Cincinnati Reds: Eugenio Suárez takes power surge to Oakland

The Cincinnati Reds are finally scoring some runs. Following a 4-game set in which they scored 37 runs, the Reds take their hitting show on the road for an interleague battle with the Oakland A’s.

Even though the Cincinnati Reds (15-20) lit up the scoreboard over the weekend, they only managed to gain a split with the visiting San Francisco Giants. Despite launching home runs to all corners of Great American Ballpark, the bullpen suffered meltdowns which saw the team blow leads of 8 and 4 runs in their two losses to the Giants.

Trailing the first place Chicago Cubs by 6 games in the NL Central, the Reds look to make up some ground during their 6 game visit to the Bay Area. The first stop is a 3-game set with the Oakland A’s followed by 3 with their neighbors across the bay, the aforementioned Giants.

For the first six weeks of the season, Reds fans were subjected to an anemic offense that squandered one good pitching performance after another. Through March and April the offense produced an embarrassing slash line of .212/.286/.380. Combine those numbers with an 8.5% walk rate and a 24.6% strikeout rate and things could only get better.

Over the past 2 weeks, the Redlegs’ bats have started to awaken from their extended hibernation.  The slash lines have improved across the board to .234/.327/.420. Reds’ hitters are also walking more (11.2%) rate and striking out slightly less (23.3%).

So what’s changed?  For starters, Matt Kemp is no longer employed and Scott Schebler is in the Louisville Bats starting lineup. Rookie center fielder Nick Senzel has made an immediate impact with 3 home runs in 4 games, while compiling a 1.146 OPS.

Third baseman Eugenio Suarez has found his power of late and has homered in 3 straight games. Apiarist/ utility man Derek Dietrich, when he’s not fighting bees, has added 4 round trippers of his own.

Pitching has continued to lead the way for Cincinnati. Going into play Monday, Reds hurlers lead the NL in ERA (3.50) and have allowed the fewest runs (120). In addition, the Reds pitching staff is leading the way in opponents slugging (.365) and OPS (.674).

One of the biggest contributors to the pitchers success has been the Cincinnati Reds ability to keep the ball in the ball park. The 27 long balls allowed by the staff is also the fewest in the National League.

The hosts Oakland A’s (16-21) enter the series in the basement of the AL West and are 6.5 games behind the division leading Houston Astros. Losers of 2 in a row and 8 of their last 10, the past 2 weeks have been particularly difficult for the Athletics.

Oakland hitters rank 6th in the AL with a 169 runs scored despite placing in the bottom third in the league in average, on-base percentage and OPS. One thing Athletics’ hitters absolutely don’t do is bunt. Oakland and Detroit are the only two teams in baseball who do not have a sacrifice hit on the season.

Mixed results are a common theme among the Oakland pitching staff as well. Their team ERA of 4.61 ranks them 9th among AL staffs, however, they have tossed 3 shutouts which is tied for the most in the league. On the other hand, late-inning situations have been nightmarish for the A’s faithful.

The Oakland bullpen has blown 7 of their 13 save opportunities. As a result, their 46.2% save percentage rate only bests Kansas City in the junior circuit. Adding to the A’s uncertainty is the availability of All-Star closer Blake Treinen.

The right-hander missed the final two games over the weekend in Pittsburgh due to elbow tendinitis. Good news for Oakland fans is their closer will likely avoid the IL, however, his availability against the Reds remains a question mark.