RC Preview: Back home, back at it

by — September 2, 2019 in Game/Series Preview

After a marathon 48 hours of baseball and travel, the Reds (64-73) play seven more games in seven days, now at home. They get right back at it this afternoon with a day game at Great American Ball Park. They take on the Philadelphia Phillies in a the first of a 4-game series. The Phillies (70-65) are 2.5 games out of the second N.L. Wild Card slot. The Reds lost two of three from the Phillies in June in Philadelphia.

Pitching Matchup

Anthony DeSclafani looks to continue his streak of three excellent starts. He shut out the Marlins over 7 innings in his previous game. He didn’t face the Phillies in June.

Drew Smyly started the season with the Rangers but was released in June. After a month in the wilderness, the Phillies signed him. He hasn’t been much better for them than he was for the Rangers.

Reds Lineup

Reds facing a lefty, so Nick Senzel leads off. Eugenio Suarez is out due to the HBP yesterday (no word on x-rays yet). Phillip Ervin takes Suarez’s place at #3 in the lineup because of Ervin’s great splits against LHP. Aristides Aquino back in the lineup. Alex Blandino gets a start at 2B with Freddy Galvis getting a day off. Kyle Farmer, who gives full meaning to the title Utility Player, subs in for Suarez at 3B.

[Graphic: Baseball Savant]

Phillies Lineup

Bryce Harper anchors the lineup for the Phillies.

[Graphic: Baseball Savant]

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Steve Mancuso

Steve Mancuso is a lifelong Reds fan who grew up during the Big Red Machine era. He’s been writing about the Reds for more than ten years. Steve’s fondest memories about the Reds include attending a couple 1975 World Series games, being at Homer Bailey’s second no-hitter and going nuts for Jay Bruce at Clinchmas. Steve was also at all three games of the 2012 NLDS, but it’s too soon to talk about that.

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