REDS POSTCAST: The Cincinnati Reds Inch Closer to CLINCHING NL Wildcard Spot With Win

REDS POSTCAST: The Cincinnati Reds Inch Closer to CLINCHING NL Wildcard Spot With Win

[Music] This is the Reds post cast, your instant game reaction for the Cincinnati Reds, part of the Locked On Network, your team every day. [Music] Good evening, Reds fans, and welcome to another edition of the Reds Post brought to you by Locked on Reds and the Locked On Network, your team every day. My name is Tim Daniel. I am a lifelong Reds fan. I’ve been podcasting about this team for five years at publications such as Late Night Reds and the Riverfront. And I want to thank you for joining me tonight as we discuss the Cincinnati Reds clinching a series in Milwaukee against the Brewers. Whether you’re checking us out here on the Locked Ons YouTube page, locked on MLB or Lock on Sports Daily. We’re on all those tonight broadcasting. We thank you all so much. I will also be joined by Stephen Offen Baker of Locked on Reds tonight as well. We’ll be diving into all this fun stuff. Our episode tonight is brought to you by our friends over at FanDuel. Right now, new customers can bet just $5. And if your bet wins, you’ll get $300 in bonus bets to use across the app. Download the app today. On tonight’s show, Steve and I are going to discuss a series win in Milwaukee at the best of times at that. Steve’s going to make fun of me because Matt Mlan came up through after I basically said I was done with him. And we’re gonna discuss Nick Martinez coming up big time today for those two innings. And I’m gonna let Steve pick our lockown player of the game today. So I’m very excited to see what he does. And of course, we’re gonna chat with you all over every dayish. I feel like this is going to be a fun one tonight. Let’s get started. This is what you’ll be talking about. Steve, what’s up? How are you? What’s happening everybody? Dude, we’re already at a point right now. So, to put in context, like obviously we’ve always had a huge really popular chat in the after the games, good or bad. Mhm. I’m at the point where I put this comment from Noah up and I can’t even find it and we just started the show. It’s gone. It’s gone. It’s uh it’s unbelievable. But man, uh you text me today and said, “Hey, would you like to have me on the show tonight?” I said, “Yes, absolutely yes. We already have our largest live audience we’ve ever had on a postcast and you’re here to chat with me today. Mind you, the number one postcast on lockdown as we learned. So, pretty awesome news there as well. It’s it’s just an honor to be here. And Steve, they won a series in Milwaukee. Listen, this team continues to just do strange things. you you think they’re going to go one way, they go the other. You need them to do this thing, they do that thing, and all comes down to the final series of the season. It all comes down to games, 161, and 162. They go to Milwaukee. They take a series already, have it secured. Um, they have not, Listen, I don’t know if you saw this stat on the Fox broadcast, but they have lost something like 33 out of the last 44 games in Milwaukee. It is absolutely ridiculous. I Everything is coming together. It all comes down to a single game. Game 162 with Milwaukee having absolutely nothing to play for. I I listen, I’m going to be a basket case tomorrow. Yep. Me too. Me too. Um, let’s kind of talk about the game because for a game that uh had a lot riding on it, it certainly lived up to the hype. Even though it was a seven to four game, um, there was a lot that went into today where, you know, it looked like the Reds could have given it up at points. I mean, there’s the contact play in the third inning where Ellie gets thrown out at home on the Matt Mlan at bat and there’s, you know, Milwaukee makes a nice little run there in the third inning to get on the on the base path. There’s Andrew Abbott throws the ball into shallow right field and you’re thinking, “Oh no,” and then they turn a double play right after that. Um, it’s a game that had a lot of situations where it could have been bad and we’ve seen the Reds have these bad situations where they’ve had these bad moments where they’ve kind of just crumbled and tonight they stepped up and you could see they’re playing with the urgency that we’ve wanted them to play with a lot this year and they beat a team that they have not beat all season. First of all, I never have a problem with the contact play when it’s Ellie that’s on third base. I mean, if you’re ever going to run the comp contact contact play, that’s the guy you want on third base when you correct. So, I I I don’t have a problem there. A couple guys came up really really big. I’ll save what I have to say about Matt Mlan for the next part here. But, let’s just take a minute and talk about Anduhar because in this game he was three for five. He scored a run. He’s just done nothing but hit. He’s done absolutely nothing but hit since he came over from the athletics. And what a pickup. I I know everybody was kind of scratching their head on deadline day like Andhar. Really? Miguel Andhar like that’s that’s what we’re doing. He has nothing to do but hit. I love this guy. He big big big big big big night. Three for five. Also, let’s talk just a minute about our guy Sal Stewart. two for four, scored two runs, has two RBI’s in this game, man. What a game for both of those dudes when the Reds absolutely had to have it. Yeah, I mean, so Salur hits the solo shot tonight, which ends up probably being the biggest hit of the game. Um, I’ll let you discuss that when we do the turning point in the next segment. But in a night where they absolutely needed that just that boost and that boost came through big time because I mean they weren’t very good at their own score position tonight. They were three for 12 and they still found a way to put seven runs on the board and South Stewart obviously contributes to that. Uh Will Benson has one that’s like three feet away from being a three-run homer. It’s like you’re like in his one at bat. Um, uh, you know, Ellie pulls off a hit today and a walk gets on base twice. So, with all right now, I think that’s what we need is just kind of I I can’t click comments because I’m the guest, but Branch Brown says that Sal Stewart is the perfect male specimen. Um, Branch, there there it is. There you go. Branch Brown, ladies and gentlemen. Love it. Better Call S. I like that one a lot. Better Call S. Yeah. Um, but just, you know, you mentioned Miguel Andrew. Let me try to backtrack and gain my thoughts here again. Um, yeah, man. I made the comment to Jeff the other day where I said that, uh, and I know I’m not trying to look ahead to next season because we got, you know, 162 to worry about tomorrow. Um, I said I’m very open next year to a one and one to bring Miguel Andrew Hart back to Cincinnati next year. And if I were to crawl, I’d probably be having that conversation with his agent immediately. Um, and it’s because of games like this. It’s because like you just know he’s going to come through. He’s he might not have an 832 ops next year, but you know that he’s going to help your team every situation he possibly gets. And like you know Jeff the other day on your guys’ Friday live kind of said something where he’s like he doesn’t hit well enough against righties at times. It’s like you know the numbers kind of could be inflated at moments. Um I don’t think it’s been that way this especially this series. I mean Steve Jacob Israki is supposed to be this guy that like has taken the world over and the Reds have destroyed him twice. It’s just it’s on brand for this Cincinnati Reds team. You just you just don’t know. And then and then some rookie you never heard of comes and shuts them out. That’s just the way it goes. You just never know with this team. And but they’ve had success and and to your point on Anduhar, I I hope there’s conversations happening. Um there’s a lot of time to figure that out, but they at least have to have the conversation. Um he has been he has been everything that they wanted from him when they brought him over. He’s had some pop. He’s getting on base. He’s hitting the ball now. I know he’s been nicked up. He hasn’t been able to play in the field. I don’t care. Um the lineup was the problem for this team, right? The lineup was the problem when they brought him over. And as far as the hitting goes, Anduhar has answered. I love it. You look you look up and down this lineup right now, guys are shining. Guys are are are hitting their stride at the most opportune times. We see it from Sal Stewart in this game tonight. We’ve seen it from Andrew Hart. We’ve seen guys single-handedly try and take over games. Spencer Spencer Steer has taken over games. Tyler Stevenson has taken over games. Ellie has taken over games. Um, it’s all coming together. I listen, there hasn’t been a game this exciting at the end of the regular season maybe since 1999. Like it it all comes down and and same Reds Mets, right? Reds Mets. This this is and the last game in 99 the Reds played the Brewers. This is this is what they do. This is how it goes. Um I am I am going to be walking on eggshells, pins and needles, whatever you want to do. I I am out of my mind. Yeah. So, Stam asks, “Is there any way any shot the Brewers scratch PL tomorrow?” I don’t know if they’ll scratch him, but I can’t imagine pitches. Maybe because we’ve heard from our buddy Chuck up at Locked on Brewers to prepare for the Brewers to roll out the skeleton crew tomorrow. So, you know, Chuck spends a lot of time with that organization and around that clubhouse and he’s he’s privy to a lot of things. So, he’s not gonna he’s not going to put that out there unless he’s heard something. Now, I I expect maybe a lot of bench players in the lineup. If I were the Brewers, I’d scratch Peralta. Oh, I would I would totally scratch Peralta. You got a week off. Might as well. I I would I would absolutely do that. So, we’ll see. But we did hear from Chuck and he did say, “Expect the skeleton crew tomorrow.” Yeah. Hey, by the way, before we move to the next segment, I want to make sure I mention one quick thing. Um Krian Hayes back looked pretty good running out that infield single. KBrian Hayes. What an another addition again with the Nick Crawl moves, right? Um the only thing I worry about is him and Ellie taking each other’s heads off over there on the side of the infield when they’re when they’re fighting for a pop fly. But um what an addition and what a what a you know, you talk about guys that lead by example. What a leader by example of just how he goes about his business, how he plays his position defensively. Um, coming from that hellscape that is Pittsburgh, uh, he has really turned it on at times in the Red’s lineup. I I love that addition, too. You know, we were we weren’t sure at the trade deadline. Did Nick Crawl do enough? Did he do anything? Did he do anything we’re going to be happy with? I’m pretty happy with the moves he made at the trade deadline. Yeah, absolutely. I am, too. Well, we got to go to go to break. We’re running over on time tonight, but that’s okay because we’re all having fun because I’m sorry, your segments are shorter than mine. I’m sorry. I’m lost. No, no, no. I love it. I love it. But in the next segment, Matt Mlan had a really great day today. And Steve’s going to throw it in my face. And we’re going to talk about that and more right after this. 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And the NFL season and FanDuel is making sure you’re ready for kickoff with a can’t miss offer. Right now, new customers can bet just $5. And if your bet wins, you’ll get 300 big ones and bonus bets to use across the app. We all know it. I’ve been talking about it. I love FanDuel. I’m placing all my future bets on NBA awards winners this year. I got Luca Don’s MVP. I feel like it’s coming this year. It makes every game most exciting. Whether you’re watching your team or just keeping an eye on your fantasy lineup. So, are you ready to play? Download the FanDuel app now by visiting fandal.com to get started. That’s fandal.com to place your first $5 bet. There’s There’s no way you’re not running along today. I I’m just saying there’s no way this show’s not going along. I’m on I’m on the big time channel today, too. Also got also our channel partner is um the channel manager, so we can we can probably we can probably get a little get away with a few more things today. But welcome and thank you all so much for spending some time with us here on the Reds post. As always, please be sure to hit that notification button so you can not only get my show after every Red’s game, which looks like we could have a couple more now, but you can also get Jeff and Steve here right next to me Monday through Friday on Locks on Reds all year round. So, even when I am done, you will see them all along the year. And once you’re done with us, go check out M Locked on MLB where I am there today on this very channel. You can only get MLB game night where they’ll be with you every single night watching every single game so you don’t have to. And Steve, I feel like the turning point tonight had a lot to do with one by the name of South Stewart. Time to reveal where the game was won or lost. It’s the turning point. There’s very few times I feel like if we look back at this red season, that South Stewart home run today, it’s something that we’re going to look at and be like, man, that paid so many dividends for them as they tried to put these wins together down the stretch. Fifth home run, hit it in the sixth inning. Now, listen, I I know they were already up six-2 when he hits the home run, but that home run was kind of the exclamation point. Now, the Brewers went on to score a few more runs after that. So, it was insurance. It was all the things, but it really felt like the exclamation point. It really felt like the look at us go moment of the game. And um I’ll have a lot more. I’m gonna I’m actually going to sit on this just a little bit because I have a little bit more to say about South Stewart here in a few minutes. Um by the way, even after his at bats tomorrow, still rookie eligible for next year. Rookie of the year inbound. That’s what I heard Tim say just now. Yep. Okay, so here’s the moment you’ve been waiting for and probably why you wanted to join me tonight because Matt Mlan got on base tonight four times. The other day I flat out said I am done with Matt Mlan for 2025 and that was a lot for me to say because as anyone who’s listened to every everydayer who’s been here through this whole season with not just my show but you guys knows that you and I, we’ve gone to bed for Matt Mlan a lot. We’ve taken a lot of slack for rooting for Matt Mlan and I said, “Okay, I can’t take it anymore.” Right. Right up until the time you didn’t. Yes. And then what do you do tonight? Matt Mlan, two for three, two walks. Um I know occasionally you share a little insight into the Locked on Red’s group chat and I’m just going to share the text that I sent with you which basically said, “Hey Tim, Matt Mlan just called and told me to tell you STFU.” So that is really the analysis that needs to be provided at this moment. Matt Mlan came up big tonight. Um, he scored a run in this game. Uh, he got an RBI in this game. He walks a couple times. He gets a couple hits. This is what we need from him. Batting at the bottom of the lineup, both in tomorrow’s game 162 and hopefully on into the playoffs. That’s all he has to be. That’s all that he has to do. Nothing extra, nothing fancy. Field your position well. Turn double plays with Ellie de la Cruz and get on base a couple times a day. That’s all that Matt Mlan has to do. and Tim Daniel and all the rest of you send him down crowd can just be quiet. I never said that now. I never said that. No, that was Jeff. But be quiet. So, not only Matt Mlan bottom of the order tonight got on a combined seven times between Stevenson’s walk, he Brian Hayes hit and walk and Mlan’s two hits and two walks. So, that’s how you win ball games. That’s right. That’s how you win baseball games. Yeah. Um, and that’s not even counting the top of the order getting on, you know, with Fredo, Marte, and Andar, which Marte wasn’t great tonight by any means, but um, yeah, I mean, you mentioned it, man. So, like, this is a day like this probably he needed. He knows that in the Pittsburgh series he really let Cincinnati down. Let’s just kind of do as a big bubble. Not just the Reds, not just fans, but the city. Um, and he knew he probably had to have a big day. And like last night, he didn’t look very good either. But not only that, he made some really he made some solid defensive plays tonight. I mentioned the Abbott throw that almost went to um right field. He’s really good at cut like being right there to back up first base when that ball goes over. Uh I think it was I think it was still Sal at that time. I don’t think they had made the move yet to bring Spencer Shear back into the but yeah I mean paid so many dividends and so many underrated things because if he doesn’t field that ball that goes over Sal Stewart’s head they don’t turn the double play the next batter on top of all the things you just mentioned with what he did hitting tonight. So yeah, he came through big time and I’m so happy to see it. Uh my frustration is tampered for a night and I hope that he just keeps it going. I have this feeling that he’s gonna go to LA and like game one or game two he’s gonna hit a tank. Write it down. I’ll take it. I will absolutely take it. Listen, I I have a hard time not taking over people’s shows when I when I do this, but this invite you on. I I know we’re at a minute. We’re at the 17 minute mark here and I love this from Joshua Tucker. Um but there’s two things I know that we still got to talk about. We got to talk about a player of the game, but I want to take just a second and talk about pitching because Andrew Abbott is a guy that is just gutting it out right now. He is just he is just trying to fight his way through exhaustion. You can see it. His legs are gone. He he has reached the the bottom of his tank and still against this Milwaukee Brewers lineup musters five and a thirds. He gives up three runs on five hits. Not bad for a guy that is running on fumes. Now Connor Phillips, he’s not Superman. He gave up a run. Uh he’s not going to be perfect every time out, but I’ll tell you what the difference in this game was. It was what came after Connor Phillips. It was Graham Ashcraft gutting it out. It was Nick Martinez gutting it out. And then it was Amelio Pagan on the fourth day in a row. Absolutely coming in and being nails. This bullpin got it done for the Cincinnati Reds tonight. What did uh what did Jeff say to our group text? He said that if this were a video game, Emil Picon’s arm would be red and his arm would just glowing. Just glowing. Yeah. I joke that um next year at Red’s Fest, this is coming back in January, we’ll see Pagan and Santi out at the booth together and they’ll both have Armstrong Captain America Winter Soldier just like 100%. Yeah. But yeah, you’re absolutely right. So, I’m glad you did it this way because you saved I really want to get to Nick Martinez’s two big endings tonight. Um, but obviously since you are the guest tonight, we’ll also let you pick the locked on player of the game. This is the locked on player of the game. It’s my guy’s house, Stewart. Look, you can’t have a a game like he had tonight and not recognize that a little bit. Once again, he was two for four, scored two runs. He also had two RBI’s in this game. the big home run in the six. That was really like the exclamation point, the the shot across the field over to the Milwaukee dugout telling them, “Sit down, boys. We’re winning this game.” That that was all that encapsulates South Stewart’s performance in this game uh for the Cincinnati Reds. He is my player of the game. Uh there are some other honorable mentions, but Sal Stewart’s the dude. Yeah. So, you remember I had that tie raid a couple months ago just all pissed off that the Reds couldn’t win series in the NL Central. They’ve won five of the last six. I think you need to keep talking bad about them because they just continue to smack you around a little bit. This is this now listen. I know you’re new. This is your first year here. This is the locked on brand. This is what happens. Jeff and I call a guy out. He goes on a bonkers run. Jeff and I say there’s absolutely no way they can win this series. They sweep it. Jeff and I say, “Oh, they’ve got this.” They lose three in a row. So, it it this welcome to the team. Yeah. Been in seamlessly year one. So, um really excited about year two. All right, man. Well, Nick Martinez tonight, we know he’s a Swiss Army knife. We know he’s a just give me the ball. I don’t care when I will take care of business. And tonight took care of business with two innings, two strikeouts. uh does have a walk, does have a hit, but man, as we know, Tony Santon and Ailia Begon have pitched, you know, every game uh this century and Chase Burns has not pitched since Tuesday. Brent Sudter’s not pitched since St. Louis. Uh Scott Barlo has not pitched since Wednesday. I might have No, I had Burns and Bara mixed up. Sorry. Barllo Tuesday, Burns Wednesday. And Nick Martinez knows what’s on the line here. He’s the guy, right? He’s the guy that came out and said like, I we are going to be so hard to beat. We are cockroaches. You can’t kill us. He’s like, I bet on this team to be a playoff contender. By the way, I probably should not have used that sentence, Nick, but I understand what you’re saying. Um, and tonight, those two innings, humongous for a team that’s trying to put it all on the line. Yeah, his last seven times out, Tim, seven games, 10 and a third innings pitched. He’s uh 0.87 87 erra during that time. Um he’s coming out of the bullpin and getting it done. Yeah, it’s been terrific to see. Um and of course, you know, you mentioned it already and the chess kind of going through it. Magan comes out and throws a netting arm just hanging out. They are, you know, it’s like rubber at this point. It’s like uh you know, if you can’t if you can’t feel it, it doesn’t matter. So yeah, it’s like the scene in a Chamber of Secrets when he bends his arm, there’s no bones in there. Exactly like that. Just noodle noodle arm. That’s where we’re at. But dude, so we don’t really do this, but since you’re here, we might as well. We have a lot of questions about tomorrow. And I have to ask you, we know that Nicolola has flat out said that his goal is to be ready to be available tomorrow. We know that Hunter Green has expressed valuable interest in being ready tomorrow. It’s all It’s all hands on deck tomorrow. It’s all hands on deck. If I’m getting to make the decisions tomorrow, I’m starting Hunter Green. Me, too. Um I’m I’m starting him in this game. I’ve got Brady Singer on standby. I try really really hard not to use Nicolo because you’ll need him in game one on Tuesday if you win the game. So, beyond Nicolo, everybody else need to show up at the ballpark tomorrow ready to play, ready to be in the game. Everybody else, I don’t care how many games you played in a row. I don’t care how tired you are. Everybody in Nicolola goes tomorrow. Yeah, absolutely. Um, like we mentioned, we suspect that it’s going to be a skeleton crew for the birds tomorrow, which I don’t know if that makes me feel better to be honest with you. Um, you know, the Reds are going to red, right? So, right. All right. And I will make sure we we preface this so everyone kind of has the idea. Simply put, if the Reds win, they’re in. If the Reds do somehow lose tomorrow, they need the Mets to lose. Yep. That’s it. That’s all there is to it. That’s it. It’s that simple. Yeah. And so, um, I am ready. I know you’re ready. And it’s going to be a lot of fun tomorrow. And I can’t wait. But tonight, the Cincinnati Reds are victors, seven to four over the Milwaukee Brewers at American Window Field. The Reds have seven runs on 10 hits and an error. The Brewers have four runs on seven hits and two errors. Andrew Abbott gets his 10th one of the year. He is now 10 and seven. Robert Gastra picks up his second loss. He is now 0 and2. And Amelia Pagan gets his 32nd save. And as I read this and make sure I preface that this is what’s listed, this could flat out change before 3:10 tomorrow. But the pitching match up as the Reds go for a sweep and to clench their playoff spot is Brady Singers taking the hill for the Reds at 1411 with a 395. And Freddy Peralta is going to be list currently listed as the starter from the lucky Brewers. That can change. So if it does, I had nothing to do with it. Hopefully it changes. He is 17 and six with a 268 RA. First pitch will be at 310. We will be here hopefully discussing a fun Red’s victory and a playoff birth as well. Steve, I am very grateful you for you, my friend, for spending some time with me tonight. No worries. It was gonna be over. Oh, and folks in the chat here watching this live, because of scheduling stuff, if the Reds clinch tomorrow, you’re getting not only this show right immediately after the Red’s game, but Tim’s doing double duty, he’s turning right around and going live with Jeff Carr for the Locked on Red show right after he recaps the win. So, you’re going to get two live shows tomorrow night should the Reds clinch a playoff spot. And then Jeff and I will be back in your feeds on Monday. Yep. And so I will close this out with thank you all so much as always. It’s always a blessing to spend some time with you guys. Go Red Legs. Go Marlins. I will see you all tomorrow night.

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