D-backs vs. Reds: RHP Trevor Cahill vs. RHP Mike Leake
By Jesse Borek
Arizona Diamondbacks (46-60) vs. Cincinnati Reds (52-53)
RHP Trevor Cahill (1-7, 5.72 ERA, 1.71 WHIP, .298 OAV) vs. RHP Mike Leake (7-9, 3.73 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, .273 OAV)
Tuesday, July 29, 2014: 7:10 p.m. at Great American Ball Park
It has been a catastrophic meltdown of a season for the once ballyhooed All-Star from the Oakland Athletics, Trevor Cahill. Having put together two consecutive solid seasons in the desert, Cahill has fallen off the wagon thus far in 2014, things becoming so bad he has spent the majority of the season in mop-up duty.
After a minor league stint to regain his command, Cahill has made two starts up in the bigs post-All-Star break. Neither has gone incredibly well, with his most recent outing against Detroit seeing him surrender seven runs (only three earned) in just four innings of work. If there were ever a remedy for the Reds’ slumping bats, it may be Cahill.
While Cahill did face the Reds in relief earlier this season, his only start was a magnificent one in which he went seven innings and allowed only a single run while striking out seven.
Still on the payroll for $12 million next season, the Diamondbacks are hoping they can salvage something out of the right arm of Cahill.
Here is the lineup he will be facing via the Reds’ Twitter account:
CF – Billy Hamilton (0-for-1)
2B – Ramon Santiago (3-for-7, 2 3B’s, 2 BB’s)
3B – Todd Frazier (0-for-3)
C – Devin Mesoraco (1-for-2, 1 BB)
1B – Brayan Pena (2-for-4, 1 2B, 1 BB)
LF – Donald Lutz (0-for-1, 1 K)
RF – Skip Schumaker (0-for-7, 1 K)
SS – Zack Cozart (1-for-3, 1 BB)
P – Mike Leake (yet to face Leake)
Now entering the third consecutive week without a quality start from Mike Leake, the Reds turn to their surrogate fifth starter to get them back on the winning track.
July has not been kind to Leake, neither this year, or in his career. With a 4.28 ERA and .500 record since he came into the league, Leake’s WHIP of 1.41 in his second highest for any month.
Back on May 30, Leake picked up the win in Arizona as the Redlegs won 6-4. (That would also happen to be the final start in which his ERA remained below three.) For his career, Leake has never lost, at least personally, to Arizona. Statistics can be deceiving considering Leake is 3-0, yet he possesses a 5.84 ERA in six starts and his K/9 against the D-backs is the lowest for any team which he has faced at least twice.
Here is the lineup that Leake will face via the Diamondbacks’ Twitter account:
CF – Ender Inciarte (1-for-3, 1 2B)
2B – Aaron Hill (4-for-12, 1 HR, 3 RBI)
1B – Paul Goldschmidt (2-for-12, 2 RBI)
C – Miguel Montero (0-for-6)
LF – Mark Trumbo (yet to face Leake)
3B – Martin Prado (4-for-16, 1 2B, 2 BB’s)
RF – Gerardo Parra (5-for-13, 1 HR, 3 RBI)
SS – Didi Gregorius (0-for-5, 1 K)
P – Trevor Cahill (yet to face Leake)
Having won just a single game since the break, the Reds are in dire need of a victory. It will be crucial to see Mike Leake take the ball deep into the game due to the vast use of the bullpen in last night’s 15-inning loss.