CLEVELAND GUARDIANS NOTES:
GUARDS 13TH SHUTOUT OPENS UP OHIO CUP WITH WIN
The Cleveland Guardians rattled off a second straight victory, blanking the Cincinnati Reds by a 3-0 final to open a brief 2-game set on Tuesday night at Great American Ball Park…signaled Cleveland’s MLB-leading 13th shutout of 2023…Cleveland is 2-2 entering the finale of this 5-game, 6-day swim thru Tampa Bay (1-2) & Cincinnati (1-0)…club has gone 11-8-3 over last 22 series (+3G above .500/37-34 record since May 26).
Rookie southpaw LOGAN ALLEN carved through the Reds lineup for 6.0 scoreless frames to earn his 6th victory (6.0IP, 4H, 0R, 3BB, 7SO, 87 pitches), building upon the starting rotation’s consistent effectiveness throughout the season’s 2nd-half (2.63 ERA in 30G since All-Star break)…ENYEL DE LOS SANTOS (1.0IP, H, 3SO), TREVOR STEPHAN (1.0IP) and EMMANUEL CLASE (1.0IP, H, SO) each followed suit, handling the 7th, 8th and 9th frames in scoreless succession…Graham Ashcraft gave Cincinnati 7.0 competitive innings, but took the loss (7.0IP, 7H, 3R-ER, 2BB, 2SO, HB, 102 pitches)…Cleveland jumped on the right-hander for a pair of early 1st-inning tallies, as STEVEN KWAN (single) and JOSÉ RAMÍREZ (double) both reached to start the game, setting the table for KOLE CALHOUN’s opposite-field 2-run single… Kwan added the Guards’ third run on an RBI-single in the 7th to score MYLES STRAW, who singled and swiped second base. » Cleveland (58-62) sits in 2nd place in AL Central standings, 4.5 games behind 2nd-place Minnesota (63-58) and 4.5 games ahead of 3rd-place Detroit (-9.0G, 53-66)…despite dropping 11 of last 17, Guardians have still won 26 of 50, 33 of 63 and 37 of last 71…have also dropped 56 of last 105 overall since starting year 9-6.
LET’S GRAB SOME SKYLINE
The Guardians enter tonight’s contest with the opportunity to retain the Ohio Cup once again, after taking 2 of 4 from Cincinnati last season…Cleveland has either won or retained the Cup in 8 straight seasons dating back to 2015, while going 27-12 against Cincy over that stretch.
Cleveland holds a 72-56 (.563) overall record against Cincinnati since the two sides first squared off in 1997 and have won 5 of their last 7 games against their in-state opponents…the Guardians are 33-30 on the road against the Reds…the Guards have won each of their last 4, 11 of their last 14 and 15 of their last 19 road contests against the Redlegs…the Guardians own a 30-17 record against the Reds in the Terry Francona era (since 2013).
START ME UP! I’ll NEVER STOP.
Cleveland’s starting rotation currently possesses a 3.87 ERA (281ER/653.2IP) this season, ranking 5th in the American League and 6th in MLB…following last night’s 3-0 victory, the pitching staff’s 13 shutouts this season lead MLB, ahead of Milwaukee and Toronto (12).
In the second half, the Guardians starting rotation has held opponents to 2-or-fewer earned runs in 25 of its 30 starts since July 14 and have lasted 5.0-or-more innings in 25 of their 30 starts since the All-Star break, with 3 of those 5 outings being XZAVION CURRY’s spot starts… the 2.63 ERA from the rotation (48ER/164.0IP) to start the second half is the lowest in MLB, 55 points lower than the next-best team (Toronto, 3.18)…the table above shows how Cleveland’s starting pitching ranks among MLB teams since the All-Star break.
The rookie trio of TANNER BIBEE, GAVIN WILLIAMS and Logan Allen has found its rhythm over this stretch…in his last 9 starts since June 24, Bibee is 6-0 while boasting a 1.79 ERA (11ER/55.1IP), 1st in the American League and 2nd in MLB behind SD’s Blake Snell during that span…over his 6 starts in the second half, Williams flaunts a 1.80 ERA (6ER/30.0IP), 4th in the American League and 5th in MLB over that period, while striking out 40 batters against 15 walks…Allen owns a 1.59 ERA (3ER/17.0IP) over his last 3 starts, including last night’s 6.0-shutout innings… Williams (2.80, 3rd), Bibee (2.90, 4th) and Allen (3.33, 9th) all rank in the top 10 of rookie starter ERA this season…the three also rank top 10 in rookie starter bWAR with Bibee in 3rd (2.7), Williams in 8th (1.7) and Allen in 10th (1.6).
THE MAN AT THE TOP
STEVEN KWAN is riding a season-long 4-game multi-hit streak, as 2 hits tonight will tie his career-high streak of 5 consecutive multihit games (September 17-21, 2022)…he has scored in 3 straight games and driven in a run in 3 of his last 4 contests…over this road trip he’s hitting .421 (8-for-19) with 2 triples, 3 runs and 3 RBI.
In 29 games this second half, Kwan is hitting .308 (37-for-120) with 6 doubles, 3 triples, 3 home runs, 14 RBI and an .847 OPS… he has struck out just 9 times over this stretch while drawing 10 walks…his 37 hits in the second half rank 3rd in the American League…he has played in all but one game since the break.
After seeing 4.05 pitches per plate appearance in the first half, he has seen 3.64 pitches/PA in his 29 games since the All-Star break, the largest difference on the club…he’s currently hitting .400 (14-for-35) with a .931 OPS on the first pitch…with the count 0-1, he owns a .296 (21-for-71) batting average…most notably, when the count is 1-0, Kwan is hitting .520 (13-for-25) with a 1.320 OPS.
RUN ON ME. I DARE YOU.
The Guardians have 20 outfield assists this season, T5th in the American League and T9th in MLB with 4 other teams…the club’s 51 outfield assists since the start of last season is 2nd in MLB behind Cincinnati (56).
Cleveland is the only team in MLB with 4 players ranking in the top 20 in outfield assists this season…WILL BRENNAN (8) is T8th, while RAMÓN LAUREANO and MYLES STRAW are T20th with 6 assists apiece.
TONIGHT’S STARTER – #34 NOAH SYNDERGAARD RHP
SYNDERGAARD ON THE ROAD
W-L ERA G GS IP H R ER BB SO
2023 0-2 9.21 7 7 28.1 39 29 29 5 14
Career 22-25 3.92 74 74 411.1 415 199 179 101 413
SYNDERGAARD’S MLB CAREER
W-L ERA G GS IP H R ER BB SO
2023 2-5 6.35 15 15 72.1 88 51 51 13 46
Career 59-46 3.65 161 159 925.0 894 406 375 210 918
TONIGHT’S START
The 30-year-old right-hander is scheduled to make his 16th start of the season and 4th for Cleveland in Wednesday’s series finale against the Cincinnati Reds…owns a 2-5 record with a 6.35 ERA (51ER/72.1IP) in 15 starts this season…since being traded to Cleveland, Syndergaard is 1-1 with a 3.71 ERA (7ER/17.0IP)… is pitching on extended 5 days’ rest; is 0-3 with a 9.00 ERA (24ER/24.0IP) in 5 starts on 5 days of rest this season.
Syndergaard was acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 26 in exchange for Amed Rosario and cash considerations… he was originally selected by the Blue Jays in the 2010 MLB Draft (#38 overall) and later traded to the New York-NL in a package that sent R.A. Dickey to Toronto.
In 125 games against National League opponents, he is 46-34 with a 3.56 ERA (289ER/730.1IP) with a 4.42 SO/BB ratio.
LAST TIME OUT
Syndergaard last toed the rubber on August 10 against Toronto in Cleveland, a 4-3 victory…he recorded his second win of the season after coming just one out away from a quality start…allowed one run (earned), 6 hits and 2 walks while striking out 5 in 5.1 innings of work…after a Whit Merrifield leadoff single was negated by a double play, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. reached base with a double and George Springer tallied an infield single before Syndergaard struck out Matt Chapman to escape the jam…following a Danny Jansen leadoff walk to start the 2nd, Nathan Lukes and Santiago Espinal hit back-to-back singles to drive in the first Blue Jays run…following Espinal’s RBI-single, Syndergaard retired each of the next 12 Blue Jays hitters from the middle of the 2nd inning to the middle of the 6th inning…the hitless streak ended with a one-out double from Springer who eventually stole third base…after a hit by pitch and walk to load the bases with 2 outs in the 6th, his day came to an end…a fielder’s choice in the next at-bat ended the frame.
NOAH IN THE ‘NATI
Tonight will mark his tenth career start against the Reds…in previous 9 starts he owns an unblemished 7-0 record with a 3.02 ERA (20ER/59.2IP), 58 strikeouts and 8 walks…since 2015, his 7 wins against the Reds ranks T2nd with 5 others among all active MLB pitchers, trailing Michael Wacha (12)…he is one of three active pitchers with 5-or-more wins and no losses against Cincinnati in their career, joining Chris Stratton (6-0) and Clayton Kershaw (5- 0)…David Weathers (1991-2009, 8-0) is the only player in the Modern Era to finish with 7-or-more wins in their career without a loss to Cincinnati…Syndergaard owns a 3-0 record at Great American Ball Park with a 4.37 ERA (11ER/22.2IP) and a 27-to4 SO/BB ratio…his last outing against the Reds came on June 7 this season in Cincinnati while he was with Los Angeles-NL…he allowed 7 hits and 6 runs (earned) with 3 strikeouts in 3.0 innings of work…marked his last start with Los Angeles-NL, as he was placed
on the Injured List with a blister following the outing.
In 35 starts against the NL Central, he owns a 15-9 record with a 3.86 ERA (89ER/207.2IP)…this season, he is 1-1 with an 8.14 ERA (22ER/24.1IP) in 6 starts against the division.
THOR HAMMERS THE STRIKE ZONE
Per StatCast, in 2023, Syndergaard ranks in the 96th percentile in BB%…since his MLB career began in 2015, he has ranked in the 81st percentile-or-better…among MLB pitchers (min. 900.0IP) since 2015, he ranks 11th in BB/9 (2.04) and 10th in SO/BB (4.39)…among MLB hurlers with 50.0-or-more innings pitched against Cincinnati since 2015, he has the highest SO/BB ratio (7.25) and lowest BB/9 (1.21).
CINCINNATI REDS NOTES:
TRANSACTIONS
- The Reds today recalled from Louisville RHP Alan Busenitz (#78, BOOZnits)…designated for assignment RHP Luke Weaver…sent to the Arizona Complex League on a rehabilitation assignment RHP Justin Dunn (right shoulder strain).
TONIGHT’S GAME
- Is Game 2 (0-1) of a 2-game series vs Pat Tabler’s Indians and Game 2 (0-1) of a 5-game homestand that includes tomorrow’s off day followed by a weekend series vs the American League East Divison’s Blue Jays (3g).
- Is Game 11 (3-7) of a stretch in which the Reds will play 11 of 14 games at Great American Ball Park (0-3 vs Wsh, 1-2 vs Mia, 2-1 at Pit, 0-1 vs Cle, 3g vs Tor).
- The Reds are coming off a 2-1 road trip at Pit’s PNC Park…went 1-5 on their previous homestand (0-3 vs Wsh, 1-2 vs Mia).
SERIES NOTES
- The teams split the last 2 seasons series, 3-3 in 2021 and 2-2 last season.
- The Reds haven’t won a season series vs the Guardians since 2014 (3-1).
- The Reds won (5) or tied (9) 14 of the 25 Ohio Cup season series, including 5 straight wins or ties from 2006-2010, but lost 5 of the last 8 season series.
- Beginning in 2015, the Reds have lost 15 of the last 19 games vs Cle at Great American Ball Park.
- The coveted Ohio Cup is awarded to the team that wins each season’s series between the Reds and Guardians…should the season series end in a tie, the trophy will be retained by the previous year’s winner…the most deserving player in each season’s series receives the Frank Robinson Most Outstanding Player Award.
BLUE JAYS UP NEXT
- The Reds are 7-14 all-time in 7 interleague series vs Tor, including 4-5 at Great American Ball Park.
- The teams are meeting for the second consecutive season, but the Blue Jays are visiting GABP for the first time since 2014.
- Joey Votto has hit .254 in 18 career apps vs his childhood team (17-67, 5 2b, 4hr, 10rbi, 9bb, 16k, .342obp, .507slg, .850ops).
BIG ROAD MACHINE
- Beginning 5/26, the Reds are 26-12 over their last 6 road trips covering 12 road series.
- The Reds have won 9 of their last 12 road series, including a streak of 7 straight road series wins snapped by the Brewers in the last series before the All-Star Game break…also lost at Mil in the first road series of the second half.
- From 5/26-7/6, the Reds won at least 7 straight road series for only the third time in their history (3-0 at Cubs, 2-1 at Bos, 2-1 at StL, 3-0 at KC, 3-0 at Hou, 2-1 at Bal, 4-0 at Wsh)…won 8 straight road series in 1923 (7/2-8/25) and 1976 (6/25-8/12)…courtesy @EliasSports.
- Went 8-1 on their road trip to StL (2-1), KC (3-0) and Hou (3-0)…for only the second time ever, 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 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.
RUNNING MEN
- The Reds lead the Major Leagues with 134 stolen bases (TB 2nd, 130), their highest total since 2016 (139sb)…in 2022, the Reds recorded 58 steals…are trying to lead the National League in stolen bases for the first time since 2015 (134sb).
- The Reds recorded 50 stolen bases in June, their highest steals total in a calendar month since September 1912 (53sb).
- 5 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, 5sb on 7/8 at Mil)…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).
- With Elvis Peguero pitching, Elly De La Cruz on 7/8 at Mil became only the fourth Reds batter ever to steal second, third and home in the same inning (Hans Lobert 9/27/1908, Dode Paskert 5/23/1910, Greasy Neale 8/15/1919)…became the first Major League batter to steal second, third and home in the same inning since Mia’s Jon Berti did it on 8/25/2020 at NYM…became the first Reds batter with a straight steal of home since Brandon Phillips did it on 7/10/2009 at NYM.
RED HOTS
- 13 Reds players have made Major League debuts this season, the most in the Major Leagues (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, RHP Jake Wong, IF Christian EncarnacionStrand, RHP Lyon Richardson)…17 rookies played in at least 1 game for the Reds.
- The Reds have used 54 players…RHP Michael Mariot was on the roster for 1 day (7/8) but did not appear in a game…in 2022, the Reds used a club record 66 players.
- 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’ 12-game winning streak from 6/10-6/23 tied their modern club record (5/16-5/27, 1939 & 4/30-5/12, 1957).
- The Reds went 18-9 in June, their highest victory total in any month since June 2014 (18-10).
- From 6/14-7/8 Reds batters established a new franchise record for consecutive games with at least 1 home run (22g, 45hr), a streak snapped in the 1-0 loss at Mil in the final game heading into the All-Star Game break…the 1956 Reds held the team record by homering in 21 consecutive games.
Tonight’s Pitcher – #41 Andrew Abbott, LHP
- Tonight is making his 14th Major League appearance and start.
- Since his debut on 6/5, ranks among the National League leaders in starts (T2nd), wins (T3rd), ERA (4th), batting average against (5th, .210), strikeouts (5th), innings pitched (6th) and WHIP (8th, 1.11).
- Has stopped losing streaks of 4, 2, 3 and 2 games…in 8 starts overall following losses is 5-2, 2.22 (48.2ip, 12er, .201baa).
- In his 4-3 win on 7/2 vs SD recorded a career-high 12 strikeouts, tied for the most by a Reds pitcher this season (Nick Lodolo, 4/8 at Phi).
- 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 by Wayne Simpson, who in 1970 began his Major League career with 15.0 scoreless innings…@EliasSports.
- 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.
- Abbott’s 16.0-inning scoreless streak was snapped in the second inning of the 6-5 win on 7/31 at Cubs…when snapped was tied for the longest active streak in the Major Leagues.
