Reds schedule: Will the hits keep on coming in Motown vs Tigers?

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CINCINNATI, OH – JULY 26: Niko Goodrum #28 of the Detroit Tigers forces out Nick Castellanos #2 of the Cincinnati Reds (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) /

Only be a week into the season, the Reds have revenge on their mind.

The schedule appeared to set up perfectly for the Cincinnati Reds (2-4) to storm out of the gates to begin this season. Opening with seven home games, including three against a Detroit (4-3) squad that dropped 114 games in 2019, the stars seemed to be aligning for the Redlegs. However, someone forgot to tell the Tigers.

Following Sonny Gray’s dismantling of the Detroit lineup on Opening Day, the Tigers took their turn by hammering the backend of the Reds bullpen in the final two games to capture the series victory. What the Tigers exposed during their visit to the Queen City has been a source of contention among Reds Country all week.

Through the first week of the 2020 campaign, the Reds bullpen hasn’t provided anything close to relief. The numbers for the bullpen have been atrocious. Tossing 23.1 innings through six games they are 0-3 with 7.71 ERA. Even more distressing is the unit has given up a whopping nine home runs and issued 10 free passes.

Especially troubling has been the outings of setup man Michael Lorenzen. Mikey Biceps has allowed three round-trippers in just 2.2 innings of work covering three outings. To put this in perspective, Lorenzen allowed just two homers during the second half of the 2019 season in 33 appearances. A return to form from the Zen Master is much needed.

However, there have been some bright spots in the bullpen. The right-handed trio of Tejay Antone, Lucas Sims and Pedro Strop have combined to allow just one run on two hits while fanning 12 batters in 9.1 innings of work.

DETROIT, MI – JULY 29: JaCoby Jones #21 of the Detroit Tigers (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) /

Break up the Tigers

What a difference a year makes. Well, at least a week anyway. Despite losing 98 games or more over the past three seasons, the Tigers have come roaring into the 2020 season. Through the first seven games of the season, the Tigers are making their presence felt.

Entering play Thursday, Detroit leads the American League in home runs with 12 and centerfielder JaCoby Jones has led the way with three bombs including a game-winning blast off closer Raisel Iglesias last weekend in Cincinnati. Jones is also hitting .421 and leads the junior circuit in slugging percentage, OPS and OPS+ as well.

Despite the power, the Tigers have been mostly anemic at the plate. As a team, they are slashing a paltry .198/.278/.422 with 71 strikeouts in their first six games. Future Hall of Famer Miguel Cabrera and left fielder Christian Stewart are both hitting under .100, while third baseman Jeimer Candelario has yet to collect a single hit in 13 at-bats.

Tigers have been finding success on the pitching rubber, especially from their bullpen. Closer Joe Jimenez leads the American League with four saves including a couple at Great American Ball Park. The 25-year-old former All-Star should easily eclipse his career-high of nine saves in the very near future.

However, Jimenez is not the only one excelling among the Motown relief corps. The right and left-handed combo of Buck Farmer and Gregory Soto have been lights out. Between the two of them, they have tossed 7.1 hitless innings. Soto, the southpaw, has been simply amazing. The 25-year-old Dominican has fanned seven of the 12 batters he’s faced this season.

CINCINNATI, OH – JULY 26: Trevor Bauer #27 of the Cincinnati Reds (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) /

Previewing the pitching matchups: Reds vs Tigers

The series kicks off tonight with La Piedra, Luis Castillo (0-0 1.50 ERA), opposing fellow right-hander Spencer Turnball (0-0 1.80 ERA) at Comerica Park. If first starts are any indication, Castillo doesn’t appear ready to hand over the title of “ace” among the Reds staff to Sonny Gray without a fight.

Castillo was spectacular in his season debut against the Tigers. Tossing six innings of one-run ball, La Piedra whiffed 11 Detroit batters while only allowing one walk. After finishing sixth last year in the National League in walks allowed with 79, if Castillo can limit the number of free passes, he can easily become one of the most dominant hurlers in the game.

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As good as Castillo was his first time out, Detroit’s Spencer Turnball was nearly as good. Turnball completely stymied the Redlegs last weekend. Surrendering just one run on three hits over five innings, the Tigers right-hander punched out eight Reds including Nick Castellanos three times.

Trevor Bauer (0-0 1.42 ERA) takes the hill in the middle of the three-game set against Detroit’s Michael Fulmer (0-0 13.50 ERA) who’s looking to bounce back after a dreadful start I can’t imagine there’s anyone in the Tigers dugout looking forward to seeing Bauer after the beatdown he gave them at GABP.

The Cincinnati right-hander fanned 13 Tigers in just 6.1 innings of work. Allowing just two hits, the only blemish on the day for Bauer was a home run off the bat of Nico Goodrum. Given Detroit’s propensity for striking out, don’t be surprised to see Bauer reach double figures again Saturday night.

One would believe things can only go better for Tigers right-hander Michael Fulmer in his second start. Lasting just 2.2 innings against the Royals, Fulmer allowed four runs on five hits including three homers. Ouch. Fulmer lost the only start in his career facing the Reds. During that June 2018 contest, he allowed back-to-back homers to former Red Scooter Gennett and Eugenio Suárez in a 5-3 defeat.

Disco Fever hits Motown Sunday as Anthony DeSclafani makes his 2020 season debut. Detroit has yet to name a starter for the series finale. DeScalfani is coming off an excellent second half of the 2019 campaign.

Tossing 80 innings, Disco allowed just 60 hits while recording 77 strikeouts. DeSclafani set career-best marks in both strikeouts and WHIP last season. As Reds Country knows, when Disco’s healthy, he’s an above-average major league starter. Let’s hope the Reds right-hander leaves the team dancing out of Detroit with a series victory.

CINCINNATI, OHIO – JULY 24: C.J. Cron #26 of the Detroit Tigers hits a home run in the 4th inning against the Cincinnati Reds Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

Power-hitting first baseman crushes the Reds

Last weekend, in the Queen City it seemed like it was C.J. Cron versus the Reds. The right-handed slugger wreaked havoc on Cincinnati pitching by collecting four hits in 11 at-bats including a double and two home runs. His two-run blast in the 9th inning of Sunday’s game off Michael Lorenzen was the difference in that contest.

However, this is not the first time Cron has destroyed Redleg pitching. As a member of the Los Angeles Angels in 2016, he was even better than he was last weekend in Cincinnati. Throughout a three-game series in Anaheim that year Cron went a ridiculous 7-for-12 with three homers and seven runs knocked in. Although he’s only faced Reds pitching in six games in his career he’s slashing .478/.520/1.127 with five homers and 11 RBIs. Mercy.

If the Reds are going to have any success this weekend against the 30-year-old Cron, their best bet is Saturday night. Cincinnati’s Trevor Bauer has had Cron’s number in their head-to-head battles. In 14 at-bats, Cron has just two hits off the Reds right-hander and both of those were singles. Hopefully, Bauer will share his secrets with the rest of the staff.

For those who have followed his career, Cron’s power numbers are real and they’re spectacular if you’re a Tigers fan. He’s hit at least 16 homers in five consecutive seasons; much of the time getting little more than platoon duty. Cron averages a home run nearly every 20 at-bats for his career. To put it in perspective it’s similar to the rates of active sluggers such as Anthony Rizzo and Manny Machado.

I’m not saying Cron is ready to enter the same category of all-time Reds villains such as Lance Berkman and Albert Pujols, but he’s making life extremely difficult for the Reds pitching staff. For the sanity of all Reds Country, let’s hope C.J. Cron remains in the American League for years to come.

GOODYEAR, ARIZONA – FEBRUARY 24: Mike Moustakas #9 of the Cincinnati Reds. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) /

Moose and Senzel are vital to the offense

It’s amazing what the Reds lineup looks like when second baseman Mike Moustakas and centerfielder Nick Senzel are absent. In the three games, the pair have played the Redlegs have scored 23 runs. When those two missed three consecutive games, the Reds crossed the plate just 14 times. A coincidence? I think not.

Moustakas has already belted two homers in just 10 at-bats and has six ribbies in just three games. He gives the Reds a legitimate power threat from the left side of the plate. Among everything else, he seems to be a natural leader.

Moose has appeared in the postseason four times in his career and won a ring with the 2015 Kansas City Royals. His experience will go a long way in helping the Reds franchise achieve their postseason goals.

Although, Nick Senzel has not had quite the start that Moustakas has enjoyed, there’s plenty to like in the early-going of this second season. In his last start, Senzel went 2-for-4 with a double and a home run. Both base knocks were hit with authority.

Another encouraging sign is he’s only struck out once in 11 at-bats. During his rookie season, Senzel struck out in 24.4% of his at-bats. If he had enough at-bats to qualify, that rate would have placed him in the Top 15 in the National League for K% for hitters.

Senzel’s struggles at the plate have been well documented after attempting to alter this swing during the second half of last year. The early 2020 returns seem to indicate he’s back in his comfort zone and seeing the ball well.

Prediction

Obviously, the Blog Red Machine crystal ball was a little hazy after being pulled from the closet for the first time in 2020 when the Reds and Tigers met last weekend. However, things are much more clear as we enter the second week of the season. It’s telling me the Reds will tame the Tigers and leave the Motor City with two games in the victory column.

Next. 3 takeaways from CIN vs CHC

A 2-1 series win would put the Reds back on track after a shaky 2-4 start to begin the 2020 season. While a 4-5 record isn’t what Reds Country was hoping for in the early-going, it would keep postseason hopes alive and prevent Cincinnati from falling out of contention.

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