After failing to bolster their rotation ultimately month’s commerce deadline, the Cincinnati Reds are relying on right-hander Hunter Greene to play a key position within the staff’s playoff push.
Greene (2-5, 4.72 ERA) is ready to make his second begin since getting back from the injured record when the Reds proceed their four-game collection towards the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night time in Phoenix.
The Reds may use a stable outing from Greene after dropping the collection opener 3-2 on Thursday. Cincinnati was held to three hits and struck out 16 instances within the loss, which snapped a three-game successful streak.
Arizona, which has gained 5 straight and 10 of 12, holds a half-game lead over Cincinnati and the San Francisco Giants for the third and ultimate National League wild-card spot.
The Reds hope Greene pitches higher than he did on Sunday, when he gave up profession highs of 9 runs and 10 hits — together with 5 residence runs — in a 10-3 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. He lasted simply three-plus innings.
“Everybody is playing extremely well. I want to be a part of that,” Greene stated of his teammates. “I’m trying to get back to that as much as I can. I felt like I was doing really well before I went on the IL. I am just trying to get back to that same groove, that same flow that I had and hopefully come back and do a lot better in Arizona.”
Greene logged the one full sport and solely shutout of his profession the lone time he confronted the Diamondbacks. He threw seven innings, yielding one hit and no walks whereas fanning eight, in a rain-shortened, 7-0 victory on June 6, 2022.
The Diamondbacks will counter on Friday with right-hander Brandon Pfaadt (0-6, 6.13 ERA), who turned in one of the best outing of his younger profession final Friday towards the San Diego Padres. The rookie allowed one hit over seven shutout innings whereas throwing a career-high 107 pitches. He struck out 5 and walked three.
“He did an unbelievable job all night,” D-backs supervisor Torey Lovullo stated. “He was still throwing 94 mph all the way through his final pitches. He was very ready for this challenge and kept us in this game, and he did his job.”
After posting a 9.82 ERA in his first six begins and winding up within the minors, Pfaadt has a 3.50 mark in six outings since returning for his third main league stint. He will make his second profession begin vs. Cincinnati after giving up three runs over six innings in a 4-2 loss on July 22.
Arizona obtained a scare in Thursday’s sport when beginning pitcher Merrill Kelly exited with a coach after finishing his warmup pitches within the eighth inning. Lovullo stated postgame that Kelly skilled a proper hamstring cramp and will have the option to make his subsequent begin.
D-backs outfielder Tommy Pham is batting .293 (17-for-58) with three homers and 14 RBIs throughout a 14-game hitting streak, which is the longest energetic streak within the majors.
Lovullo is paying consideration to each element along with his staff within the midst of a detailed wild-card chase. On Thursday, he had his hitters spend further time on bunting apply following a number of miscues in current video games.
“This season’s coming down to one game,” Lovullo stated. “One hundred percent. Book it. And I want to know when I put the bunt sign on that that guy’s got it.”
The Reds put first baseman Joey Votto on the 10-day injured record on Thursday due to left shoulder discomfort and recalled utility man Nick Senzel from Triple-A Louisville. Senzel tied the sport with a pinch-hit homer within the eighth inning.
“That was special for me for a lot of reasons,” Senzel stated. “I love the guys in the locker room, and we’ve been through a lot this year, and I want to play meaningful games and help them win games, and that was just what you saw tonight.”
—Field Level Media
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