CINCINNATI REDS NOTES:
TRANSACTIONS
- Today the Reds selected from Louisville the contract of IF Matt McLain (#9)…placed on the Taxi Squad LHP Brandon Williamson (#55)…placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Friday, OF TJ Friedl (left oblique strain)…transferred to the 60-day injured list 1B Joey Votto (left biceps, left rotator cuff surgeries)…when they play, McLain and Williamson will make Major League debuts.
- Yesterday the Reds recalled from Louisville RHP Kevin Herget…selected from Louisville the contracts of RHP Alan Busenitz (BOOZ-nits) and RHP Silvino Bracho (sil-VEE-no BRAH-cho)…optioned to Louisville RHP Levi Stoudt…placed on the 15-day injured list LHP Nick Lodolo (left calf tendinosis) and RHP Casey Legumina (right ankle contusion)…transferred to the 60-day injured list LHP Reiver Sanmartin (left elbow stress reaction) and RHP Connor Overton (right elbow strain)…released RHP Luis Cessa.
TONIGHT’S GAME
- Is Game 1 of a 3-game series vs Chase Remme’s Rockies and Game 4 (2-1) of a 6-game road trip that included a 2-1 series win at Mia’s loanDepot park.
- Following this series the Redlegs return home to Great American Ball Park for 7 games vs the Yankees (3g) and Cardinals (4g)…on Fri vs NYY, the team will debut its new City Connect uniforms.
SERIES NOTES
- Last season the Rockies earned the 4-2 series win, including their first series sweep of the Reds since September 2010.
- Beginning in 2002 and with a minimum of 40 games, the Reds’ .338 winning percentage at Coors Field (22-43) is tied for their second-lowest at any current road ballpark in that span (Phi’s Citizens Bank Park, 21-43, .328; LA’s Dodger Stadium, 22-43, .338).
- The Reds’ 3-1 series win from 5/30-6/2, 2016 is their only series win at Coors Field since 8/27-8/29, 2012.
YANKEES UP NEXT…
- The Reds and Yankees this weekend at Great American Ball Park will meet for the first time since a 2-1 Reds series win last July at Yankee Stadium…will be Cin’s first ever home weekend series vs NYY.
- Will be former Red Aaron Boone’s first visit to GABP as Yankees manager.
- The Redlegs are 10-12 all-time vs NYY, including 4-4 at Great American Ball Park, and 4-3 in 7 season series.
- During the Yankees’ visit to Cincinnati on 6/3/2003, Hall of Famer Derek Jeter was named the team’s 11th captain.
- The teams met in 3 World Series, including Yankees wins in 1939 (4-0) and 1961 (4-1) and the Big Red Machine’s 4-0 sweep in 1976.
…FOLLOWED BY THE CARDINALS
- In 2022, the Cardinals won 12 of the 19 games and 5 of the 6 series.
- From 7/15-7/24 and surrounding the 2022 All-Star break, the Reds and Cardinals played 5 straight games for the first time since 9/7-9/11, 1962.
- From 9/15-9/18, 2022 at Busch Stadium, the Reds and Cardinals faced off in a 5-game series (3-2 Cardinals series win) for the first time since 7/25-7/27, 1958 (3-2 Reds series win).
- The Cardinals’ .506 winning percentage at Great American Ball Park (85-83) is the highest among NL Central Division opponents and seventh-highest of any National League team.
Tonight’s Pitcher – #21 Hunter Greene, RHP
- In just his second season, tonight is making his 33rd Major League appearance and start…will be his second career appearance and start vs the Rockies at Coors Field.
- Produced a career-high 29.0-inning homerless streak between home runs by Oneil Cruz on 3/30 vs Pit and Elvis Andrus on 5/5 vs WSox.
- This season has allowed just 4 HR in 8 starts 39.0 innings…all 4 homers were hit at Great American Ball Park.
- Through the first 8 starts of his 2022 rookie season allowed 12 home runs.
- Has been charged with 4 pitch timer violations, most recently on 5/10 vs NYM (Pete Alonso walked).
- 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.
- 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.
COLORADO ROCKIES NOTES:
WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING LATELY
- The Colorado Rockies continue their six-game homestand today with the first of three games against the Cincinnati Reds, their first time facing the NL Central opponent this season … dropped two of three to the Philadelphia Phillies to open the stretch at Coors Field.
- The Rockies dropped two of three to Philadelphia to begin the homestand, their first series loss in the month of May … the Rockies had won three-straight series entering this homestand after losing or splitting each of their first seven series of the season, a franchise record.
- The Rockies entered this homestand coming off a 4-2 road trip to New York and Pittsburgh, taking two of three in each stop.
- Following this series and an off-day on Thursday the Rockies will embark on a short three-game road trip to Texas to face the Rangers Friday-Sunday.
MAY FLOWERS
- The Rockies are off to an 8-4 start in May, a .667 winning percentage that is tied for the second-best mark in baseball this month trailing only the Dodgers (10-2, .833) … Colorado went 9-20 in April, their worst record in the month of April in franchise history.
- The Rockies have won nine of their last 13 and are 11-7 through their last 18 since April 24, a .611 winning percentage that is tied for the second-best mark in the NL over that span, trailing the Dodgers (14-4, .778) and tied with Arizona, Cincinnati and Atlanta.
- Colorado has posted a 3.57 team ERA (159.0 IP, 63 ER) over its last 18 games, the second-lowest mark in the NL over that span … Rockies starters have posted a 4.02 ERA (87.1 IP, 39 ER) with seven quality starts over this span after posting five quality starts over the first 23 games of the season.
- Relievers have posted a 3.01 ERA (71.2 IP, 24 ER) with 30 walks and 80 strikeouts since April 24, the sixth-lowest ERA in the Majors … have allowed just three home runs, tied for the second-fewest in the Majors over this span.
- Since April 24, Colorado hitters are slashing .266/.326/.410 with 14 home runs while going 49-for-150 (.327) with runners in scoring position which leads the NL and is second in the Majors during that span … in the first 23 games of the season through April 23, the Rockies slashed .256/.318/.392 with a .268 average with RISP.
THROW THE BALL
- Jake Bird leads all NL relievers with 27.0 innings and is second in the NL with 28 strikeouts out of the bullpen … has posted a 0.84 ERA (21.1 IP, 2 ER) with seven walks and 24 strikeouts over his last 14 appearances since April 11.
- Brent Suter’s 25.0 innings of relief are third in the Majors and second in the NL behind Bird … his 1.08 ERA (25.0 IP, 3 ER) is the lowest in the Majors among relievers with at least 20 innings pitched … it is also the fourth-lowest through a Rockies pitcher’s first 16 games (min. 15 IP) with the club, trailing Chuck McElroy’s 0.53 ERA in 1998, Jose Mesa’s 0.49 ERA in 2006 and John Axford’s 0.60 ERA in 2015.
CATCH THE BALL
- From Opening Day through the end of April, the Rockies’ 21 errors and 20 unearned runs were the most in the National League … since May 1, the Rockies have made three errors, tied for the second-fewest in Majors during that span … they have allowed just one unearned run in the month, also tied for the second-fewest unearned runs this month in the Majors.
- Rockies catchers have thrown out 13 of 32 attempted base stealers throughout the season, the most catcher caught stealings in the Majors and the second-best caught stealing percentage (47.2) behind Arizona (48.0%).
BLACK, WHITE & RED ALL OVER
- The Rockies swept the Reds the last time they visited Denver, April 29-May 1, 2022 … the Rockies are 68-44 overall against Cincinnati in Denver, winning nine of the last 13 meetings at Coors Field since 2018.
- Through 94 career games against the Reds, OF Kris Bryant is slashing .308/.407/.572 with 26 doubles, 23 home runs and 63 RBI, his most home runs and RBI against any single opponent in his career … has three multi-homer games against the Reds including a three-homer game on June 27, 2016 in Cincinnati.
ROCKIES STARTING PITCHER – #43 CONNOR SEABOLD RHP
STARTING THINGS OFF
- Laguna Hills, Calif., native is in his seventh professional season, his first with the Rockies organization.
- Selected by Baltimore in the 19th round of the 2014 First Year Player Draft but did not sign.
- Selected by Philadelphia in the third round of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft out of Cal. State Fullerton.
- On Aug. 21,2020 was traded by the Philadelphia Phillies with Nick Pivetta to the Boston Red Sox for Heath Hembree and Brandon Workman.
- Designated for assignment by Boston, Jan. 12, 2023 … acquired by Colorado via trade for cash considerations or a player to be named later, Jan. 17.
- Rated by Baseball America as having the best changeup in the Red Sox system in 2021 and best control in 2022 … also ranked by Baseball America as one of the Red Sox top prospects in 2021 (No. 11) and ‘22 (No. 21).
- Made his Major League debut with the Red Sox on Sept. 11, 2021 vs. Chicago-AL.
COLORADO CONNECTION
- Lived in Colorado for five years during his youth.
- During that stretch, he pitched once at Coors Field while attending Castle View High School in Castle Rock (less than an hour south of Denver) before moving back to California.
START YOUR ENGINES
- The Rockies have won each of his first two starts since joining the rotation the first week of May … has tossed five innings in each start, allowing four runs (3.60 ERA) with 10 hits, three walks and four strikeouts.
- Earned his first Major League win in his last start, last Tuesday at Pittsburgh … allowed one run on three hits with a career-high three walks and three strikeouts across five innings in the 10-1 Rockies win.
- Made his first start of the season May 4 vs. Milwaukee at Coors Field … did not factor into the Rockies’ 9-6, allowing three runs on seven hits with no walks and one strikeout in five innings … all three runs came on solo home runs … exited the game with the Rockies trailing 3-0 before Colorado scored four in the seventh and five in the eighth in the comeback win.
SEEING RED (OR BLACK)
- Has made one career start against the Reds, Sept. 21 of last season at Great American Ballpark as a member of the Red Sox … suffered the loss, allowing four runs on six hits across five innings in a 5-1 Boston defeat.Cincinnati Reds (18-22) at Colorado Rockies (17-24)
