Tyler Stephenson RETUNS to Cincinnati Reds in MUST SWEEP Series vs New York Mets | MLB Playoff Chase

Tyler Stephenson RETUNS to Cincinnati Reds in MUST SWEEP Series vs New York Mets | MLB Playoff Chase

Ground ball. Mlan second. 12 in a row. The oldest team in professional baseball has its fifth ever winning streak of a dozen straight. Our job every day is to try to kick somebody’s ass. I mean, that’s why we’re here. You don’t choose this life. It chooses you. Cincinnati Reds, heartbreaking hope in one jersey. Let’s talk about it. Every April starts fresh. We believe again. Young guns on the rise. Filling hop in the win. But by June, we slipping. Watch the season decay. And by August, I’m just praying we don’t fade away. They say next year, man, I’ve heard that for life. Like a broken record echoing through Queen City nights. They trade our stars. Keep pinching those dimes. Rebuild on repeat like it’s stuck in rewind. Still I show up. Red hat on my dome. Walking in the GABP like it’s my home. Even when they lose, I ain’t losing my soul. Cuz this team, this pain, it’s what makes me whole. Yeah, it sucks to be a Reds fan. I won’t lie. But I stay loyal even when the hoe runs dry. From Dorado, from Ellie to Mlan, I’ll be in that crowd singing through the rain. You can laugh, you can joke, you can call us curs, but I wear that red proud. For better or worse, I don’t switch, I don’t quit, I don’t hang my head cuz I’m red. Till I’m dead. Till I’m dead. I remember Griffy and center. That sweet left swing back when the city thought we might win a ring. Now it’s budget ball. Cut corners, trim hopes. Selling dreams every season like it’s part of the joke. But this ain’t just baseball, it’s bloodline deep. My granddad wore red, now it’s passed down to me. Through the highs, through the lows, we still in the fight. We don’t chase easy, we built for night. I seen heartbreaking, nine innings flat. I seen a no hit or wasted. Yeah, imagine that. But we keep riding. We don’t turn away. Since he faithful, stay loud. Even when skies gray. Yeah, sucks to be a Reds fan. That’s real. But I’d rather hurt with pride than fake what I feel. Don’t get it. This pain, this pride is the reason we show up. Even when dreams die. Laugh now, will rise when it’s least expected. Cuz loyalty like this can’t be neglected. I don’t switch. I don’t quit. I don’t hang my head cuz I’m red till I’m dead. Red till I’m dead. R E D S. Yeah, we go through stress, but we love this team. Through the winds, through the mess. From the bleaches to the streets. It’s a city that rests. Ain’t no love like this. No regrets, no steps. You ever love something that keeps letting you down. Still standing tall while the world calls you a clown. That’s Red’s life is scars and pride. It’s the fire in our chest that never dies. So keep the fake fans. We don’t need your cheers. We’ve been riding in the dark for a hundred years. And when the day comes that we rise again, we’ll remember who stayed, not just who pretend. Yeah, it sucks to be a Reds fan, but I ain’t ashamed. This love runs deeper than just wins in a game. No matter the record, the losses they spread. I’m dead. Yeah, I’m dead. [Music] Head center field going back at the track. It’s gone. Joey B is delivered. Welcome in, Reds fans. Season’s not over yet, everyone. Season’s not over, as much as we think it might be. Uh, we still got a great chance here with the Mets. Welcome to the Chatterbots Reds pregame show. Today is September 5th, and like I said, we play the Mets, and my name is Mike Hart, and we’re here with the pregame show with my man Ricky Logan. How are you doing today, Ricky? Doing well. Happy Friday. Uh season’s not dead. Uh let’s go get it. Yeah, I uh it’s really uh we’re still here. We’re still going to be bringing you content. We’re still willing to uh put our uh put our hopes in this team that’s hurt us back over and over and over again. So, uh we’re we’re thankful that everyone who’s here is here. We’re thankful for that. Please drop a like and subscribe if you can. uh it helps get this out to more Reds fans that want to commiserate with what we’re having to go through right now. But um yeah, let’s uh let’s get right into the news. Uh as you can see, initially we have some good news. Uh Tyler Stevenson’s back in the lineup. Um once again, uh was on the IIL for uh uh I think it was either a fracture or a bruise on his thumb, his catching thumb that uh hampered him. He went to uh Louisville and hit very well. Do you have his Do you I know he at least hit a home run, but in his Yeah, he hit a home run in his first uh plate appearance back. That’s great. So, you know, looks like he uh can potentially help this offensive team, this team offensively, especially against left-handed pitching, which uh has we’ve struggled against throughout this year. But, yeah, it’s good to have somebody like that back. I’m glad that he um was uh was brought up. Obviously, the corresponding move move was Will Bamfield, who was sent back down, um, which was expected, but, um, it’s good to see him in the lineup. It’s good to see him as the catcher. That means they they kind of trust him enough to be able to go out there and at least tolerate the pain, but be a catcher. So, uh, Ricky, what are your thoughts on on Tyler Stevenson coming back? Yeah, I’m glad he’s back. He adds another potential power bat to the lineup. uh good catching uh and kind of gives more flexibility in the lineup and gives Trevvinho a much needed break and we also don’t have to worry about a Will Banfield bunt. Yeah, there’s that aspect too. Having two catchers that you feel relatively confident can at least handle the bat a little bit. We’ve seen obviously ups and downs from both of them, but you know, we’ve seen Trovinho have three hit games and and to be honest, I think they’re at their best when they’re splitting time, right? when they’re not worn down by having to catch multiple games and things like that like we’ve seen Trevino have to do. Uh so if they’re able to, you know, get get times together, I I I like the production that we should be able to get out of our catching position if uh if that’s the case, if we can have a a split, maybe a 6040 split with Stevenson and uh Trevvinho. But yeah, it’s uh I’m I’m glad that he’s back. Um, but there’s another notable absence from this lineup and it’s not Joseé Trevino and it’s Sal Stewart. So, the the rookie that was raking in Louisville that as they brought him up, they said, “We bringing him up to play every day has now sat two games in a row. He basically got two games to play.” And I don’t know if it was Tito was like, “Uh, you know, uh, two for two for eight, not good enough. Sorry, we’re going back to steer or what, but it’s pretty pretty disappointing not to see somebody, especially in a team that has struggled offensively to uh not go after it offensively and and seem like it’s, you know, kind of Tito falling back on to what he feels comfortable with. And that’s Spencer Steer at first base, whether he’s injured or not or Miguel Anduhar back at DH whe whether he’s injured or not. I’m not saying that these guys can’t help us against left-handed pitching. But what I am saying is that, you know, we need all the help we can get offensively, especially against this Mets team that rakes, right? Uh, and to then go back on what you said you were going to do, call him up and then sit him on the bench doesn’t feel like it’s helping anybody, right? Um, so I guess what are your thoughts on South Stewart not being a part of this uh a part of this lineup? Yeah, it’s kind of shocking uh just looking at uh Sal Stewart’s numbers versus lefties this year in the minors compared to Spencer Steer who we he we would expect to be his they would be in the swap with Kebran Hayes playing third. Uh in 123 played appearances versus lefties this year in the minors. South Stewart’s uh slashing 311 415 553. That’s a 968 OPS with 15 extra base hits. Spencer Steer in 119 played appearances versus left-handed pitchings. 216 269 278 up to 647 OPS with 10 extra base hits. I I I guess I understand it if you’re going to say just defensively you’re worried about him defensively just because Steer has had a pretty good year defensively at first base, but I mean he’s your top prospect. It reminds me a lot of Jose Barrero when they brought him up and he was, you know, blocked at shortstop by Kyle Farmer. And I’m not comparing the two players talent-wise or skill-wise or anything, but you know, Jose Barrera was your number one prospect. Had pretty good, you know, pretty good numbers in Triple A before he got called up and he just sat. And I I don’t want to see that happen with South Stewart just because he’s so talented and he’s got a really good eye for the plate and he’s got a lot of power which this lineup desperately needs. So I I I’m just I’m puzzled by it. Yeah. I don’t think you’re saying that South Stewart’s going to become Barrerero, but the situation is is eerily similar. And it’s it’s it’s just unfortunate because what I can this is what I think the mindset for Tito is in this game. Andrew Abbott obviously, you know, you know, has pitched well, but often pitches to contact. So, you’re going to have a lot of potential plays within the infield. And so with that being the case, right, you’re going to uh have a bunch of plays where South Stewart may need to make a play or may need to be involved in the play a lot less than say somebody like Hunter Green when he’s pitching, right, who’s going to strike out half the batters that he sees. So I understand that aspect of it. I just I don’t agree with it. Well, I don’t agree with sacrificing your offensive output for defensive uh for defensive clarity or defensive upgrades, right? I understand Spencer Steer is a better first baseman than Sal Stewart, but Sal Stewart gives you an offensive upside that maybe only two or three other people in this lineup give you. And that’s what we’re going to need if we’re going to sweep the Mets, which we need to do being five games back with 22 games left. we have to sweep the Mets if we’re going to stay in this in this race. It’s like you need offensive output. You need to take some swings. What’s the worst that could happen? The worst that could happen is uh you go for it and you don’t get it. But that’s, you know, that’s going to leave us at the same outcome as if you turtle up and and go safe and go back to what you think is is uh you know, what you think is going to be uh you know, what what you enjoy or what you prefer. It’s just like we have to we’re at the point now where we’ve run out of time to start playing and safe. We need to start doing we taking some risks. We need to start doing some things that may have downside but are going to give us the biggest upside to win these games. And no South Stewart in there really just to me shows that Tito’s not willing to do that. And that’s that’s frustrating. I uh you know I’ve I’ve tried my best to not be super on the hey I can’t stand this guy. I totally understand that there’s an aspect of baseball that we don’t even see the way he handles players and things like that. I understand that Tito has, you know, has been praised by many, many, many of his former players for how well he does that. But when it comes to, hey, we need to put the pedal down and we need to to win, uh, it it doesn’t seem like he’s given us the best shot. I think our best shot to have the ceiling to go out and get a win here against a team that we desperately need to beat. Uh, and we we don’t we don’t do that offensively and that that’s what’s frustrating to me. Uh, Ricky, I don’t know if if you have thoughts on this as well. I just I I just really wish that we could you we bring this guy up and say that we’re going to play him and then we don’t play him. I don’t know like what I don’t understand why we’re doing that. Yeah. It’s like would you rather fail while going for it or fail while not trying? It’s like I’d rather fail while going for it because at least you’re saying like, “Hey, we put our best players out on the field. They gave 100% and we just came up short instead of going, well, these guys have gotten us this far. Let’s just stick with these guys. And I just don’t like that approach. Yeah, I’m seeing Yeah. S batting 222. He’s had played he started two games. It’s just like give up on Yeah. For us to give up on a guy that was 10 home runs and 64 at bats in AAA. Obviously AAA pitching not as good as the big leagues, but but let’s, you know, let’s at least try. You don’t know what he has. try. You know, this team is desperately needing power. The the Mets hit home runs. I think they might have broken their team record for most home runs hit in a month in August. These guys hit the ball out of the ballpark. We are going to need to do that as well. And I understand that, you know, maybe S isn’t the savior, but why not try? you know, uh, instead we’re going to play Spencer Steer, who is still battling an injury and hasn’t, you know, hasn’t been, we kind of know what his upside is. Uh, you know, I I don’t I don’t hate Spencer Ste. I don’t want people to think that I dislike Spencer Ste. I just think the upside with South Stewart. We like we’re at the point where we got to start hitting. We got to start hitting at the blackjack table when we wouldn’t we wouldn’t normally be doing that because it’s just we have to win. We It’s like we we don’t have any more uh Oh, we just didn’t quite have it today. We have to win every single one of these games. So, anyway, it you know, I I don’t uh you know, that’s my thoughts on it. You know, we we we just need to I in my opinion, putting the best upside in the lineup for a series like this is where we have to go. And obviously, Tito disagrees. Yeah, you couldn’t say it better myself. All right. Well, uh, you know, we could we can, uh, continue to go off about this. I, you know, I there’s there’s lots of things that where we could go in there. Uh, you know, I don’t mean to dump on Spencer Steer. I obvious Spencer Steer. I think he’s probably the obvious most obvious place that you could put him. Uh, you know, there’s also, you know, second base. I know Matt Mlan has been uh p hitting well. Obviously, the problem is the places where you would want to mix or match him. uh you know, third base Hayes, he’s been arguably your hottest hitter behind Noelie Marte. Matt Mlan, he’s actually been hitting pretty well the past couple days. Uh then there’s, you know, Austin Hayes, maybe you uh move in Doohar to left field or Spencer Steer to left field and then you play um uh South Stewart at the DH. So, these are all spots where you could play Sal Stewart, but you know, taking Austin Hayes out or and Duhar out is, you know, we’ve been able to um you know, they’re they’re all hitting well right now. So, it it’s I understand why it’s tough and Spencer just you know, he’s he can go out there and prove me wrong and go hit a home run and and uh make a great scoop at first base, but but I just I think that there we should be going for some upside here. So, it’s like I I understand that, you know, the thinking behind why they’re keeping people in, but it’s just like if we bring this guy up to be the spark plug to beat offense that we’re going to need, uh, you know, I think we should play him. That’s my That’s my thought. So, um, let’s talk through this lineup that’s going to be facing the Mets here. Uh, it looks pretty similar to things that we’ve seen against left-handed pitchy pitching. Ricky, do you want to talk through this? Walk through this. Yeah. Um, we got the normal TJ Fredel center field leading off. Uh, he’s betting 310 over his last seven games with seven walks and a home run. He had that really good, uh, clutch hit versus the Blue Jays in the second game of the series. No Mart 281, two home runs, 906 OPS over his last seven. Elliot de la Cruz a short stop batting third. Um, I don’t know if you want to if you want to go into him, but just 42 strikeouts, six walks, 217 average, 570 OPS in his last seven last 30 games. Uh, he just had five extra base hits in in August, and he’s hitting 154 in September. So, I I I give him a day off or something. I I just feel like he just needs to reset. Um, Miguel Landuhar, uh, dhing. He’s hitting .369 uh with a 1031 OPS with three home runs and six doubles in a in August and that was 65 at bats. Austin Hayes, he was three for 14 in the Blue Jay series. Spencer Seir, uh 304 and 907 OPS over his last seven games. He does have a home run versus the Mets starting pitcher. And Tyler Stevenson first game back. It’s good to see. And uh KBrian Hayes hit 256 in his first month as a Red with eight extra base hits and nine walks. And Matt Mlan is uh 391 batting 391 over his last seven games, two home runs with a one 1.136 OPS in September and has and he has a sevename hitting streak. So that’s good to see just seen him getting going. Hopefully he can get get hot and then maybe we can get some some runs going and just just get we need we need something. We just need a spark in this offense just to just to do something because I I think I saw a stat in the uh Blue Jays series. We had what n two back-to-back games with nine runs and a loss and that was like the third time it’s happened in franchise history. Like that’s that’s brutal. Yeah. And and you know, we talk about this offense because I think more often than not this year, the offense is what’s failed the Reds, right? It’s, you know, whether it’s a string of one- nothing losses, whether it was the countless number of games where uh it the the pitching gave you the right amount, you know, three, two, three win runs and and then we couldn’t score. So, I think that’s part of the reason why you’re right, the offense has pitched or has hit pretty well, especially against the Blue Jays and the pitching failed us. So, um, unfortunately, I think we’re going to need all of it to, uh, in this series, right? The the the Mets, uh, they hit pretty well. So, even with I think we got Abbott Singer, who’s been good lately, and then potentially Hunter Green on Sunday. Even with those guys, like, you know, this is a very good lineup and they’re going to score some runs and this offense is going to have to capitulate because, you know, if we’re going to need to do it, we’re going to need to get in there, get get in on their starters. They have a couple young guys that are going to be going the next two days and and we’re going to have to, you know, just fire at all cylinders of the um you know, of the team because, you know, five games out does feel like maybe it is over. Um but you can get right back into it if you do something here. Now, if you lose this series against the Mets, you know, I you know, I feel okay feeling like, you know, this is over and then we’re at the point where it’s just like, all right, let’s just see what we got. Let’s bring up CES. Let’s bring up Will Benson. Let’s bring up um uh South Stewart, Reese Hines, and just let these guys play. See who who’s got something by the end of the year. Um so I, you know, I still hope I still hold out hope that we can sweep and then carry some wins into San Diego as we go out there. But, you know, we’re running out of time here. Um and when you’re running out of time though, it the guy that you want on the mound or that has been uh kind of the rock this year has been Andrew Abbott. um 8 and5 with his 265 erra. Obviously didn’t have the greatest of starts last time out against St. Louis, but even in his not great start, he went five innings, three hits, two runs, four walks, but uh seven strikeouts. So even in his not great games, he’s still ob two runs over five innings. Obviously, you’d like him to go further for this bullpen, but you know, that’s keeping us in it. You know, that’s that’s uh making it allowing it to be competitive. So, uh, anything on Andrew Abbott that, um, that you’d like to add there, Ricky? Yeah, it’s kind of crazy how bad the offense has kind of been with him pitching lately. Uh, his last seven starts, he’s 0 and4 with a 3.89 RA. That’s 37 strikeouts, 14 walks. um like he he just he’s been like you said he’s been the rock for this for this pitching staff with with Hunter Green being out for a lot of the season and Lollo kind of have being hit and miss every once in a while and Singer having his his rough starts every every few games and Nick Martinez fluctuating between the bullpen and starting it’s it’s it’s been a real surprise with him. It just it stinks just having you know the lack of run support that he’s had. I think there was a I haven’t checked it lately, but the last time I looked at it, I think he had like four starts this year of of a game with more than two runs. So, I mean, he’s been he’s been elite and deservingly an all-star. So, I mean, like you couldn’t ask for anything better out of what was your number five starter, if that, going into the year. Yeah. And you got to wonder, too, Andrew Abbott over the past years have, you know, really started to fall off near the end of the year. Um, I hope that the, you know, we can tonight can be, you know, can put that to bed. We can have a dominant outing out of Andrew Abbott. I, you know, but there’s always that concern, too, right? this guy that has shown flashes of greatness and then has really fallen off near the end of the year due to things like fatigue or and uh I I think we just at this point I still trust that he’s going to go out there and give the Reds a chance to win and and that is what we got to that’s what we got to hope for here because you know we need this is a tough lineup obviously a little bit worse against lefties because some of their big guys are left-handed but still like the these guys are the the Mets are not um I know that they have struggled led a little bit. You know, basically the Reds have are only within shouting distance because the Mets have kind of let that happen over the past month. Uh they they really I think they lost nine in a row at one point. Um but this is this is ultimately a lineup that you know is is pretty formidable that that he’s going to have to face. Uh leading off you got Francisco Lindor, Juan Sodto batting second, right field the you know what is it? $6 million $600 million man. Uh Pete Alonzo first base batting third. Mark Ventos at third base. Uh Brandon NMO in left field batting uh fifth. Starling Marte dhing Chris or Jeff McNeel in center field. Francisco Alvarez at batting eighth and catching. And then Luis Anel Akuna playing second base and batting ninth. So, any um any numbers of these guys against um against Abbott that you’d want to point out here, Ricky? Yeah. Uh Brandon NMO’s one for eight. Francisco Lindor’s uh three for seven with a double and a home run. Uh Alonzo’s 0 for four with the walk. Mark Vantto two for five. Stling Marte’s one for two with the walk. But I I wanted to point out um h where’d it go? I wanted to point out Brandon NMO. Uh he’s on a 10-ame hitting streak currently. Uh he’s hitting two 393 435 7 571 with two home runs over his last 15 games. He’s if I remember right, I think he was he was supposed to have been the trade piece for the Jay Bruce trade and they ended up backing out and we ended up getting was it uh I forget who he got for him, but it it wasn’t him. But uh yeah, I mean he’s been he’s been a really good player for them. Uh Pete Alonzo 375 394 813 that’s a 127 OPS over his last seven games with a four home with four home runs. So I mean they got a lot of power in this lineup. Like you said they had a lot of home runs last month even though they did go 11 and 17. Um like the way their month went we should have we should have leaprogged them frogged them in in in the wildard standings. We just we just failed to do it. Yeah. Yeah. I, you know, you read these stats and it’s just like you can totally see Pete Alonzo hitting a opposite field uh line drive that sneaks out of Great American Ballpark and you can totally see, you know, a couple wall scrapers or even, you know, it’s just like these these guys are going to hit the ball out of the ballpark and we’re going to need we’re going to need offense to counteract that even against uh um even with Andrew Abbott on the bump. One thing to note though and uh the the in fact David Peterson and Andrew Abbott actually faced each other in the Mets series last time. Uh it was on in seven on 720. The Mets ended up winning that game. That was the one of the two three games that the Mets did win. But um Andrew Abbott went six innings, six hits, two runs, one walks, five strikeouts. And and you mentioned the success that Lindor and Sodto have against him, right? And uh in that in that game, both Lindor and Sodto were 0 for three against Abbott. So he was able to handle those guys at the top of the lineup. Um in his last start, uh I think that’s he’s going to need to do that because those guys have you know those guys are really just going to cause havoc especially if they’re I want to keep them off base with Pete Alonzo coming up next. So uh I know Lindor I think was in the middle of his zero 0 for 20 streak. I think that included the entire Red series. So, like that helped us out. I mean, part of that is the Red’s pitching, right? The Reds pitching, but also part of that was a dude that was just struggling, just really struggling. It’s like, you know, a star shortstop can struggle for a bit and they can get out of it, which, you know, I know Red’s fans don’t love what’s happening with Ellie de la Cruz, but there’s examples of of very good short steps that can really go through it and then come out of it and begin to um begin to uh produce again. So, um, but yeah, it’s this is going to be tough. This is not an easy task. We have not put ourselves in a good spot to, you know, we need to win all three games against these Mets. And these Mets come in absolutely raking. And, you know, there David Peterson, right? 8 and five with a 361 RA. And in that start against the Reds, he went six innings, four hits, one run, one walk, four strikeouts. So, you know, he’s shown success this year against the Reds. Um, and you know, he’s left-handed, which we’ve struggled against. I know this was P and Duhar that we had, but man, we’re going to need we’re going to need we’re going to need to play great baseball if we’re going to do it because the numbers don’t seem to be stacked for us tonight. Yeah. Um hopefully we get the last start Peterson had uh when he faced Miami. Two innings, eight hits, eight earned runs, three walks, and a strikeout. Um, active Reds versus Peterson is 16 for 57. That’s 281 batting average. Key Brian Hayes four for nine, a double, two walks. TJ Fredo, one for six with a walk. Spencer Seir one for six with a home run and two doubles. Miguel Anduhar is two for seven with a double and a walk. Tyler Stevenson’s two for seven. Austin Hayes 0 for four. Matt McClean one for three. And Noel Mart is two for five. So there’s there’s some numbers against him. I think Ellie de la Cruz was 0 for four. But like I I’m not concerned about Ellie long term. I’m I’m just concerned about him this season. I I just think that I think he’s in his head. I think he’s had a lot of things happen this year outside of baseball with his, you know, his sister and everything. And granted, he came back and he played, but I think struggling can get in your head. And I I just think he just needs a day, maybe even two days, just to reset, get get his head clear, and maybe he can finish this season strong and really carry us. Yeah. To me, he looks like somebody’s pressing, right? He’s trying too hard to try to get out of this. You see that with the throwing errors. You see that with, you know, some of his just, you know, how he’s been at the plate. And I just would like him to get back to being that free and golucky Ellie. you know, the guy that’s running, the guy that’s hitting the ball super hard out of the ballpark. He hasn’t he’s hasn’t homered in like a month, over a month, I think. And and so it’s, you know, I just want him to get back to that. I know. And and frankly, maybe you’re right. Uh, I know it’s a big thing for him to want to play all 162, but you know, maybe we’re at a point where they need to say, “Hey, you know, if you’re going to be effective for this team, we’re going to need to have some games where you aren’t, you know, where you’re taking a rest or at least a few games where he’s dhing.” We saw we saw them do that. So, I don’t know. Um, I’d like to see more of that, you know, as we if we fall out of the race, you know, I doubt they’ll do that, right? if fall out of the race, it’s not going to matter. But, um, yeah, I I do I I think Ellie still has it in him. He’s just been disappointing as a guy who’s pressing, and I’d like him to just kind of relax and chill out. So, uh, hopefully we’ll be able to get we’ll be able to get some of that um, tonight. I’d love to see an Ellie bomb. He hasn’t hit a home run since all of throughout all of August, so I’d love to be able to see that type of thing. Um, let’s talk a little bit about our uh pitching path to victory. Oh, one more thing to note. David Peterson’s last start was against the Miami Marlins. He only went two innings, eight hits, eight earned runs, three walks, and a strikeout. So, you know, Reds can drop eight earned runs on him. I’d sure like that. That’d be a great way to be able to uh start off this series. Um, both teams had the day off. Uh, so bullpens arrested. Uh, Bean and Santion obviously arrested. you know, we talked about not using them in in the end of that Toronto series and and so they seem to be uh full go for whenever is needed. And then obviously the Mets, Diaz, Rogers, and they’re those are kind of their setup guys. And obviously Edwin Diaz, their closer is, you know, fully rested as well. So, the bullpens, we’ll talk about that a little bit later in my what to watch bar, but bullpens I think are probably going to uh play a role whether it’s good or bad in this series um just because of how these two teams kind of shape up. So, you know, we got rest and uh hopefully we’ll be able to get some solid innings out of the guys that we really counting on. Um uh the rest of the series obviously there’s uh Brady Singers going tomorrow against rookie Jonah Tong making his second career start. He only gave up one run against the Marlins in his first start. So uh hopefully we’ll be able to greet him with uh is welcome to the big leagues moment uh getting hit that’s at 640 tomorrow night and then right now the Sunday slate is TBD versus TBD but uh that’d be Hunter Green spot. So, I I’d expect Hunter Green in that spot. And then I think it’s been reported that uh the Mets are actually going to call up Brandon Sprro, their number five prospect to start in that. I would imagine the TBDs are because both teams are kind of waiting to see how these games play out, right? If the if the Reds lose the first two, then maybe they push Green back or uh you know, maybe they uh activate Chase Burns for that spot or something, you know, something like that that that may being if they lose the first two games are seven out, it’s like the season, you know, we’re not getting there at this point. Um but uh and and the the Mets maybe too, right? If they win the first two series, then yeah, maybe you go with Sprro and you say, “Okay, Rook, here you go. Get ready for it.” Uh, but if they lose the first two and are like, “Hey, we can’t get swept here.” Maybe they move up um a starter to that from their rotation to pitch in there. So, I would imagine there’s going to be some back and forth depending on what the how the series goes for that. Any thoughts on the rest of the series and the pitches that we’re uh going to expect? Yeah, I was kind of thinking there’s maybe the possibility they they pitch Lollo on Sunday since he was scratched his start versus the Blue Jays and maybe give Hunter Green that extra day to go into the San Diego series. But I I I don’t know. Um you really you you really want to win the night to really kind of set the tone. Um and then whatever you do Saturday, just hope you can get out of there Sunday with the series win. at minimum you want to get the series win. But yeah, I mean I I I I wouldn’t be completely shocked if maybe Lolo starts, but it looks like I I would I would probably bet Muddy Hunter Green gets the start and they’re just kind of waiting to see like you said. Yeah, I was announced I think Charlie Goldmith announced that Lola would slot just back into his uh back into his normal rotation. So after Hunter Green. So, he would potentially be whatever the the um I’m not sure which day that ends up being, but wouldn’t be pitching against the Mets, but I guess you’re right. They could slot him in there lefty versus the Mets if need be on on Sunday. Uh if they’re, you know, really going for it, which they have to do. You’re right. You say at minimum win the series, I think they have to like if you win the series, you’re still four games back. you obviously have the tiebreaker, but it’s just like four games over three weeks is, you know, that’s that’s tough. Uh so I I don’t know. I I I I am under the impression that they got to sweep, which is which is tough. Like it’s super hard to do. Um and uh yeah, it’s uh it’s the situation that we find ourselves in. We get to watch tonight like it’s game seven. And if they win tonight, then we get to watch tomorrow like it’s game seven and so on and so forth against these against the teams that we’re chasing in the standings. Same thing with the Padres’s. If we go and sweep the Mets, we got to keep it going in in San Diego. So, it’s just like you get the shot tonight to go and watch a game seven and hopefully we get a managerial decisions like it’s a game seven. But, you know, this is our shot. Here we go. Uh it’s it feels like it’s this game or bust. So, um, yeah. Uh, do we want to go through the the rundown of where we stand in the standings before we get to our watch for what to watch for, Ricky? Yeah, I can run through it just because there are some matchups that kind of, you know, are kind of important for us in the wild card standings. Uh, I can kind of go through those. The Padres’s play the Rockies. Um, as of when I wrote this, they haven’t named a starter. Uh, they p they play at 900 p.m. tonight. Uh, Arizona, they play the Red Sox. Eduardo Rodriguez versus Payton Tol. Um, and then the Cardinals, they play the Giants. So, that that’s a key matchup for us if and honestly the Cardinals are only a half game behind us in the in the wild card standings, too, as long as well as Arizona. So, there’s, you know, there’s the Reds, the Giants, the Diamondbacks, and the Cardinals all within a game and a half of the final position if the Mets were to if we were to, you know, beat the Mets. Uh it’s it’s a it’s a pivotal series, man. Like we we got uh the Brewers, they play the Pirates, uh Cubs, uh they they were winning over the Nationals last time I checked. And then like I said, the Cardinals, they play the Giants. It’s Carson Seymour versus Michael McGre McGre McGrevy. So, uh it’s a it’s a pivotal matchup. Yeah, I you know, at this point though, we just got to win. Like it’s laid out in front of us. We just have to win tonight and then we got to get back up and win tomorrow and we got to get back up and win the next day. That’s how we got, you know, as much of scoreboard watching as we can is that the per team that we’re chasing is right in front of us and we got to win. So, let’s hope that we do that. I’ve seen some uh I’ve seen some predictions in the in the um in the chat. Please uh this is the time where you guys get to uh send those in. So, please do hopefully you have the Reds winning. I see that uh there’s a few um there’s a few not so happy uh predictions that we that we have here. Um but please send those in. Um and while we wait for your predictions on what we think the score is going to be tonight, um we can talk a little bit about our uh what to watch for. Ricky, do you have a what to watch for for tonight’s game? I do. Um I one of them is not very good. Uh we the Reds have lost nine straight games versus National League opponents. Uh hopefully we can get off the schneide there and really take care of business in this series. Uh and then KBrian Hayes has one RBI in four out of his last five games versus the Mets. So hopefully he can get more than one and drive in some runs for us and we can take care of business. But yeah, Kran Hayes just I want to talk about him for a second. He’s just been a really pleasant surprise. Uh it it it’s weird just because with the trade you’re like, man, defensively he really blocks South Stewart, but he he’s actually been pretty well offensively as well. And you you still wish and want South Stewart in the lineup, but I mean, you can’t ask for much more of what you got out of KBrian Hayes, especially defensively. He’s obviously the best third baseman defensively in baseball. And if he could get his offensive up offensive numbers up to like league average or better, which he’s been since he’s been a red, I mean, you got you got a perennial all-star at third base and it just it stinks. You really want to you hope to get South Stewart some more reps at first or depending on what happens with Matt Mlan if he falls into another slump, maybe you get him time at second base just to get his feet wet in the in the lineup at second base. or like you said earlier, you know, you you move Andrew Hard to left field, even though his defensive numbers aren’t great. Uh you could put South Stewart at DH, but Kran Hayes has just been a really pleasant surprise with since we’ve got him. Yeah. Yeah. I It’s uh it’s a tough situation that they are in because of some of the, you know, I would say like Kebran Hayes, I think, has shown some extended success. people like uh Matt Mlan or Austin Hayes or even Spencer Steer have shown us a little bit of success recently in a pan. Yeah. Yeah. Like recently and have not and there’s there’s still relatively recent history that shows these guys being pretty not good uh you know pretty poor. So you know there’s there there is that aspect of it too. Um my what to watch for is actually about the bullpen. Um, this is a stat that I saw actually on um on X by a guy named uh TJ Stats and it’s talking about bullpen meltdowns. And so I looked up what is a bullpen meltdown. So a bullpen meltdown. So the the things that it’s contrasted with is a shutdown versus a meltdown. And all that is is a shutdown would be if a uh reliever adds 6% or more to your win probability in their outing. And a meltdown would be if they uh are negative 6% or worse. So you think about ways that you can add or lose win probability, right? It’s, you know, it’s when you’re pitching in games that are um it’s pitching in games where they, you know, it’s uh it’s close, right? uh or because obviously any outs that you get are going to have a a pretty good positive effect on win probability and then any runs you give up have a big negative effect on it. Right? So it’s like these are guys that have pitched in high lever situations and and they either get shutdowns where they, you know, have positive output out output or they get meltdowns which are a negative output. And look at the top, look at this leaderboard. Uh, Cincinnati is got the second most meltdowns, which I think kind of makes sense to anyone that’s been following this bullpen, right? Um, and then only to be outdone by the team we play tonight, the New York Mets. Um, I have a I have a big breakdown of how all that, you know, h, you know, which which players have been good and bad for each team that we’re not going to go to because we’re already going long. But I guess all this to say, uh, this bullpen, I think, is going to matter. Both bullpens have shown propensity to blow leads and they’re going to need to they’re going to need to be uh they’re going to need to either the bullpen for the Reds are going to need to be shut down and if they are given the opportunity and the Red’s offense is going to need to take advantage of a mel of a Mets bullpen that has a propensity to melt down. So that’s that’s what I’m going to be watching for. Hopefully, I I think that there’s going to be some big things that the bullpen, either good or bad, are going to be a part of this series. But, yeah, it’s uh it is um it’s going to be tough. It’s going to be a tough series. Like I said, the deck is stacked against the Reds tonight, but they need to win. They need to go out like it’s game seven. Um so, please uh please like the stream. Uh we have some comments uh before we give our uh before we give our predictions. We have WTI trader says Mets 103 tonight. Hope that’s not the case, but I think that will pretty well put the series the season to bed if that’s the case. Retired US vet says Reds lose 4-1 in 10 innings. Can’t drive in the uh Ghostrunner. Um yeah, that’s not great. Uh I hope that doesn’t happen either. Optimistic John not living up to his name. 72 Reds. Sorry, no feelings. Yeah. Uh it’s it’s pretty hard for Reds fans to feel good about uh what the Reds have shown them over the past uh couple uh couple weeks. If the Reds have to sweep, it’s going to be 98 Reds. This is according to Carrie. 4-3 Reds and then 5-1 Reds. That I can I can get behind I get behind Carrie here. I’d love to see that. It’d be some very fun games that would all result in Reds wins. I’d sure like that a lot. Nick Holmes has 84 Mets. uh uh you know, don’t love that. But I think uh you can kind of see where the fan base’s head is at right now. Not much faith, not much face in the in this Red’s team at the moment. And then, you know, 4-2 Mets from uh from Bofa from from I’m just gonna say it from Boof over here. Yeah. Bofalooa. Bofalooa. All right. All right, Ricky, what’s your prediction for tonight? All right. So, I kind of see Carrie’s point. It’s gonna be a higher scoring game, I think. But I think it’s going to be I don’t know. I I think it’s going to be ABBA’s going to have a really strong outing. I think he’s going to give up two runs over six innings, but I think your meltdown stat is going to play into part here. And I think going into the seventh, it’s going to be six to four Reds. And then going into the ninth, we’re going to have a walk-off single up the middle by I’m going to say no Marte again just because he’s been clutch and we’re going to win this game eight to seven and nine bottom of the ninth. Oh man. Uh that would be great. I’m on the postgame show with Craig, so we’ll be jumping up and down if the if no Marte saves the season again. Uh so I would love that. I think the Reds are going to get to David Peterson. I think the Reds are going to come out swinging and uh I think they’re going to go up early and the Mets are the kind of team unlike the Blue Jays that I think are just going to kind of fold. They’re going to just say, “All right, we’ll live to play another day.” I think they’re winning like 8-1 or something like that. Uh and uh every the fan base will be back in ready to go uh for this. I I still don’t have a lot of hope that we’re making the playoffs, but I think we get it done today uh with with a big out offensive outburst and then a shutdown performance by Andrew Abbott. So, that’s mine. 8 to one. So, like I said earlier, thank you all for being here with us. Uh you know, the season looks bleak yet you guys are on here commenting, liking the stream. Please continue to do that. We’ll be on like I mentioned earlier for the postgame show. So, in the ninth, Craig Sandlin and I will be on uh commenting on it. Win or lose, we’re going to be uh win or lose throughout the rest of the season and post post uh postgame. So, even if even if they do fall out of it, we’re going to be here to talk to you, to listen to you, to the venting. So, let it out in the chat. We’re fine with that. We understand uh that this this season has uh angered some Reds fans, including myself at times. Um, but yeah, please like the stream and um, yeah, hopefully we can be in here celebrating a Red’s win. Thank you guys very much. Um, it means a lot that you guys are in here, that you guys are supporting this channel, and hopefully we’ll be seeing you with the Reds win. Um, Ricky, before we go, we need the allimp important go Reds. Hit it with me. Hit it for me, Ricky. Let’s go Reds. Heat. Heat.

Join Ricky Logan and Mike Hart at 5:30pm ET to discuss the news and preview the game.

On September 5, 2025, the Cincinnati Reds (70-70, 3rd in NL Central) host the New York Mets (75-65, 2nd in NL East) at Great American Ball Park for the opener of a critical three-game series. With the Mets holding a five-game lead over the Reds for the third NL Wild Card spot, this matchup carries significant playoff implications. First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m. ET, televised on FDSOH, with scattered clouds and a light breeze expected in Cincinnati. The Mets are favored at -126 on the moneyline, while the Reds sit at +106, with a total runs over/under of 9.

Pitching Matchup
The Mets send left-hander David Peterson (8-5, 3.61 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 136 K’s in 152.2 IP) to the mound for his 27th start. Peterson has been a reliable arm, though his last outing against Miami was rough, allowing eight runs in two innings. Against the Reds this season, he’s been solid, and his 8.1 K/9 rate suggests he can handle Cincinnati’s aggressive lineup. However, the Reds’ 48% win rate as underdogs (+106 or worse) could test him.

Cincinnati counters with lefty Andrew Abbott (8-5, 2.65 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 125 K’s in 149.1 IP), who’s been a standout in 2025. Abbott’s 2.65 ERA ranks among the NL’s best, and his 3.00 ERA against the Mets in one prior start this year (6 IP, .273 opponent BA) shows he can compete. His ability to limit walks and hard contact will be key against New York’s potent offense, which boasts a .330 OBP (2nd in NL).

Team Breakdown
The Mets’ offense is a strength, ranking 6th in MLB with 193 home runs and a .431 slugging percentage. Juan Soto (37 HR, .259 BA) and Pete Alonso (.271 BA, 113 RBI) power the lineup, with Alonso going 18-for-45 with four homers in his last 10 games. However, their 30-38 road record and lengthy injury list—including Francisco Alvarez (thumb) and Tyrone Taylor (hamstring)—could hinder them. New York’s pitching staff ranks 4th in MLB with a 3.61 ERA, but their bullpen has been inconsistent.

The Reds, 38-33 at home, rely on their power (138 HR, 10th in NL) and speed, led by Elly De La Cruz (28 doubles, 19 HR, 78 RBI). Austin Hays has been hot, hitting 11-for-38 with three homers in his last 10 games. Cincinnati’s .393 slugging and .318 OBP rank mid-tier, but their recent 3-7 skid and injuries to key players like Tyler Stephenson (thumb) and Nick Lodolo (day-to-day, illness) are concerns. Their pitching staff’s 3.89 ERA (17th) needs Abbott to set the tone.

Recent History
The Reds took two of three from the Mets in July 2025 at Citi Field, including an 8-4 win behind four homers and a 5-2 victory powered by Jake Fraley’s three hits. The Mets salvaged a 3-2 win in the finale, with Soto’s eighth-inning dash home proving decisive.