIP are all 4.50. After Tuesday’s start, DeSclafani sits at a 4.20 ERA, 4.57 FIP, and 4.32 xFIP.
Reds Most Valuable Players
- Aristides Aquino: .157 WPA (Win Probability Added) | 3-for-4, HR, 2 R
- José Iglesias: .130 WPA | 2-for-4, two-run HR
- Amir Garrett: .116 WPA | 1.2 IP, 3 K
Reds Least Valuable Players
- Anthony DeSclafani: -.101 WPA | 5.1 IP, 4 ER (2 HR), 5 H, 3 BB, 5 K
- Joey Votto: -.039 WPA | 0-for-4, K, BB
Play of the Game
- José Iglesias: .188 WPA | Two-run, game-tying HR in 1st inning
Hardest-Hit Balls
- Aristides Aquino: 111.0 mph single in 1st inning
- Eugenio Suarez: 110.8 mph home run in 1st inning
- Aristides Aquino: 108.9 mph home run in 4th inning
Luckiest Hit of the Day
- José Iglesias: .120 xBA, 99.2 mph, 40° LA; Home Run
Unluckiest Out of the Day
- Anthony DeSclafani: .510 xBA, 88.3 mph, 8° LA; Lineout
Highest Pitch Velocities by Pitcher
- Michael Lorenzen: 97.7 mph four-seam fastball
- Amir Garrett: 96.7 mph four-seam fastball
- Raisel Iglesias: 95.8 mph four-seam fastball
- Anthony DeSclafani: 95.7 mph four-seam fastball
- Robert Stephenson: 95.1 mph four-seam fastball
- Lucas Sims: 94.0 mph sinker
Aquino really may be the Punisher. His 111 mph single broke into the top 10 hardest hit balls by the Reds all year
Puig has 5 of the top 10. Other than that it is Suarez, Dietrich and Ervin which is nice to see. These young outfielders are making the most of their playing time.