Cincinnati Reds: Three takeaways from rain-shortened series vs Cubs

Rain washes away the Reds chance to split series with the Cubs.

The schedule makers gave the Cincinnati Reds an early four-game series against the Chicago Cubs. On the heels of their first two-game losing streak of the young season, Cincinnati hoped to get back in the win column against their heated division rival. The first two games of the series didn’t go as planned.

Reds starting pitcher Wade Miley was not as advertised on Monday night. Only lasting 1.2 innings, Miley gave up five runs and four hits, putting the Reds in a huge hole. Although Cubs closer, Craig Kimbrel walked in two runs in the bottom of the 9th inning, the Reds fell one run short and lost their third in a row, 8-7.

The Reds hung with the Cubs for the first two innings on Tuesday night. The third inning saw the Cubs put their first run on the board and not stop until the eighth inning, with the Reds gave up one run every inning. Then in the ninth, the Cubs scored twice on a two-run home run, officially putting the game out of reach, 8-5.

he Reds finally got some good news on Wednesday night. Mike Moustakas returned to the lineup and Nick Senzel would also be back on the field for the first time since Saturday. Sonny Gray picked up where he left off on Opening Day and pitched another gem. Home runs flew out of Great American Ball Park as the Reds pummeled the Cubs 12-7, earning their first win in four games.

Unfortunately, rain wouldn’t let last night’s game get underway, postponing the last game of the series and ending any chance of the Reds earning a series split. The Reds now stand 2-4, in last place, two games behind the first-place Cubs. Before Cincinnati begins the three-game series in Detroit, let’s take a look at three takeaways from the rain-shortened three-game series.

1. Sonny Gray was masterful.

In his two starts in the 2020 season, Sonny Gray has 20 strikeouts, a 0.71 ERA and two wins. Let that soak in for a minute. In 2019, Gray didn’t reach 20 strikeouts until his fourth start. His second win didn’t happen until May 27th, a full two months into the season. He has been masterful in 2020.

Gray had a bounce-back year in 2019, his first with the Reds following one and a half rocky years with the New York Yankees. With a 2019 stat line of 11-8, 2.87 ERA and 205 strikeouts, fans wondered how Gray would perform during the 2020 season.

Where would Sonny Gray fit in the mix with fellow top flight starters Luis Castillo and Trevor Bauer? Expectations grew when David Bell named Sonny Gray the Opening Day starter for the 2020 season. After two starts, Gray has exceeded every expectation.

Now Luis Castillo and Trevor Bauer have to continue to pitch at the same high-level they reached during their first start of the year just to keep up with Gray. This is the kind of healthy competition that will elevate the Cincinnati starting rotation to heights only imagined by the best pitching staffs in baseball.

With yesterday’s rainout, Wade Miley’s expected trip to the IL and Anthony DeSclafani’s return, Gray can stay on his normal five-day pitching schedule. If that’s the case, Gray will return to the mound on August 3, to open the series against the Cleveland Indians. What better way to kick off the Ohio Cup than to hand the ball to the most masterful pitcher in the Reds starting rotation?

2. The Reds bullpen is a serious cause for concern.

If there ever was a time for David Bell to go against his own instincts and let Luis Castillo or Trevor Bauer pitch a complete game, it will be during the upcoming series with the Detroit Tigers. The Reds bullpen could use yesterday’s rainout and a few more days to figure out how to right the ship, because after six games, iceberg straight ahead.

The bullpen hasn’t completely crashed yet, but they are getting extremely close. If they do, the Reds season will be all but sunk. Through two series, the Reds bullpen is getting shelled. In Wednesday’s 12-7 win over the Cubs, the lone bright spot in an otherwise forgettable series, the Reds bullpen gave up five earned runs.

Brooks Raley, who didn’t record an out after relieving starter Sonny Gray, watched his season ERA balloon to 12.00 after giving up three runs. Cody Reed didn’t fare much better during mop-up duty in the ninth inning. Reed gave up two runs, making the game much closer than it should have been. His ERA now stands at 18.00. Ouch!

In Tuesday’s 8-5 loss, starter Tyler Mahle left the game after the fourth inning in a 2-2 tie. The bullpen crew of Cody Reed, Amir Garrett, Nate Jones and Michael Lorenzen gave up six runs, at least one run in each inning from the fifth through the ninth. Of those six runs, four came on home runs. The only Cincinnati reliever that didn’t give up a run in that game was Pedro Strop.

On the season, the bullpen has given up nine home runs. In comparison, Reds starters have given up two long balls. The worst offender in the Reds bullpen has been Michael Lorenzen. He gave up three homers, twice giving up a two-run shots in the ninth inning. Of the 10 relievers on the roster, five have an ERA above 10.00. Only Strop and Lucas Sims have yet to give up a run this season.

This all amounts to a huge issue for the Reds this season. Especially considering David Bell likes to go to his bullpen early and often. It’s up to pitching coach Derek Johnson to fix whatever ails the bullpen and fast. If he can’t figure it out, the Reds 2020 season is in serious trouble.