MLB Preview: Colorado Rockies (29-47) at Cincinnati Reds (39-35)

COLORADO ROCKIES NOTES:

A LONG ROAD

• The Colorado Rockies conclude their 10-game, three-city road trip with the finale in Cincinnati today … this is the first of two 10-game road trips for the Rockies this season (also: Aug. 4-13).
• The Rockies suffered their seventh sweep of the season in Atlanta, their fifth on the road and their second in a four-game set (also: May 29-June 1 at Arizona) … marked their first time getting swept in Atlanta since July 29-Aug. 1, 2013.
• Since taking the first two games of the road trip at Fenway Park, the Rockies have lost seven in a row, their second losing streak of the season of as many games or more … would match a season-long eight-game losing streak (4/11-19) with a loss today … have lost 13 of their last 16 overall.
• The Rockies play their final game today in a stretch of 16-straight days with a game, and 33 games in 34 day overall from May 19-June 21 … are 10-22 through the first 32 games of this stretch.

BIG MAC

• 3B Ryan McMahon saw his career-high hitting streak end at 11 games last night … slashed .381/.480/.690 with two doubles, one triple, three home runs and six RBI over the streak … second-longest hitting streak for a Rockie this season trailing Randal Grichuck’s 12-game stretch April 29-May 15.
• Recorded the ninth multi-home run game of his career Sunday, his second on the road and his first since Sept. 8, 2022 vs. Arizona … his nine multi-home run games are the 12th most in franchise history, surpassing Ellis Burks with eight.
• McMahon has reached base in 25 of his last 27 with 12 multi-hit games since May 23 … is slashing .359/.455/.699 (37-for-103) with seven doubles, two triple, eight home runs, 23 RBI and 17 walks over that span … since May 23, is second in the Majors in OPS (1.154), OBP and slugging, ranks fifth in batting and slugging and is sixth in extra-base hits.
• On the season, McMahon’s 35 extra-base hits and his 20 doubles are both tied for the fifth-most in the National League.
• McMahon’s 2.7 WAR (Baseball Reference) leads all players with at least 50% of their games at third base this season … his 10 defensive runs saved are the second-most among third basemen.

THIS ‘N THAT

• The Rockies have allowed 18 home runs over their last six road games, the most in club history through six games on the same road trip … the Rockies are the first team since the Nationals Aug. 3-8, 2022 (18 HR) to allow at least 18 home runs through any six-game span … the Rockies’ record for any six-game span is 20 set May 4-10, 1999 and matched Aug. 28-Sept. 2, 2019.
• The Rockies’ three home runs last night matched a season-high in a road game set on May 7 at Citi Field and on Opening Day in San Diego.
• The Rockies .320 batting average on balls in play (BABIP) is tied with the Phillies for the second-highest in the Majors behind the Rangers (.325).
• OF Brenton Doyle swiped his 10th base of the season Thursday in Atlanta, six more than any other Rockie… he became the first Rockie in history to begin his career with 10 steals within his first 39 games with a plate appearance (44 games overall).

MR. JONES

• INF/OF Nolan Jones has reached base safely in a career-long 14 games, tied for the second-longest active streak in the Majors and tied for the longest in the NL … slashing .396/.508/.750 through this stretch … since his recall from Triple-A on May 26, is slashing .354/.436/.634 with eight doubles, five home runs, 14 RBI and five stolen bases.
• Last night, Jones fell a triple shy of the cycle, going 4-for-4 with two runs, two doubles, one home run, two RBI, one walk and one stolen base … became the eighth Major Leaguer in 2023 to record four hits with at least three of them falling for extra-bases and a stolen base in the same game … 10th Rockie (11th time) in history to match these numbers and the first since Michael Cuddyer on Sept. 1, 2013 vs. Cincinnati.
• Also became the first Rockie to reach base five times in a game since Brendan Rodgers and Randal Grichuk on Aug. 9. 2022.
• Slashing .375/.467/.656 in June, ranking fourth in the NL in OBP, tied for sixth in batting and sixth in slugging in the month.

D-FENCE

• Ryan McMahon’s 1.2 defensive WAR is tied for eighth-best in baseball, fifth-best in the NL (Baseball Reference) … Elias Díaz and Ezequiel Tovar are tied for seventh in the NL with a 1.1 dWAR … Díaz’ mark is the second-highest among catchers.
• Brenton Doyle’s outfield assist June 13 at Boston was recorded at 99.2 miles per hours via Statcast, the third-fastest throw on an outfield assist in the Majors this season … Doyle has three of the top six fastest throws among all outfields assists in MLB in 2023 … his four total outfield assists are tied for the third-most among Major League rookies.

CINCINNATI REDS NOTES:

TRANSACTIONS

• The Reds today recalled from Louisville RHP Alan Busenitz (#78)…selected from Louisville the contract of RHP Silvino Bracho (#69)…optioned to Louisville OF Stuart Fairchild…placed on the 15-day injured list RHP Casey Legumina (right shoulder pain).

VOTE REDS

• SS Matt McLain ranks fourth and 2B Jonathan India is 10th in updated All-Star Game voting…Phase 1 of the voting ends at noon ET tomorrow.
• The Top 2 at each infield position (and top 6 outfielders) in each league will be revealed at 6:00 p.m. tomorrow on MLB Network and will advance to the second phase of voting to determine the starters.
• Phase 2 begins at noon Monday and ends at noon Thursday, 6/29.
• All-Star Game starters will be announced on 6/29 at 7:00et on ESPN…full rosters will be announced at Sunday, 7/2 at 5:30et on ESPN.

RED HOTS

• 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’ 10-game winning streak is the longest active winning streak in the Major Leagues and their longest since a 10-game winning streak from 7/19-7/29, 2012…haven’t won more than 10 straight games since a 12-game winning streak from 4/30-5/12, 1957 that tied the 1939 modern club record.
• Reds baserunners in 62 attempts have scored 61 runs from second base on singles…both lead the Major Leagues.
• Reds batters ranks second in the Major Leagues with 78 stolen bases (TB 96), their highest total since 2019 (80sb)…recorded 58 stolen bases all last season…have been successful on 38 of their last 42 attempts, including 15 of their last 17 steal attempts.
• The Reds are coming off a 10-day, 8-1 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 starting time for the Reds’ game on Fri, 6/30 vs SD has been changed to 5:10 p.m. ET (from 7:10).

TODAY’S GAME

• Is Game 3 (2-0) of a 3-game series vs Shelby Cravens’ Rockies and Game 3 (2-0) of a 7-day homestand that includes tomorrow’s off day followed by a 3-game series vs the Braves.
• This afternoon the Reds are looking for their first series sweep of the Rockies since 6/11-6/13, 2021, also here at Great American Ball Park.
• Following this homestand the Reds travel to Baltimore for a brief 3-game series vs the Orioles before returning to Great American Ball Park for a 3-game series against the Padres, Cin’s last home series of the first half.

BRAVES UP NEXT

• The Braves lead this season’s series, 3-0, following their series sweep from 4/10-4/12 at Truist Park…was their first series sweep win over the Reds during the regular season since 4/25-4/27, 2014, also at Truist (3g). • The Reds are 25-26 vs Atl in the last 51 regular season games and went 4-3-1 in the previous 8 season series.

Today’s Pitcher – #41 Andrew Abbott, LHP

• This afternoon is making his fourth Major League appearance and start.
• 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.
• Has begun his career with 17.2 scoreless innings, a new club record since 1893….the previous team record was held Wayne Simpson, who in 1970 began his
  Major League career with 15.0 scoreless innings…@EliasSports.
• In the Expansion Era (since 1961), his 17.2-inning scoreless streak to begin his career is tied for the 16th-longest such streak among all Major League pitchers… Oak’s Brad Ziegler ranks first on that list, with 39.0 scoreless innings to begin his career in 2008.
• In the Expansion Era (since 1961), his 17.2-inning scoreless streak to begin his career is tied for the fourth-longest such streak among Major Leaguer starting pitchers (NYY’s Luis Gil, 18.2ip in 2021; Bos’ Vaughn Eshelman, 18.0ip in 1995; Bal’s Tom Phoebus, 18.0ip in 1966; Oak’s Vin Mazzaro, 17.2ip in 2009)…
• Is the first Reds pitcher to win each of his first 3 Major League starts since RHP Wayne Simpson did it from 4/9-4/19, 1970…only 2 Reds pitchers began their careers by winning a minimum of their first 4 Major League starts, Billy Rhines in 1890 (6-0) and Santo Alcala in 1976 (5-0).