Reds vs Brewers: Preview, pitching matchups and prediction

Reds’ nemesis is off to a slow start, but …

I’m going to go out on a limb and declare that former MVP Christain Yelich is not going to hit .088 for the entire season. Entering play Thursday night, Yelich was hitting just that through the first nine games of the season. However, there’s reason to believe that’s about to change and, of course, just in time for a series against the Reds.

Last night, in a 8-3 victory over the White Sox, Yelich went 1-for-2 with an inside the park home run, scored three times and drew four walks. When Yelich is right, he’s arguably the best hitter in the game. Following last night’s performance, it appears as if he’s prepared to don his blue and gold cape and save the Brewers once again.

As Reds Country knows all too well, the numbers Yelich has produced against the Redlegs are simply otherworldly. The 2018 NL MVP has hit more homers (14) against Cincinnati pitching than he has any other opponent.

In 55 career games against the Reds, he’s slashing .304/.383./.584 with nine stolen bases and 42 RBIs. As if that’s not enough, Christian Yelich has hit for the cycle not once, but twice against the Reds during his dominating 2018 campaign.

Even though his 2020 slash line of .088/.162/.206 entering play last night is ugly, it’s only a matter of time before he breaks loose. Let’s hope for all of Reds Country sanity’s sake the slump of 2020 is extended at least another three days for Christian Yelich.