CINCINNATI REDS NOTES:
TONIGHT’S GAME
- Is Game 3 (2-0) of a 4-game series vs Zoe Lacour’s Nationals and Game 2 (2-0) 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 9-14 in their last 23 games at Nationals Park but are 6-2 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 6 of the last 9 games there.
BIG ROAD MACHINE
- The Reds went 12-2 on their previous 3 road trips (8-1, 2-1, 2-0).
- 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.
HALFWAY MARK
- 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 101 stolen bases (TB 105), their highest total since 2017 (120sb)…recorded 58 stolen bases all of 2022.
- Have been successful on 61 of their last 68 attempts.
- The Reds recorded 50 stolen bases in June, their highest steals total in a calendar month since September 1912 (53sb).
- 4 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 6/25 at Bal, 6sb on Tue at Wsh)…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 50 players…in 2022 used a club record 66 players.
- Reds baserunners in 69 attempts have scored 68 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.
- 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
Tonight’s Pitcher – #51 Graham Ashcraft, RHP
- Tonight is making his second career appearance and start vs the Nationals.
- In Fri’s 11-inning, 7-5 walkoff win vs SD allowed only a solo HR to Trent Grisham in the sixth inning.
- Has made 2 apps since a 15-day injured stint on the injured list with a left calf contusion (6/9-6/23)…in those 2 starts went 0-1, 5.91 (10.2ip, 13h, 7er, 2bb, 9k, 4hr, .289baa).
- In his first 6 starts through 5/2 went 2-0, 2.00 (36ip, 8er, .202baa)…in his last 9 starts beginning 5/7 went 1-6, 10.89 (39.2ip, 48er, .352baa).
- Became the first Reds pitcher to begin a season with 6 starts without allowing more than 2 earned runs in any of those starts since Luis Castillo began the 2019 campaign by allowing 2 ER or fewer in each of his first 7 starts.
- In his first 3 starts (19ip, 3er) became the eighth Reds pitcher, since 1901 and including Nick Lodolo in 2023, to begin a season with at least 17.0 innings while allowing 4 earned runs or fewer.
- Between a solo HR by Pit’s Bryan Reynolds in his season debut and a 2-run HR by WSox’ Hanser Alberto’s on 5/7 in his seventh start, Ashcraft recorded a career-high homerless streak of 33.0 innings.
- In the 17-4 loss on 5/7 vs WSox allowed a career-high 8 runs in 1.2 innings…was the shortest start of his career and the shortest start by a Reds pitcher to that point in the season…was charged with all 8 runs in the second inning after throwing a perfect first…entered that 5/7 start leading all National League pitchers in bWAR (2.1), the third-best bWAR among all players in the Major Leagues (Gerrit Cole 2.5, Ronald Acuña Jr. 2.2).
WASHINGTON NATIONALS NOTES:
MOVING ON
The Washington Nationals continue the final homestand of the season’s first “half” on Wednesday night against the Cincinnati Reds… Following this series, the Nationals will welcome the Texas Rangers to Nationals Park for a three-game series this weekend.
- The Nationals have won six of 10 and seven of their last 13 games since June 21.
ROSTER MOVE
The Washington Nationals recalled outfielder Alex Call from Triple-A Rochester and designated outfielder Derek Hill for assignment on Wednesday.
- In 11 games with Triple-A Rochester, Call hit .275 with three doubles, a home run, three RBI, seven walks, three stolen bases and five runs scored…He reached base safely in 10 of his 11 games, collecting at least one hit in eight of those 10 contests.
CJ IN DC
CJ Abrams is 15-for-44 (.341) with five doubles, one triple, one homer, three RBI, three stolen bases and nine runs scored in his last 13 games…He’s hit safely in eight of the 13 games and has produced multi-hit efforts in six of the 13.
- Of note these next two days, Abrams is 15-for-36 (.417) with a .462 on-base percentage and a .611 slugging percentage (4 2B, HR) in 12 games against NL Central clubs this season.
CHECKIN’ IN ON THE ‘PEN
Some notes on Ricky Bones’ relievers as of late:
- 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, 100), average (5th, .301), doubles (6th, 23), extra-base hits (T9th, 38) and runs (10th, 57).
- He has a hit in 19 of his last 21 games, going .365/.391/.669 with 10 doubles, five home runs, 15 RBI, three walks, one stolen base and 15 runs scored.
- In his last 10 games, he is 16-for-42 (.381) with four doubles, two home runs, eight 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 seventh with 40 extra-base hits.
- He has hit safely in 10 of 11 and 15 of his last 18 games, going .324/.395/.632 with nine doubles, four homers and 10 RBI during the 18-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 – #40 JOSIAH GRAY
Right-hander was acquired by the Nationals from the Los Angeles Dodgers at the 2021 Trade Deadline…Was Los Angeles’ No. 2 prospect entering 2021 and its Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2019…Was originally selected by Cincinnati in the second round (No. 72 overall) of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft out of Le Moyne
College in Syracuse, New York…Was acquired by the Dodgers on his 21st birthday, Dec. 21, 2018…Is the Player Ambassador to the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy…Named to his first All-Star team in 2023.
LAST START
Allowed one earned run on six hits with eight strikeouts and one walk in 6.0 innings on June 30 at Philadelphia…Earned his second win in as many starts as Washington won, 2-1.
vs. CINCINNATI
Faces the club that drafted him (2nd rd., 2018) for the second time…Earned the win on June 3, 2022 at Cincinnati, tossing 6.0 innings of two-hit, one-run ball…Struck out nine and walked three.
RECENCY BIAS
Gray has allowed just one earned run in 11.1 IP (0.79 ERA) accross his last two starts…He has 14 strikeouts against just five walks over this stretch.
RANKS Gray ranks ninth in the National League with a 3.30 ERA…He paces the Nationals staff in opponents’ batting average (.247), opponents’ slugging percentage (.396), opponents’ OPS (.726) and home runs allowed per 9.0 innings (1.13).
ROAD GRAY
Gray ranks third in Major League Baseball with a 2.39 ERA on the road this season…He’s allowed three earned runs or less in 10 of his 11 road starts.
SLIDER STATS
Gray’s slider is fourth among all Major League sliders (min. 100 PA) with a 30.2% hard hit rate, sixth with a 21.5% strikeout rate and 17th with a .219 opponents
batting average against…The 30.2% hard hit rate ranks 17th among all Major League pitches this season.
KEEPING THE BALL IN THE YARD
Gray has allowed 1.13 home runs allowed per 9.0 innings (12 HR/95.1 IP)…He allowed back-to-back home runs to lead off the game on April 1 vs. Atlanta (Acuña Jr./Olson) and beginning with the next batter, has allowed just eight additional home runs in the next 95.1 innings entering play tonight…This improvement comes after he led Major League Baseball with 38 home runs and 2.30 home runs per 9.0 innings last season.
THE STORY OF HIS CUTTER
As told to Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post in a recent story: “At the start of spring training, Gray debuted a cutter he learned from Erasmo Ramírez, who drew his grip on a baseball Gray practiced with until he lost it at the gym during the offseason. Gray joked that some Florida teenager could be throwing Ramírez’s cutter in high school games. Yet by the time he misplaced the ball, Gray knew where to put his fingers. The pitch felt like a natural complement to his slider, moving more side-to-side while his gyroscopic slider drops almost straight down.”
