CINCINNATI REDS NOTES:
TRANSACTIONS
- Today the Reds selected from Louisville the contract of RHP Alec Mills (#50) and designated for assignment RHP Jake Wong.
- Mills pitched for the Cubs in each of the last 5 seasons but missed most of 2022 while on the injured list twice with a lower back strain (4/7-6/7, 7/3-end of the season)…on 9/14/22 had discectomy surgery.
- On 5/17/23, Mills was signed by the Reds to a minor league contract…in 3 starts and 1 relief appearance for the Arizona Complex League Reds (2gs, 6/8-6/13) and Louisville (2g, 1gs, 6/18-6/23), he went 0-1, 4.09 (11ip, 11h, 6r, 5er, 3bb, 5k, 1hr, 1.27whip, .262baa).
TONIGHT’S GAME
- Is Game 2 (0-1) of a brief 3-game road trip, all to Bal’s Oriole Park at Camden Yards to face James Leo’s Orioles.
- Last night’s 10-3 loss snapped the Reds’ 8-game road winning streak, tied for the second-longest streak in the Major Leagues this season.
- Following tomorrow night’s game the Redlegs return to Great American Ball Park for their final homestand of the first half, a 3-game series against the Padres, and then head into the All-Star Game break with a 7-game road trip to Wsh (4g) and Mil (3g).
SERIES NOTES
- The Reds are 6-10 all-time vs the Orioles, including 5-4 at Great American Ball Park and 1-6 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
- The Reds’ 16 regular season games vs Bal are their fewest against any other Major League team.
- The Reds are playing in Camden Yards for only the third time, including a 2-1 series loss in 2011 and a 3-0 series sweep loss in their most recent meeting here in 2014.
- In 2011 the Reds played in Baltimore for the first time since the 1970 World Series.
- Baltimore was the last city the Reds visited during interleague play.
- The series at Great American Ball Park in June 2005 featured 3 of the Top 20 home run hitters of all time, including Bal’s Sammy Sosa (580, 7th at that time) and Rafael Palmeiro (559, 10th) and Cin’s Ken Griffey Jr. (510, 19th)…entering that series, the trio had combined for 1,649 home runs and 4,835 RBI…for the first time in Major League history, 3 players with at least 500 homers appeared in the same game.
- 4,328 days elapsed between the Orioles’ first 2 visits to Great American Ball Park (2005, 2017).
INTERLEAGUE NOTES
- Before the interleague schedule expanded this season to include games vs all 15 American League teams, from 1997-2022 the Redlegs went 188- 247 vs the American League, at .432 the lowest interleague winning percentage of any Major League team…in 2022 the Reds went 12-8 vs AL teams…last season’s was their first winning record vs the American League since 2013 (11-9)…in the 8 seasons between the 2013 & 2022 season series wins, the Reds went 61-99 vs AL teams (.381).
BIG ROAD MACHINE
- The Reds went 8-1 on their previous road trip (2-1 at StL, 3-0 at KC, 3-0 at Hou)…for only the second time, won 8 games on a road trip of 9 games or fewer (8-0, 9/21-9/27, 1964)…was their first road trip of any length with at least 8 wins since 5/28-6/9, 1999 (9-3)…courtesy @EliasSports.
- The Reds have won 5 straight road series (3-0 at Cubs, 2-1 at Bos, 2-1 at StL, 3-0 at KC, 3-0 at Hou) for the first time since since 5/29-6/29, 2014 (3-1 at Ari, 2-1 at Mil, 2-1 at Pit, 2-1 at Cubs, 4-0 at SF)…haven’t won 6 straight road series since 7/23-8/22, 2010 (2-1 at Hou, 2-1 at Mil, 2-1 at Pit, 3-0 at Chc, 3-0 at Ari, 2-1 at LAD)
RED HOTS
- The Reds’ 12-game winning streak, snapped by Sat’s 7-6 loss vs Atl, tied their modern club record (5/16-5/27, 1939 & 4/30-5/12, 1957).
- The Reds are the first team in Major League history to move into first place alone in 9 games or fewer after falling 5 or more games under .500 while facing a deficit of at least 5 games…on 6/9 were 29-35 and trailed the first-place Pirates by 5.0 games…beginning 6/10 won 9 straight games to move into first place alone on 6/19…courtesy @OptaSTATS and @EliasSports.
- The Reds are coming off a 4-2 homestand vs the Rockies (3-0) and first-place Braves (1-2)…Sat’s 7-6 loss vs Atl snapped the Reds’ 12-game winning streak…the Braves won 2 of 3 games over the weekend to snap the Reds’ 5-series winning streak…the attendance for the 3-game weekend series vs the Braves was 126,724, the highest for any 3-game series during the regular season at Great American Ball Park.
Tonight’s Pitcher – #41 Andrew Abbott, LHP
- Tonight his fifth Major League appearance and start…for the fifth time will be caught by Luke Maile.
- Since the mound was moved to its current distance in 1893, is the only Major League pitcher to begin his career with 3 consecutive scoreless starts of at least 5.0 innings…@EliasSports.
- Began his career with 17.2 scoreless innings, a new club record since 1893, until Col’s Brenton Doyle hit a leadoff HR in Abbott’s fourth start…the previous team record was held Wayne Simpson, who in 1970 began his Major League career with 15.0 scoreless innings…@EliasSports.
- In the Expansion Era (since 1961), his 17.2-inning scoreless streak to begin his career tied for the 16th-longest such streak among all Major League pitchers…
Oak’s Brad Ziegler ranks first on that list, with 39.0 scoreless innings to begin his career in 2008. - In the Expansion Era (since 1961), his 17.2-inning scoreless streak to begin his career tied for the fourth-longest such streak among Major Leaguer starting pitchers (NYY’s Luis Gil, 18.2ip in 2021; Bos’ Vaughn Eshelman, 18ip in 1995; Bal’s Tom Phoebus, 18ip in 1966; Oak’s Vin Mazzaro, 17.2ip in 2009)…courtesy @EliasSports.
- Became the first Reds pitcher to win each of his first 3 Major League starts since RHP Wayne Simpson did it from 4/9-4/19, 1970…received no decision in his fourth appeareance, a quality start in the 5-3 win vs Col…only 2 Reds pitchers began their careers by winning a minimum of their first 4 Major League starts, Billy Rhines in 1890 (6-0) and Santo Alcala in 1976 (5-0).
BALTIMORE ORIOLES NOTES:
DUBS AFTER DARK: The Orioles beat the Reds last night, 10-3, in the series opener… Earned their 28th comeback victory, breaking a tie with Cincinnati for the most in MLB…Five different O’s recorded multi-hit games and all nine batters reached safely at least twice for the first time this season…Bruce Zimmermann surrendered two runs in 3.0 innings after the rain delay to earn his first MLB win since May 8, 2022…Jordan Westburg made his MLB debut and tallied his first hit with a fifth-inning single off Eduardo Salazar.
Marks the seventh time the O’s have scored 10 runs in a game this season and third this month.
Westburg is the third Oriole to make his debut this season along with Grayson Rodriguez (4/5 at TEX) and Joey Ortiz (4/27 at DET).
The O’s are 31-4 (.886) when allowing three runs or fewer, the second-best winning percentage in the AL and tied for the fifth-best in MLB.
Austin Hays drove in three runs, his most in a game since June 25, 2022 at ChicagoAL.
Jorge Mateo drew two walks in a game for the first time in his career.
STAR-STUDDED: Major League Baseball today announced that Adley Rutschman trails Texas’ Jonah Heim 54 percent to 46 percent in Phase 2 of fan voting to determine the
starting catcher for the American League at the 2023 MLB All-Star Game…Fans can vote once per day at Orioles.com/Vote until Thursday, June 29 at 12 p.m. ET…Votes from Phase 1 did not carry over.
Rutschman led AL catchers with 1,291,399 votes in Phase 1; an O’s backstop has not won a fan election since Matt Wieters in 2014, who didn’t participate in the game after undergoing “Tommy John” surgery in June that season; Rutschman would be the third Orioles catcher to start an All-Star Game, along with Gus Triandos in 1958
and 1959, and Terry Kennedy in 1987.
Rutschman leads qualified AL catchers in hits (75), on-base percentage (.380), walks (51), wRC+ (124), and wOBA (.348) and ranks among the leaders in OPS (2nd, .795), average (2nd, .269), bWAR (2nd, 1.8), fWAR (2nd, 1.8), RBI (3rd, 34), and home runs (T-4th, 10).
HOME COOKING: The O’s are in the middle of a nine-game, 10-day homestand…After wrapping going 2-1 against the Mariners over the weekend, the Birds play two more games against the Reds through Wednesday…After a scheduled off day on June 29, the Twins come to Camden Yards from June 30 to July 2.
Baltimore has won eight of the last 10 games at Oriole Park since June 9.
The O’s are 25-14 (.641) in Baltimore this year and own the second-best home record in MLB, behind only the Rays (.773, 34-10); the Orioles have played at a .600 clip at home in 16 previous seasons, most recently when they did so in three straight from 2014-16.
AGAINST THE REDS: The Orioles and Reds are meeting for the first and only time this season…The O’s have not hosted the Reds in Baltimore since sweeping a three-game set against them from September 2-4, 2014; the Birds are 6-1 all-time against the Reds at Oriole Park…Baltimore and Cincinnati have only squared off in the regular season 16 times in team history (since 1954), with the O’s holding a 10-6 advantage in those matchups; entering this season, the 15 games against the Reds are tied for Baltimore’s fewest against a single active opponent with the Cardinals and Dodgers, who the Birds host for three games each later this summer…The Orioles and Reds first met in the regular season in 2005, but faced off in the 1970 World Series, with the Orioles defeating the Big Red Machine, 4-1, to win their second World Series title.
WHAT’S TRENDING: The O’s have won 39 of their last 61 games, 42 of 65, and 44 of 68…The 48-29 (.623) overall record is the second-best in MLB (see box at right)…The O’s are one of three teams without 30 losses this season, along with the Rays (54-27) and Braves (50-27).
The 77-game start is tied for the sixth-best in team history (since 1954) and the best since the 1997 squad began the campaign 50-27.
JUNE SWOON: Baltimore is batting .296/.360/.494 (99-for-334) with 18 doubles, 16 home runs, 56 runs scored, 53 RBI, and 33 walks in 10 home games in June…The O’s lead the AL in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS (.854) at home this month…Overall, the the Orioles have hit .264/.326/.436 at Oriole Park and .245/.320/.417 on the road this season.
HAYS OF OUR LIVES: Austin Hays leads the AL and ranks third in MLB with a .319 batting average (see box at right)…He also ranks among AL leaders in doubles (4th, 22), slugging percentage (6th, .510), hits (T-6th, 84), and OPS (7th, .867)…Only one Oriole has ever won a batting title: Orioles Legend and Hall of Famer Frank Robinson, who hit .316 in 1966…Hanser Alberto, who finished with a .305 batting average in 2019, is the only qualified Oriole in the last 14 seasons to finish the year with a batting average of at least .300.
No player has ever led the AL in batting average at the All-Star Break and not been an All-Star, according to the Elias Sports Bureau; there have been six such instances in the NL, most recently Hunter Pence in 2007 and Larry Walker in 2002.
Last night marked his 26th multi-hit game of the year, tied for fourth-most in the AL.
Hays has hit in 10 of his last 12 games and in 16 of 19; he’s slashing .360/.388/.547 (27-for-75) with eight doubles, two home runs, 13 runs scored, 11 RBI, three walks, one hit-by-pitch, and one stolen base since June 4.
TONY’S TATERS: Anthony Santander is slashing .303/.364/.569 (57-for-188) with 12 doubles, one triple, 12 homers, 31 runs scored, 36 RBI, 16 walks, two hit-by-pitches, and one stolen base in 48 games since the start of May…During that time, he ranks among AL leaders in extra-base hits (T-3rd), slugging percentage (4th), OPS (4th), total bases (4th, 107), home runs (T-4th), hits (T-4th), and RBI (5th)…He homered in three straight games from June 23-25 for the second time in his career (also: 8/8-11/21) and is the second Oriole to homer in three straight games this season, joining Gunnar Henderson from June 10-13.
Santander ranks among AL leaders in extra-base hits (T-5th, 35), slugging (8th, .500), doubles (T-8th, 20), and total bases (T-8th, 141).
His 14 home runs lead the O’s and are tied for third among MLB switch hitters.
STARTING PITCHER – #68 TYLER WELLS RHP
QUICK HITS: Scheduled to make his 16th appearance (15th start) of the season, ninth at home, and first career start against the Reds tonight…Went 7-7 with a 4.25 ERA (49 ER/103.2 IP) in 23 starts for the O’s in 2022…Made his first career start on April 10, 2022 at Tampa Bay; dealt the loss after allowing four runs on three hits (1 HR) with two walks and two strikeouts in 1.2 innings…Did not walk a batter in five consecutive starts from April 21 to May 15, 2022, becoming the only Oriole starting pitcher in franchise history (since 1954) to not walk a batter in five consecutive games…Allowed three earned runs-or-fewer in 17 straight starts from April 16 to July 15, 2022…Ended the 2022 season on the 15-day Injured List with right shoulder inflammation…Also spent time on the Injured List with lower left side discomfort in 2022…Originally selected by Minnesota in the 15th round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of Cal State, San Bernardino before being taken by the Orioles in the Rule 5 Draft on December 10, 2020.
LAST TIME OUT: Dealt his third loss of the season on June 21 at Tampa Bay… Allowed four runs (2 ER) on four hits (2 HR) with a season-high-tying three walks and six strikeouts in 5.0 innings, tied for his shortest start of the season (4x, last: 5/24 at NYY)…All four runs scored in the second inning, two of which scored on errors he committed…Snapped his three-game winning streak…Threw 95 pitches, 58 strikes.
WATCH ME WHIP: Wells enters play today leading MLB with a 0.89 WHIP…Also ranks among qualified pitchers in opponent on-base percentage (1st, .233), batting average (2nd, .185), H/9 (2nd, 6.02), and OPS (9th, .629)…Has allowed 78 baserunners (58 H, 19 BB, 1 HBP) across 15 appearances (86.2 IP) this season, the fewest in MLB (min. 80.0 IP)…His 58 hits surrendered this season are the second-fewest among qualified pitchers, while his 19 walks are tied for the eighth-fewest…He posted a 0.72 WHIP in April, tied for the seventh-lowest mark by an O’s pitcher in a calendar month in club history (since 1954) and lowest since Scott McGregor recorded a franchise-record 0.61 WHIP in May 1978…Wells issued just three walks and allowed 18 hits in 29.0 innings through his first five
appearances (four starts) in April.
MR. CONSISTENT: Wells has tossed 5.0-or-more innings in each of his 15 appearances (14 starts) this season, tied for the fifth-most such outings in MLB…Is the first O’s pitcher to complete at least 5.0 frames in each of his first 14 games of the season since Wei-Yen Chen accomplished the feat in 15 straight assignments to begin the 2014 season…Wells entered 2023 with 12 such performances, all in 2022.
LOVING LEFTIES: Opposing left-handed batters are slashing .187/.225/.332 (72-for-386) against Wells through his first 82 career games (37 starts)…He has recorded more career strikeouts against lefties (112) than hits allowed (72)… Ranks among qualified pitchers in opponent on-base percentage (T-2nd), OPS (8th, .557), and batting average (9th) against lefties in MLB since he debuted in 2021 (min. 300 BFP).
RACKING UP STRIKEOUTS: Wells has recorded 88 strikeouts this season, the most by an O’s pitcher through his first 15 games of the season since Dylan Bundy tallied 100 punchouts through his first 15 outings in 2018…His 88 strikeouts are a career high, surpassing his season total from last season (76).
PACKING A PUNCH: Wells struck out at least seven batters in five straight starts from May 13 to June 4, tied with Erik Bedard (2007) for the second-longest streak by an Orioles pitcher since the franchise moved to Baltimore in 1954, trailing only an eight-game streak by Connie Johnson in 1957.
CAREER AGAINST THE REDS/NL CENTRAL: Making his first career start against the Reds tonight and second career start against the NL Central…Owns a 1-0 record with a 0.00 ERA (0 ER/7.0 IP) against the division…Last time out in his lone start against the division on May 13 vs. the Pirates at Oriole Park, earned his third win of the season…Worked a career-high-tying 7.0 scoreless innings (also 4/21/23 vs. DET) on one hit with two walks and eight strikeouts…Set a career high with 17 swings and misses…Retired 17 batters in a row after Carlos Santana’s single in the second inning before issuing a two-out walk to Santana in the seventh; became the fi rst Oriole to retire 17 in a row since Kyle Bradish set down the first 17 hitters of the game on September 22, 2022 vs. Houston…Threw 96 pitches, 59 strikes
