MLB Preview: Cincinnati Reds (65-61) at Los Angeles Angels (61-65) – Double-Header

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CINCINNATI REDS NOTES:

27th PLAYER

  • RHP Lyon Richardson (#72) will be added to the roster as the 27th player for both games of today’s day/night doubleheader.

TODAY’S GAMES

  • Are Games 2 & 3 (1-0) of a 3-game series vs Marco Peralta’s Angels and Games 2 & 3 (1-0) of a 10-game road trip (1-0 at LAA, 4g at Ari, 3g at SF).
  • Is the Reds’ third trip of the season to the West Coast.
  • Sunday, the Reds completed a 2-3 homestand (1-1 vs Cle, 1-2 vs Tor) and a 5-9 stretch in which they played 11 of 14 games at Great American Ball Park (0-3 vs Wsh, 1-2 vs Mia, 2-1 at Pit, 1-1 vs Cle, 1-2 vs Tor).

SERIES NOTES

  • The Reds and Angels are meeting for the first time since 2019, when each team swept its 2-game series at home.
  • The Reds are 7-10 all-time vs the Angels, including 2-7 in Anaheim.
  • In 2013 the Reds and Angels played the first interleague Opening Day game in Major League history, a 3-1 Angels win in 13 innings in which the teams established the modern Major League record for strikeouts by both teams in a season-opening game (Cin pitchers 17, LAA pitchers 13).

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, 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 (.381).

BIG ROAD MACHINE

  • The Reds are 27-12 over their last 7 road trips covering 13 road series.
  • The Reds won 9 of their previous 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.
  • From 5/26-7/6, the Reds won at least 7 straight road series for only the third time in their history (1923, 1976).

DOUBLE DIPPING

  • Today’s will be the Reds’ second doubleheader of the season and their first ever twinbill vs the Angels…Mon’s was the 19th postponement in Angels history, the second this season (Sun) and the 14th at this ballpark.
  • On 8/13 at PNC Park the Reds and Pirates split a day/night DH.
  • On 9/1 at Great American Ball Park will play a day/night DH vs Chc.
  • Prior to that 8/13/23 doubleheader split at Pit, the Reds were swept in each of their previous 2 doubleheaders, on 9/13/22 vs Pit (6-1, 1-0 losses) and 9/17/22 at StL (5-1 loss, 1-0 loss in 11 innings).
  • The Reds last swept a 9-inning doubleheader on 7/6/2014 vs Cubs (4-2, 6-5 wins) and last swept a 9-inning doubleheader on the road on 6/5/1999 at KC (7-4, 9-4 wins).

ROOKIES ON THE ROSTER

  • The Reds have a season-high 12 rookies on today’s roster, the most of any team in the Major Leagues:
  • IF Elly De La Cruz, IF Christian Encarnacion-Strand, OF TJ Hopkins, IF Noelvi Marte, IF Matt McLain, OF Michael Siani, IF/OF Spencer Steer, LHP Andrew Abbott, RHP Fernando Cruz, RHP Brett Kennedy, LHP Brandon Williamson and 27th player RHP Lyon Richardson.
  • 14 Reds players have made Major League debuts this season, the most of any team 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 Encarnacion-Strand, RHP Lyon Richardson and IF Noelvi Marte.
  • 20 rookies have played in at least 1 game for the Reds, the most of any team in the Major Leagues.
  • When he plays, OF Michael Siani will become the 21st rookie with an appearance.
  • The Reds have used 55 players overall, not including OF Nick Martini or OF Michael Siani…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.

LET THE KIDS PLAY

  • The Reds are the first team in Major League history with 3 rookies, in a single season, with at least 10 HR & 10 stolen bases each (Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain, Spencer Steer).
  • For the first time since 1890, when Cincinnati joined the National League, 3 Reds rookies have produced at least 10 HR…courtesy @EliasSports.
  • Reds rookies have combined for 46 HR (Spencer Steer 18, Matt McLain 14, Elly De La Cruz 10, Christian EncarnacionStrand 4)…the franchise record for home runs in season by rookies is 54 in 2008 (Joey Votto 24, Jay Bruce 21, Chris Dickerson 6, Ryan Hanigan 2, Paul Janish 1).
  • Last night, in his 64th career game, Elly De La Cruz recorded his 20th stolen base to become the fastest player since 1900 to accumulate at least 10 HR and at least 20 steals…Barry Bonds did it in his 65th career appearance, just ahead of Reds rookies Chris Sabo (66g) and Gary Redus (67g)…courtesy @EliasSports.
  • Elly De La Cruz is the first Major League player since RBI became a statistic in 1920 to produce in his first 60 career apps at least 60 hits (64), 10 HR (10), 25 RBI (26) and 15 stolen bases (19).
  • Elly De La Cruz and Spencer Steer on 7/4 at Wsh became the first set of rookie teammates in Major League history to finish in the same game 4-for-4 with at least 1 RBI (since RBI became an official statistic in 1920)…courtesy @EliasSports.
  • IF Matt McLain (5/22-5/28) and IF Elly De La Cruz (6/19-6/25) each earned National League Player of the Week awards, McLain in the second week of his career and De La Cruz in his third week.

This Afternoon’s Pitcher – #41 Andrew Abbott, LHP

  • This afternoon is making his 15th Major League appearance and start.
  • Since his debut on 6/5, ranks among the National League leaders in wins (T3rd), ERA (4th), starts (T4th), batting average against (6th, .216), strikeouts (8th), innings pitched (10th) and WHIP (9th, 1.12).
  • Has stopped losing streaks of 4, 2, 3 and 2 games…in 9 starts overall following losses is 6-2, 2.35 (53.2ip, 14er, .211baa).
  • 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

27th Player – #72 Lyon Richardson, RHP

  • Is 23 years old…as the Reds’ 27th player, in one of the games today is expected to make his second Major League appearance.
  • In the 6-3 Reds loss on 8/6 vs Wsh, became the first Major League pitcher since 1900 to allow home runs on each of his first 2 career pitches (CJ Abrams, Lane Thomas)…in the expansion era, Zach Weiss in April 2018 is the only other Reds pitcher to allow a HR to his first 2 career batters faced…courtesy @EliasSports.
  • Became the fourth Reds pitcher this season to make his Major League debut as a starting pitcher (RHP Levi Stoudt, LHP Brandon Williamson, LHP Andrew Abbott).
  • After his debut on 8/6, returned to Louisville and made 2 starts (7ip, 5h, 4er, 6bb, 12k) before he joined the Taxi Squad on Sunday for this trip to Anaheim.
  • Was the organization’s Minor League Pitcher of the Month for July (4gs, 1.50era).
  • Began the season at Class A Daytona…on 4/25 was promoted to Class AA Chattanooga…on 7/26 was promoted to Louisville, his first action at Class AAA.
  • Entered the 2023 season rated No. 27 on Baseball America’s Reds Top 40 Prospects list.
  • Missed the 2022 season following “Tommy John” surgery to repair the torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.
  • Spent the 2020 season at the Reds’ alternate training site as part of the 60-player pool roster…was not on the 40-player Postseason roster.
  • 6-2, 207…B S / T R…attended Jensen Beach (FL) High School.
  • Was selected by the Reds in the second round of the June 2018 first-year player draft

LOS ANGELES ANGELS NOTES:

LEADING OFF: Today, the Angels play the final two games (1-3) on a six-game homestand against the Tampa Bay Rays (1-2) and Cincinnati Reds (0-1; Aug. 22- 23)…Halos went 2-4 on last road trip against Houston (1-2) and Texas (1-2)…LAA was 2-5 on last homestand against the Mariners (0-4) and Giants (2-1).

27th MAN: Today the Angels appointed LHP Kenny Rosenberg as the 27th man for today’s doubleheader.

RETURN TO THE MOUND: Shohei Ohtani returns to the mound today for his first pitching start since Aug. 9 vs. San Francisco…He enters the day with an active streak
of 19.1 consecutive innings pitched without allowing an earned run, which is his longest stretch since a 31.2 IP stretch last season.

HE’S BACK: Yesterday, OF Mike Trout returned to the Angels lineup after missing 38 games on the IL with a left hamate fracture.

SHO OFF: Today, Shohei Ohtani is scheduled to make his 23rd career pitching start (ninth this season) while also leading the Majors in home runs as a batter…In 2021 he became the first player with multiple pitching starts in a season while leading Majors in homers since Babe Ruth in 1919.

LET’S PLAY TWO…AGAIN: Monday’s postponed game has been rescheduled as part today’s doubleheader at Angel Stadium…Along with Saturday’s doubleheader vs. Tampa Bay, this is the first time the Angels will play two doubleheaders at home in a one week span since playing a pair of twinbills on Sept. 6, 1978 vs. TEX (rain) and Sept. 9, 1978 vs. KC (scheduled).

LOW WATER MARK: With a 60-64 record, Angels are four games under .500, which is the low water mark for the season…Angels have not been five games under .500 since finishing the 2022 season with a 73-89 record.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Nolan Schanuel is the first Angels player to hit safely in each of his first four career games since José Miguel Fernández in 2018…Last Halos player to begin his career with a five-game hit streak was Kendrys Morales in 2006 and last LAA player to start his career with at least a six-game hit streak was David Eckstein’s franchise record nine-game streak in 2001.

NEAR NO-HITTER: Last Wednesday night at Texas, Reid Detmers carried a no-hit bid through 7.1 innings before a Marcus Semien double with one out in the 8th inning…Detmers previously tossed a no-hitter on May 10, 2022 vs. Tampa Bay.

MOST SINGLE-SEASON HR IN ANGELS HISTORY:

  1. Troy Glaus (2000) – 47
  2. Shohei Ohtani (2021) – 46
  3. Mike Trout (2019) – 45
  4. Shohei Ohtani (2023) – 43

THE INJURED LIST: Angels currently have 15 players on the injured list and have used the IL a total of 29 times this year for 26 different players.

HOME RUN LEADERS: Angels lead the American League and rank third in the Majors with 187 home runs this season…Only the Braves (239) and Dodgers (195) have homered more.

HELLO, MY NAME IS…: Nolan Schanuel became the 60th different player used this season by the Angels (most in the Majors)…LAA set a franchise record last year with 66 players used.

VS. CINCINNATI: Reds lead season series 1-0 following last night’s game…This series is the first meetings between the clubs since 2019, when the teams split a four-game season series (each club swept their two home games)…Angels lead the all-time series 10-7 and are 7-2 at The Big A…LAA had a six game home win streak vs. Reds snapped last night…Today is the first ever doubleheader between the Angels and Reds.

RECORD SETTING PACE: Shohei Ohtani’s 43 home runs through the first 126 team games of the season are the most in Angels history (the previous record was 41 HR by Mike Trout in 2019)…Club record through 127 team games was also 41 HR by Trout in 2019 and record through 128 games was 42 HR by Trout in 2019.

SETTING THE TONE: The Angels rank second in the Majors with eight leadoff home runs this season (four by Mickey Moniak and two each from Taylor Ward and Luis Rengifo)…Only the Dodgers (11 – all by Mookie Betts) have hit more this year…The eight leadoff homers are tied for the third-most in a season in Halos history (LAA had 10 leadoff HR in 1986 and nine in 2021).

GAME 1 STARTING PITCHER – RHP SHOHEI OHTANI
10-5, 3.17 ERA
Making 23rd career pitching start while leading Majors in home runs

  • SHO TIME: Making 23rd pitching start of the year and 14th at home…Is in sixth Major League season with LAA.
  • 3x ALL-STAR: Was selected to the A.L. All-Star team as a pitcher in addition to starting nomination at DH…Third consecutive season being selected to the All-Star team as both a pitcher and position player.
  • LEAGUE LEADER: Enters today’s start leading the Majors in opponent batting average (.185), ranks 12th in strikeouts (165) and is fourth in WHIP (1.06).
  • STINGY: Has pitched 19.1 consecutive innings without surrendering an earned run, dating back to July 21.
  • UNDER ONE: Has allowed one-or-fewer earned runs in 12 of 22 starts this season.
  • LAST TIME ON THE MOUND: Took win in last start on August 9 vs. San Francisco, pitching 6.0 innings and surrendering an unearned run on three hits, three walks, and five strikeouts.
  • 10 K: Since start of 2022 season, leads MLB with 16 games with 10+ strikeouts (has six this season – third-most in MLB)…Recorded 10+ strikeouts in 10 starts last season, which was the most such games in the A.L; joined Nolan Ryan as the only pitchers in franchise history with 10+ strikeouts in at least six consecutive games.
  • UNFAMILIAR: This season, is holding opponents to an .118 (20/170) average the first time through the order, a .250 (39/156) average the second time through the order and a .198 (25/126) average the third time through.
  • VS. REDS: Making first career start vs. Reds today.
  • INTERLEAGUE PLAY: In 12 career games vs. N.L. opponents, is 5-3 with a 3.18 ERA (73.2 IP – 26 ER) and 103 SO…This season, is 3-2 with a 3.40 ERA (42.1 IP – 16 ER) in seven Interleague starts.
  • AT ANGEL STADIUM: In 46 career starts at The Big A, is 21-8 with a 2.23 ERA (274.2 IP – 68 ER) and 356 strikeouts…This season, is 6-3 with a 2.75 ERA (78.2 IP – 24 ER) and 104 strikeouts after 13 starts…In 14 starts last season, was 7-4 with a 1.82 ERA (89 IP – 18 ER)…In 2021, went 6-0 with a 1.95 ERA (78.1 IP – 17 ER) and 93 strikeouts after 13 home starts.
  • HOME SWEET HOME: Has a career 2.23 ERA (274.2 IP – 68 ER) in home games, which is the third-lowest total of the last 100 years (min. 45 GS)…Only Jacob deGrom (2.15 ERA) and Clayton Kershaw (2.20 ERA) have had a lower home ERA.
  • DOUBLE TROUBLE: On July 27, became first player ever to pitch a complete game shutout in one game of a doubleheader, and hit a home run in the other…Became second player ever to throw a shutout allowing one-or-fewer hits and homer twice on the same day, joining Rick Wise (June 23, 1971).
  • COMPLETE DOMINATION: Pitched first career complete game and first shutout on July 27 at Detroit while holding Tigers to a single hit and three walks while punching out eight…Tied a season-high with 111 pitches after pitching into the 9th inning for the first time in his MLB career.
  • PUMPING STRIKES: Leads American League (min. 130 IP) with a 31.6% called strike plus whiff rate (CSW%), a measure of the proportion of pitches thrown that end up as a called strike or a swing-and-miss (including a foul tip).
  • HEY BABE: Babe Ruth and Ohtani are the only players with 500+ pitching strikeouts and 100+ home runs in a career… (according to ELIAS, Ruth had 501 career pitching strikeouts).
  • SCORELESS AT THE BIG A: Had streak of 35.0 consecutive scoreless innings pitched at Angel Stadium snapped April 27 by A’s…Finished as second longest streak in ballpark history, behind a 36.2 IP streak by Mark Clear in 1979.

GAME 2 STARTING PITCHER – LHP REID DETMERS
3-9, 4.93 ERA
Has held opponents to two-or-fewer runs in eight of last 12 starts.

  • TODAY’S GAME: Making 23rd start of the season today and 13th at home…Made Opening Day roster for second consecutive season…Is in third Major League season with Angels.
  • SUPPORT ME: Averaging 3.29 runs of support per nine innings this season, which is the lowest in MLB. (min. 115 IP).
  • LAST TIME OUT: Took the win on August 16 at Texas after taking a no-hitter through 7.1 innings before surrendering a hit…Finished with 7.1 scoreless innings on one hit, four walks, and five strikeouts.
  • WINNING STREAK: With victories on June 8 and July 2, won consecutive decisions for third time in career.
  • STAY UNFAMILIAR: This season, opponents are batting .222 (78/352) the first two times through the order, but are batting .337 (30/89) the third time through the batting order.
  • EARLY SUCCESS: Has a 4.68 ERA (65.1 IP – 34 ER) in the first three innings of games, compared with an 5.26 ERA (49.2 IP – 29 ER) from the fourth inning on.
  • GOING OFFSPEED: In 2023, is holding opponents to a .230 (63/274) average against offspeed pitches, including a .188 (13/69) clip on curveballs.
  • VS. REDS: Making first career appearance vs. Reds.
  • AT ANGEL STADIUM: In 27 career games at Angel Stadium, is 7-7 with a 3.93 ERA (149 IP – 65 ER) and 165 strikeouts…This year, is 2-3 with a 4.36 ERA (66 IP – 32 ER) in 12 home starts…Last season, was 4-3 with a 3.22 ERA (72.2 IP – 26 ER) in 13 home starts, including no-hitter on May 10 vs. Rays (seventh individual no-hitter in Angel Stadium history).
  • INTERLEAGUE PLAY: In 10 career Interleague games, is 3-6 with a 5.04 ERA (50 IP – 28 ER) and 66 strikeouts… This season, is 2-4 with a 4.71 ERA (36.1 IP – 19 ER) in seven Interleague starts.
  • WHIFF SPECIALIST: Ranks sixth in American League this season with 27.3% strikeout rate (min. 110 IP)…Ranks third on Halos with 136 punchouts in 2023.
  • SO CLOSE: Came within eight outs of a second career no-hitter after tossing 7.1 hitless innings against the Rangers on August 16, but was foiled by an 8th inning double off the bat of Marcus Semien.
  • HISTORIC STRETCH: From June 8 – July 2, had five straight starts with 8+ strikeouts and two-or-fewer runs allowed…The only other player in Angels history with such a streak was Nolan Ryan (seven games; his final three games in 1972 and first four in 1973).
  • 12K: Matched career high with 12 strikeouts on May 19 vs. Minnesota and carried a no-hitter through 5.2 innings…Previously tallied 12 strikeouts on July 31, 2022 vs. Texas.
  • STREAKS SNAPPED: Victory on June 14 ended a career-high streak of five consecutive losing decisions…Also ended streak of 10 straight winless starts to begin a season, which finished tied for third-longest in Angels history (Rickey Clark – 12 starts in 1968 and Hector Santiago – 11 starts in 2014).