CINCINNATI REDS NOTES:
RED HOTS
• Ryan Noda’s 2-run HR off Derek Law in the seventh inning last night snapped a 35.2-inning homerless streak by Reds relievers, the bullpen’s longest since 4/3-4/13, 2017 (39.2ip)…Noda’s homer was the first allowed by a Reds reliever since 4/18 vs TB (Taylor Walls, solo off Casey Legumina).
• TJ Friedl, Jonathan India and Tyler Stephenson each has appeared in all 26 Reds games, and each has amassed at least 26 hits…Scooter Gennett (26g, 31h) was the last Reds player to produced those numbers, in 2018.
TODAY’S GAME
• Is Game 2 (1-0) of a 3-game series vs Sondra Ottenstein’s Athletics and Game 2 (1-0) of a 6-game road trip that features an upcoming 3-game series at SD’s Petco Park.
• This road trip is the first of the Reds’ 3 visits to the West Coast.
• The Reds are coming off a brief 3-game homestand, a 3-0 series sweep of the first-place Rangers…was the Reds’ first series sweep of the season… the Reds won all 3 games in their final at bat, including walkoff wins Mon and Wed and a 7-6 win on Tue highlighted by a 6-run eighth inning.
• Following this road trip the Reds return to Great American Ball Park for a 6-game homestand vs the White Sox (3g) and Mets (3g).
• Wednesday the Reds completed a stretch of 20 games on 20 consecutive days (7-13) following rainouts on 4/5 vs Cubs and 4/6 in the Phillies’ home opener…enjoyed a beautiful, sunny off day here Thursday.
SERIES NOTES
• The Reds and Athletics are meeting for their ninth series during the regular season and for the first time since 2019, also at Oakland Coliseum.
• The Reds are 10-13 during the regular season vs the Athletics, including 6-9 at Oakland Coliseum.
• In 2013, the Athletics became the last current Major League team to visit Great American Ball Park (est. 2003)…the American League West rival last played in the Queen City in 2016.
• The Reds and Athletics met twice in the World Series…Oakland won in 7 games in 1972, while Cincinnati capped its wire-to-wire championship
season with a 4-game sweep in 1990.
PADRES UP NEXT
• The Padres won all 6 games in 2022 and 12 of the 13 games over the previous 2 seasons.
• Since the rivalry began in 1969, in 2022 the Padres produced the first season series sweep by either team.
• Beginning in 2013 the Reds are 8-21 at Petco Park and lost their last 8 games there dating back to a 4-2 win on 4/20/19.
• The Padres swept the last 2 series in San Diego (4-0, 3-0), including their first ever 4-game series sweep vs the Reds (6/17-6/20, 2021).
This Afternoon’s Pitcher – #21 Hunter Greene, RHP
• On 4/18 signed a $53 million contract through the 2028 season that includes for 2029 a $21 million club option and $2 million buyout.
• In just his second season, this afternoon is making his 30th Major League appearance and start…will be his first career appearance vs the Athletics.
• Today’s will be his second appearance since 4/17, when he suffered a right tibia contusion on a Yandy Díaz comebacker…made his next appearance just 6 days later.
• Was the Reds’ 2023 Opening Day starting pitcher.
• At age 23 years, 236 days became the first pitcher age 25 or under to start for the Reds on Opening Day since 1980, when at age 22 years, 232 days RHP Frank Pastore beat Phil Niekro and the Braves, 9-0… courtesy @EliasSports.
• Became the first second-year pitcher to start for the Reds on Opening Day since 26-year-old RHP Raisel Iglesias started the 6-2 win vs the Phillies in the 2016 season opener…courtesy @EliasSports.
• In his age 22 season, in 2022 led the Reds’ staff in starts, innings pitched and strikeouts.
• Last season ranked among qualified National League rookie pitchers in starts (1st, 24), innings pitched (2nd, 125.2), strikeout rate (2nd, 30.9%), whiff rate (2nd, 32.0%), opponents’ BA (2nd, .222), fWAR (3rd, 1.6), rWAR (3rd, 2.2), opponents’ OPS (T3rd, .725), FIP (6th, 4.37) and ERA (6th, 4.44).
• In 2022 posted a strikeout rate of 30.9 percent…since 2000 and with a minimum of 100 innings pitched, no pitcher age 22 or younger has posted a higher strikeout rate in a Major League season.
• Last season’s average fastball velocity of 98.9 miles per hour ranked highest among all Major League pitchers with at least 100 innings pitched.
• Was 1 of only 7 pitchers in the National League and 16 pitchers in the Major Leagues to throw a shutout.
• Was the National League Player of the Week for 6/6-6/12, the only Reds player so honored in 2022 (2gs, 1-0, 0.75, 12ip, 3h, 1er, 2bb, 15k, .079baa).
• In 2022 became the only Major League rookie since 1900 to produce in a season at least 3 apps in which he threw at least 6.0 innings with at least 8 strikeouts and no more than 1 hit (5/15 at Pit, 6/6 vs Ari, 8/1 at Mia)…no pitcher in modern history, regardless of rookie status, has produced more than 3 such games… in his final start of the season, in Game 160 vs Cubs, recorded 6.0 innings and 8 strikeouts but allowed 2 hits.
• From 8/5-9/16 missed 43 days and 40 games while on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder strain…went 4-12, 5.26 in 20 starts prior to the injury and 1-1, 0.78 in 4 starts after he came off the 15-day IL.
• Following his 2022 rookie season was the Reds’ nominee for MLB’s prestigious Lou Gehrig Memorial Award for exemplary contributions to his community.
• Was selected by the Reds in the first round (2nd overall pick) of the June 2017 first-year player draft…was rated by MLB.com the best overall prospect and by Baseball America the best high school player in that draft…the Twins selected high school SS Royce Lewis with the No. 1 overall pick.
• Heading into the 2017 draft, became the 13th high school athlete ever to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
• Missed the 2019 season while recovering from 4/9/19 “Tommy John” surgery.
OAKLAND ATHELTICS NOTES:
No release available.
