CINCINNATI REDS NOTES:
TRANSACTION
- The Reds today selected from Louisville the contract of RHP Brett Kennedy (#66) and optioned to Louisville OF Stuart Fairchild.
TODAY’S GAME
- Is Game 2 (1-0) of a 4-game series vs Zoe Lacour’s Nationals and Game 2 (1-0) of the Reds’ last road trip of the season’s first half (4g at Wsh, 3g at Mil).
- The Reds are coming off a 2-1 series win and homestand vs the Padres.
- Will follow the All-Star Game break with a 10-game homestand vs the Brewers (3g), Giants (4g) and Diamondbacks (3g).
SERIES NOTES
- The Reds are 8-14 in their last 22 games at Nationals Park but are 5-2 here the last 3 seasons.
- In their last four 4-game series vs the Nationals, the Reds went 1-3 (2022), 3-1 (2021), 1-3 (2018) and 0-4 (2017).
- Dating back to a 6-3 Reds win on 6/4/16, the Nationals have won 14 of the last 20 games at Great American Ball Park, but the Reds won 5 of the last 8 games there.
BIG ROAD MACHINE
- The Reds went 11-2 on their previous 3 road trips (8-1, 2-1, 1-0).
- Went 8-1 on their road trip to StL (2-1), KC (3-0) and Hou (3-0)…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 6 straight road series (3-0 at Cubs, 2-1 at Bos, 2-1 at StL, 3-0 at KC, 3-0 at Hou, 2-1 at Bal) for the first time 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)… haven’t won more than 6 consecutive road series since an 8-game road series winning streak from 6/25-8/12, 1976.
- The 10-3 loss on 6/26 at Bal snapped the Reds’ 8-game road winning streak, tied for the second-longest streak in the Major Leagues this season.
BREWERS UP NEXT
- In 2022 the Brewers won 4 of last season’s 6 series and 13 of the 19 games.
- For the second time in 3 seasons, the Reds and Brewers will meet in the series on each side of the All-Star Game…in 2021, the Reds went 3-1 at Mil to end the first half and were swept in the 3-game home series after the break…in that 2021 series, the Reds faced the same opponent in 7 consecutive games for the first Time since 6/30-7/4, 1953, when, coincidentally, they went 4-3 vs the Milwaukee Braves…in 2022, the Reds and Cardinals met on each side of the All-Star Game (0-2, 1ppd at StL & 2-1 vs StL).
- The Brewers’ 3-game sweep from 5/3-5/5, 2022 was their first series sweep vs the Reds at American Family Field since 4/24-4/26, 2017…the Redlegs have won 10 of the last 19 games and 12 of the last 22 games at AFF.
- Reds pitchers in 2022 allowed 44 HR to Mil, the most by Brewers batters against any team in a single season and the most allowed to any team in a season by Reds’ pitchers…the 2017 Brewers rank third on the Reds pitchers’ single-season HR allowed list (38hr), behind the 2016 Cubs (42hr)…@EliasSports.
- The 18 runs scored by the Brewers in an 18-4 win on 5/4/22 at AFF was their highest total ever in a game vs the Reds.
HALFWAY HOME
- Through the 10-inning win on 6/28 at Bal, the Reds were in first place through 81 games for the first time since 2010 (46-35, +1.5g).
- The Reds’ 43-38 record was their best through 81 games since 2014, when they also began 43-38.
- Last season, the Reds were 28-53 after 81 games.
RUNNING MEN
- The Reds rank second in the Major Leagues with 95 stolen bases (TB 103), their highest total since 2017 (120sb)…recorded 58 stolen bases all of 2022.
- Have been successful on 55 of their last 61 attempts.
- The Reds recorded 50 stolen bases in June, their highest steals total in a calendar month since September 1912 (53sb).
- 3 times this season recorded at least 5 stolen bases in a game (6sb on 6/2 vs Mil, 9sb on 6/3 vs Mil, 5sb on Wed at Bal)…prior to 6/2, the Reds hadn’t recorded 5 stolen bases in a game since 4/10/17 at Pit.
- Their 9 stolen bases on 6/3 vs Mil (Jake Fraley 3, Spencer Steer 2, Jonathan India 2, Will Benson, Stuart Fairchild) was their highest single-game total since 5/30/1976 vs LAD (9sb)…the Reds’ single-game record since 1900 for stolen bases in a game remains 10 (5/29/1913 at StL).
RED HOTS
- The Reds have used 49 players…in 2022 used a club record 66 players.
- Reds baserunners in 68 attempts have scored 67 runs from second base on singles…both lead the Major Leagues.
- 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 went 18-9 in June, their highest victory total in any month since June 2014 (18-10).
- The Reds’ 12-game winning streak, snapped by a 7-6 loss on 6/24 vs Atl, tied their modern club record (5/16-5/27, 1939 & 4/30-5/12, 1957).
- 10 Reds players have made Major League debuts this season (RHP Casey Legumina, RHP Levi Stoudt, IF Matt McLain, LHP Brandon Williamson, RHP Eduardo Salazar, OF TJ Hopkins, LHP Andrew Abbott, IF Elly De La Cruz, RHP Ricky Karcher, RHP Randy Wynne)…13 rookies played in at least 1 game for the Reds.
STARTING PTICHER – #66 Brett Kennedy, RHP
- This morning is expected to be promoted from Louisville to make his sixth Major League appearance, his first since September 2018.
- Would be his first career appearance vs the Nationals.
- Would become the 15th rookie to appear in at least 1 game for the Reds.
- Began the season with the Long Island Ducks in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.
- On 5/13 was signed by the Reds to a minor league contract and assigned to Louisville.
- In 8 starts for the Bats went 2-2, 3.71 (43.2ip, 47h, 22r, 18er, 12bb, 37k, 5hr, 2hbp, 1.35whip, .275baa).
- Was selected by the Padres in the 11th round of the June 2015 first-year player draft.
- Made all 6 of his Major League apps in 2018, all for the Padres (1-2, 6.75, 26.2ip, 36h, 20er, 12bb, 18k, 6hr, 2hbp).
- Made his most recent appearance in the Major Leagues in a start at Cin on 9/17/18.
- In 133 career minor league apps, beginning in 2015 and including 114 starts, went 37-36, 3.98 with 5 saves (577.1ip, 575h, 288r, 255er, 191bb, 552k, 55hr,
1.33whip, .259baa).
WASHINGTON NATONALS NOTES:
OPPONENT
CINCINNATI REDS
The Nationals and Reds will play seven times this year (4 in D.C., 3 in CIN)…Nationals manager Dave Martinez spent the 1992 season with Cincinnati, hitting .254 with 20 doubles, five triples, three homers, 31 RBI and 47 runs scored in 135 games… Nationals hitting coach, Darnell Coles also spent the 1992 season with the Reds…Right-handed pitcher Josiah Gray was drafted by the Reds in the second round in 2018.
BASEBALL IN WASHINGTON D.C. ON THE
FOURTH OF JULY
In a letter to his wife Abigail Adams dated July 3, 1776, John Adams wrote that the Declaration of Independence “ought to be solemnized” with “sports,” among other activities…The Washington Nationals will honor that request by facing off against the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday morning in our nation’s capital.
- Washington is 9-8 on July 4th since 2005 and since the 11:05 a.m. tradition began in 2012, the Nationals are 5-5 on the Fourth of July.
- The Nationals have won six of nine and seven of their last 12 games since June 21.
NATIONAL LEAGUE ALL-STAR
Josiah Gray was selected by Major League Baseball to represent the Washington Nationals in the 2023 All-Star Game…It is his first All-Star selection…Gray ranks 10th in the National League with a 3.30 ERA.
- Gray is 2-0 with a 0.79 ERA (1 ER/11.1 IP), 14 strikeouts and five walks in his last two starts.
CHECKIN’ IN ON THE ‘PEN
Ricky Bones’ bullpen has allowed one earned run or less in four of the last five games.
- Hunter Harvey is 5-for-5 in save opportunities and has allowed just two hits (.095 opp. AVG) in 6.1 scoreless innings over his last seven outings.
- Kyle Finnegan has four holds and has pitched to a 0.00 ERA (10.1 IP) with a .152 opponents average (5-for-33, 0 XBH) in his last eight appearances.
- Hitters are 2-for-40 (.050) against Jordan Weems over his last eight outings…The .050 average since June 10 is the lowest by any Major League reliever with at least 12.0 IP.
- Over his last 13 games, Mason Thompson has allowed two earned runs on nine hits in 11.1 innings (1.59 ERA)…He has seven holds and has 13 strikeouts over that span.
WOULD’VE / COULD’VE / SHOULD’VE
Lane Thomas made a compelling case to be named to his first AllStar game…See box to the right.
- He ranks in the entire National League in hits (5th, 99), average (5th, .302), doubles (6th, 22), runs (T9th, 57) and extrabase hits (10th, 38).
- He has a hit in 18 of his last 20 games, going .370/.402/.667 with nine doubles, five home runs, 14 RBI, three walks, one stolen base and 15 runs scored.
- In his last nine games, he is 15-for-38 (.395) with three doubles, two home runs, seven RBI, two walks and seven runs scored.
WOULD’VE / COULD’VE / SHOULD’VE…PT. 2
Jeimer Candelario also made a compelling case to be named to his first All-Star Game…See box to the right.
- He is tied for second in the National League with 26 doubles and tied for sixth with 40 extra-base hits.
- He has hit safely in 10 straight games, tied for the longest hitting streak of his career (also 10 G, Aug. 4-14, 2021)…He is 14-for-37 (.351) with four double,s four homers and eight RBI during the streak.
- He has also hit in 15 of his last 17, going .344/.408/.672 with nine doubles, four homers and 10 RBI during the 17-game stretch.
STONE’S SLAMS
Trailing 3-0 in Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon, Stone Garrett clubbed a grand slam with two outs in the top of the third inning…The Nationals went on to beat the Phillies, 5-4.
- It was Garrett’s second grand slam of the season…In doing so, he became the seventh player in Nationals history (2005-pres.) to hit two grand slams in one season (last: Gerardo Parra, 2019).
STARTING PITCHER – #46 PATRICK CORBIN
Left-handed pitcher signed a six-year contract with the Nationals on Dec. 7, 2018…Was the winning pitcher in Game 7 of the 2019 World Series…Is a two-time National League All-Star (2018, 2013)… Has started at least 30 games for five consecutive full seasons (2017-19, 2021-22), joining Gerrit Cole as the only pitchers since 2017 to accomplish the feat.
LAST START
Worked 7.0 scoreless innings, allowed five hits and walked a season-high nine hitters to earn the win at Seattle on June 28…It was his fifth career stat of at least 7.0 scoreless innings with at least nine strikeouts, his first since July 7, 2019 vs. Kansas City.
vs. CINCINNATI
Corbin went 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA (4 ER/12.0 IP), 10 strikeouts and one walk in two starts against the Reds in 2022…He is 5-4 with a 3.87 ERA in 13 career starts against the Reds.
JULY 4TH
Corbin makes his fifth career start on the Fourth of July…In his previous four starts, he’s 1-1 with a 2.78 ERA (7 ER/22.2 IP)…This will be Corbin’s second Independence Day start with the Nationals…He worked 7.0 innings and allowed one run on eight hits with four strikeouts last season against Miami on July 4.
THE SLIDE PIECE
Corbin’s signature slider has induced 866 swings and misses, fifth-most of any left-handed pitcher behind Clayton Kershaw (151), Reid Detmers (116), Jesus Luzardo (110) and Braxton Garrett (92).
- The slider ranks third among MLB sliders with a .164 opponents’ average (min. 100 PA).
DEUCES WILD
Corbin allowed exactly two earned runs in four starts from May 4 to May 20…He went 2-1 with a 2.88 ERA (8 ER/25.0 IP) with 13 strikeouts and one walk during this stretch.
