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[Cincinnati Reds]

Game 92: Reds vs. Marlins (7:10 PM ET) - Martinez vs. Perez

Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images

Go Reds!

The Cincinnati Reds need a win in the worst possible way.

They’ve lost three in a row and five of seven overall, and another loss tonight would send them all the way back to a .500 record.

For all the optimism that was sported through the month of June, this club is stubbing its toe during one of the most pivotal stretches of their season, and they’re running out of time to convince the front office and ownership that they’re worth investing in at the trade deadline to keep the 2025 dreams alive.

Once again, they have the Miami Marlins on their plate in their home ball park. It’s time they started winning games against the teams they absolutely must beat this year to stand a chance at making the playoffs.

First pitch is set for 7:10 PM ET tonight with Nick Martinez on the bump throwing it.

Lineups below.

Today's Lineups​

Xavier Edwards - 2B	TJ Friedl - CF
Jesus Sanchez - RF	Matt McLain - 2B
Otto Lopez - SS	Elly De La Cruz - SS
Agustin Ramirez - C	Austin Hays - DH
Kyle Stowers - LF	Gavin Lux - LF
Connor Norby - 3B	Spencer Steer - 1B
Liam Hicks - 1B	Will Benson - RF
Heriberto Hernandez - DH	Jose Trevino - C
Dane Myers - CF	Noelvi Marte - 3B
Eury Perez - RHP	Nick Martinez - RHP

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MARLINS​

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REDS​

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Source: https://www.redreporter.com/2025/7/8/24464092/cincinnati-reds-nick-martinez-miami-marlins

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Game 93: Just please don’t get wrecked by the Marlins again, Reds

Photo by Leonardo Fernandez/Getty Images

Go, Reds?

Former National League Cy Young Award winner Sanday Alcantara is on the mound for the Miami Marlins tonight in Great American Ball Park as they attempt to take their third straight game off the Cincinnati Reds.

It’s been a brutal stretch for the Reds, who have now dropped four in a row overall to fall all the way back to .500.

For all the pseudo optimism there was around this club a week and a half ago when Chase Burns made his debut, we’re now talking about a club that’s 8.5 games back of its division leader, mired in 4th place within said division, 4 games back of the final NL Wild Card spot (with at least 3 teams they’ll need to jump depending on how today goes), and a blink away from literally having a losing record.

How long have we been asked to wait for a good, legit Reds team, again?

I digress.

It’s up to All-Star Andrew Abbott to help stem the tide on the mound, while the Bats, quite simply, have to wake the f&*k up.

Lineups below.

Today's Lineups​

Xavier Edwards - 2B	TJ Friedl - CF
Agustin Ramirez - DH	Matt McLain - 2B
Heriberto Hernandez - LF	Elly De La Cruz - SS
Otto Lopez - SS	Austin Hays - LF
Eric Wagaman - 1B	Gavin Lux - DH
Dane Myers - RF	Spencer Steer - 1B
Connor Norby - 3B	Tyler Stephenson - C
Derek Hill - CF	Will Benson - RF
Nick Fortes - C	Noelvi Marte - 3B
Sandy Alcantara - RHP	Andrew Abbott - LHP

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MARLINS​

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REDS​

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Source: https://www.redreporter.com/2025/7/9/24464803/cincinnati-reds-miami-marlins-sandy-alcantara

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Reds win 6-0, salvage series split with Marlins

Photo by Jeff Dean/Getty Images

It was bad, but it could have been much, much worse.

Things weren’t bleak bleak on Tuesday night. We’ve all witnessed the Cincinnati Reds lose a hundred games, rebuild thrice, and do everything in their power to underperform for the better part of our lives, after all.

Things were not 2022 bleak, nor were they 2015 bleak. They were, however, frustratingly bleak given the expectations placed on this year’s club, what with Terry Francona trotted in and Elly De La Cruz officially ascending into superstardom.

They’d just gotten smothered by the lowly, rebuilding Miami Marlins by the tune of 12-2, and had it done to them in their home stadium, no less. They’d lost each of the first two games of the series on a homestand that featured two of the worst clubs in the game, and they’d officially fallen all the way back to level-par - a literal .500 club.

Playing .500 ball through ~90 games would have felt like a godsend in some of those aforementioned seasons. Good lord, we have seen some shit around these parts. But for a team like this, that finally had expectations, to have slumped that low just a week or two after they’d finally played well enough to make us believe?

It really does make you weight whether it’s better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all.

Anyway, these Reds have picked themselves up off the mat from Tuesday’s woes. They blasted the Marlins last night 7-2 and again this afternoon 6-0, following the lead of Nick Lodolo (6.0 scoreless IP) and Spencer Steer (dinger!) to sneak back up to 48-46 and halve the series.

On top of that, they’ve got the lowly Colorado Rockies coming to town for a three-game set this weekend, precisely the club who’s going to threaten to lose more games than any team ever has in a single season this season.

It would be preferred if things never proceeded as if they were on a roller coaster, but that’s just not the way the Baseball Gods prefer it. They’re going to reel you in, give you your lungs back, and do it all over time and time again. From Tuesday’s glumness to today’s high, it’s now feasible these Reds could enter the All-Star break five games over .500 and right back in this thing.

(If, of course, they don’t botch the series against the Rockies the way they botched the one against the Marlins.)

We’ve got a weekend of baseball left before the real baseball begins. Here’s hoping the Reds haven’t already looked too far ahead and can take care of business to - yes - send us into the break (and trade season) with more hope than we’ve had around here in years.

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/2025/7/10/24465484/cincinnati-reds-miami-marlins-recap-lodolo-steer

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Game 95: Reds vs. Rockies (7:10 PM EDT) - Burns vs. Marquez

Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Today's Lineups​

Tyler Freeman - RF	TJ Friedl - CF
Mickey Moniak - DH	Matt McLain - 2B
Hunter Goodman - C	Elly De La Cruz - SS
Jordan Beck - LF	Austin Hays - LF
Michael Toglia - 1B	Gavin Lux - DH
Ryan McMahon - 3B	Spencer Steer - 1B
Brenton Doyle - CF	Tyler Stephenson - C
Kyle Farmer - 2B	Will Benson - RF
Ryan Ritter - SS	Noelvi Marte - 3B
German Marquez - RHP	Chase Burns - RHP

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ROCKIES​

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REDS​

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Source: https://www.redreporter.com/2025/7/11/24466004/game-95-reds-vs-rockies-7-10-pm-edt-burns-vs-marquez

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Game 96: Reds vs. Rockies (4:10 PM EDT) - Singer vs. Blalock

Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Today's Lineups​

Tyler Freeman - DH	TJ Friedl - CF
Ryan McMahon - 3B	Matt McLain - 2B
Hunter Goodman - C	Elly De La Cruz - SS
Jordan Beck - LF	Austin Hays - DH
Michael Toglia - 1B	Gavin Lux - LF
Brenton Doyle - CF	Spencer Steer - 1B
Yanquiel Fernandez - RF	Will Benson - RF
Orlando Arcia - 2B	Jose Trevino - C
Ryan Ritter - SS	Noelvi Marte - 3B
Bradley Blalock - RHP	Brady Singer - RHP

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ROCKIES​

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REDS​

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Source: https://www.redreporter.com/2025/7/12/24466459/game-96-reds-vs-rockies-4-10-pm-edt-singer-vs-blalock

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Game 97: Rockies vs. Reds (1:40 PM EDT) - Martinez vs. Gomber

Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Today's Lineups​

Tyler Freeman - RF	TJ Friedl - CF
Mickey Moniak - DH	Matt McLain - 2B
Michael Toglia - 1B	Elly De La Cruz - SS
Ryan McMahon - 3B	Austin Hays - LF
Brenton Doyle - CF	Spencer Steer - 1B
Yanquiel Fernandez - LF	Noelvi Marte - DH
Kyle Farmer - 2B	Tyler Stephenson - C
Austin Nola - C	Santiago Espinal - 3B
Ryan Ritter - SS	Connor Joe - RF
Austin Gomber - LHP	Nick Martinez - RHP

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ROCKIES​

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REDS​

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Source: https://www.redreporter.com/2025/7/...ockies-vs-reds-1-40-pm-edt-martinez-vs-gomber

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

MLB Draft: Cincinnati Reds Tracker

Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images

Follow along with us as the Reds make their 2025 picks!

The 2025 MLB Draft begins promptly at 6:00 PM ET on Sunday, July 13th, when the first trio of rounds worth of selections will come off the board.

The Cincinnati Reds hold the #9 overall pick as well as picks #51 and #83 for the day. At one point, they held the rights to pick #41 but opted to use that as part of the trade package sent to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the deal that landed them Gavin Lux.

The Sunday portion of the draft will be streamable on MLB.com as well as on MLB Network, with ESPN carrying a portion of the drafting, too.

We will be updating this thread with the selections as they come in.

Cincinnati Reds Day 1 Picks​

Round 1 (#9): Steele Hall - SS - Hewitt-Trussville High School (AL)

Round 2 (#51): Aaron Watson - RHP - Trinity Christian Academy (FL)

Round 3 (#83): Mason Morris - RHP - Ole Miss

Round 4 (#114): Mason Neville - OF - University of Oregon

Round 5 (#145): Eli Pitts - OF - North Atlanta High School (GA)

Round 6 (#174): Braden Osbolt - RHP - Kennesaw State University

Round 7 (#204): Justin Henschel - RHP - Florida Gulf Coast University

Round 8 (#234): Kyle McCoy - LHP - University of Maryland

Round 9 (#264): Kien Vu - OF - Arizona State University

Round 10 (#294): Ty Doucette - 1B - Rutgers University

Round 11: (#324): Jake Brink - RHP - College of Charleston

Round 12: (#354):

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/2025/7/13/24465557/mlb-draft-cincinnati-reds-tracker

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Who will win the 2025 Home Run Derby?

Photo by LG Patterson/MLB via Getty Images

We’ll find out tonight!

The annual Home Run Derby commences this evening at 8 PM ET in Atlanta as part of this year’s All-Star Game festivities.

While there have been a few notable scratches and even more high-profile players decline to participate altogether, there will still be a solid eight-pack of sluggers who’ll be out there crushing dingers into the humid Georgia air tonight.

That includes Matt Olson, Atlanta’s All-Star 1B who - like Todd Frazier in 2015 - will be trying to win the derby in his home park. He’ll be joined by a cadre of National League and American League mashers (not all of whom are actual ‘All-Stars’ this year).

Here’s the full list of participants:

Matt Olson, 1B (Atlanta Braves)

Junior Caminero, 3B (Tampa Bay Rays)

Oneil Cruz, CF (Pittsburgh Pirates)

Byron Buxton, CF (Minnesota Twins)

Jazz Chisholm, Jr., 2B/3B (New York Yankees)

Cal Raleigh, C (Seattle Mariners)

James Wood, OF (Washington Nationals)

Brent Rooker, DH (Las Oaklamentgas A’s)

You can watch the entire festivities on ESPN beginning at 8 PM ET.

Who ya got winning this one?

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/2025/7/14/24467858/mlb-all-star-game-home-run-derby-odds-what-channel

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

How to watch the 2025 MLB All-Star Game

Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Elly De La Cruz is there!

The 2025 edition of the Major League Baseball All-Star Game takes place tonight in Atlanta, with coverage set to begin at 8 PM ET on FOX. Joe Davis, John Smoltz, Ken Rosenthal, and Tom Verducci will spearhead the televised coverage, though we’ll surely have multiple players mic’d up (and interviewed mid-game), too.

They’ll be using the automated ball-strike challenge system in this exhibition, a quirk that will surely infuriate at least one or six people along the way. They’ll also each be wearing their own team’s regular season uniforms instead of the usual horribly designed ASG-specific ones we’ve seen in the past.

Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates will toe the rubber for the National League, meaning he’ll throw the first pitch seeing as the NL will act as the home team in the Braves home park. Reigning American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal will start for the AL on the other side.

Cincinnati Reds star Elly De La Cruz isn’t in the starting lineup at short for the NL as Francisco Lindor of the New York Mets earned that nod in the voting. Elly will surely feature at some point, however, while lefty Andrew Abbott - who’s on almost a full week’s rest - has a chance to toss some pitches for the NL squad at some point, too.

Go All-Stars!

NL team is stacked, AL team is, well, Cal Raleigh is fun!

— Razzball (@razzball.bsky.social) 2025-07-14T18:20:49.339Z

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/2025/7/15/24468490/mlb-all-star-game-how-to-watch

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Should the Reds call up Sal Stewart in this season’s second half?

Photo by Maddalena LoRae/Minor League Baseball

You tell us!

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cincinnati Reds fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Cincinnati Reds prospect Sal Stewart was drafted out of Westminster Christian School (FL) with a reputation as a pure hitter. That’s the tool that earned him an offer to play ball at powerhouse Vanderbilt University, an offer he eschewed when the Reds used the #32 overall pick on him back in 2022.

Since turning pro, Sal has done nothing to dispel the notion that he’s one of the better young hitters on the planet.

He’s the owner of a career .389 OBP across over 1200 PA in the minors, including a brilliant .306/.377/.473 overall line so far in 2025. All that production has come for AA Chattanooga, to date, though Sal just earned a promotion to AAA Louisville while also repping the Reds in this past weekend’s All-Star Futures Game.

Still just 21 years old, it’s pretty clear Sal’s trajectory has him on the Cincinnati Reds in short order. The question, though, is just how short.

So far in 2025, the collective output from Cincinnati’s 3B corps has produced a miserable 64 wRC+, a mark that’s good for third worst in all Major League Baseball. Sal, of course, plays 3B.

So far in 2025, the collective output from Cincinnati’s DH corps has produced a mediocre 94 wRC+, a mark that’s good for 21st. Sal, of course, can hit designatedly.

He’s clearly a long-term piece. Is he a short-term answer, too?

Should the Reds give Sal a call-up in 2025? Is he the kind of piece that could help push this team into playoff position?

Tell us in the survey below!

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/2025/7/15/24467730/cincinnati-reds-rumors-sal-stewart-trade-deadline

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Defense again in the spotlight as Reds drop another to Dodgers

One of the few things cooler than going an entire season without being swept is simply not losing the first two games of a series to thereby beg the question.

Alas, here we find the Cincinnati Reds, losers of the first two games of their series in Dodger Stadium, and on the brink of being doused completely in a series for the first time in 2025. And, in the process, the Reds are watching their faint postseason hopes drift ever further from their boat.

The Reds 6-3 loss late Tuesday to the Dodgers featured a recipe quite similar to their series opening loss to them in that a big defensive miscue effectively slammed the door. Whereas it was the 5-hole grounder missed completely by Elly De La Cruz on Monday, it was a 2-run, 2-out double off the wall in CF by Miguel Rojas that broke the game wide open on Tuesday.

It sounds innocuous enough – a double off the wall in CF. However, it came via a bit of a misread by CF Noelvi Marte, and the ball went right over his head despite being otherwise catchable.

CF Noelvi Marte. That’s what’s not innocuous.

Despite having all the athletic talent in the world and at least a half-month or so of experience in RF, the idea that the Reds could simply use Noelvi in CF for his first career professional start there on Tuesday night seemed perilous, at best, when lineups were announced. Putting a guy out there in such a vital spot just seemed to ensure the Baseball Gods were going to point the spotlight on him, and sure enough that’s exactly what happened.

Frankly, I think Noelvi can play a good CF out there eventually. I think with practice, experience with foreign ball parks, etc. he’ll end up being just fine out there. But to simply ask for it to manifest itself before any of that was far too much from manager Terry Francona, Nick Krall, and the front office, and it burned them in a big, big way on Tuesday.

That the Reds offense was once again subdued shouldn’t be misunderstood here, however. Clayton Kershaw shut them down completely after the Reds scored a run in the Top of the 1st, though a colossally poor bunt attempt that turned into a backbreaking double-play in the Top of the 6th was a similarly devastating attempt at trying to manufacture something when you know you can’t simply, y’know, hit the goddamn ball.

The Reds now find themselves 3.5 games back of the New York Mets for the final NL Wild Card spot, and now they’ll face Shohei Ohtani in the series finale. They’ll welcome back lefty Nick Lodolo from his blister issues to make the start, but they’ve once again found themselves behind the 8-ball by their own doing and now look like they’ll need a miracle to turn this entire thing back around.

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/game-recaps/48465/noelvi-marte-defense-cincinnati-reds-cf

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

The perpetually pesky St. Louis Cardinals are in town to face the Reds

The 2025 season was supposed to be an afterthought for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Longtime GM John Mozeliak announced well before the year that he had zero inclination to continue in his role after his contract expired at the end of 2025, a pretty clear indication that the franchise was hitting the reset button. Gone was potential Hall of Famer Paul Goldschmidt from the roster, while the club repeatedly tried to offload Nolan Arenado all winter, too.

The trade deadline saw them deal away established arm after established arm, with two-time All-Star Ryan Helsey, lefty Steven Matz, and setup man Phil Maton all dealt away.

Yet here we are, looking down at another late-August series between the Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds, and St. Louis is still right there.

How right there are they? Well, if St. Louis sweeps the Reds – who just got swept for the first time all season by the Los Angeles Dodgers – the Cardinals will leap the Reds in the standings.

That’s right – the rebuilding, sell-mode Cardinals are that close to pipping the we’re in the playoff chase! Reds.

The Reds will send Zack Littell to the mound on Friday evening in Great American Ball Park for the series opener, while lefty Andrew Abbott will pitch Saturday and Brady Singer on Sunday. Matthew Liberatore – a lefty – will haunt the Reds on Friday with a start for St. Louis (that will most likely feature Santiago Espinal a) in the lineup and b) playing a position he’s rarely, if ever, played before), while Michael McGreevy and Andre Pallante will toe the rubber for the subsequent games in the series for the Birds.

The Reds have certainly backed themselves into a corner here. The repeated thrashings by the Dodgers have left them 4 full games behind the New York Mets for the final National League Wild Card spot, as those losses coincided with the Mets sweeping the Philadelphia Phillies mid-week. The Mets are currently playing host to the Miami Marlins this weekend before they set off on a three-city, ten-game road trip that will also bring them to Cincinnati in what projects to be perhaps the most pivotal series in Nick Krall’s tenure atop the team’s front office.

(That is, of course, if the owner who employs him even gives enough of a damn to pay attention to it.)

First pitch in the Reds/Cards opener on Friday evening is slated for 6:40 PM ET. It sure would be nice to see GABP loaded to the gills with folks in the good kind of white/red uniforms.

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/game-pr...eds-st-louis-cardinals-preview-mozeliak-krall

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Game 135: Reds vs. Cardinals (6:40 PM ET) – Littell vs. Liberatore

The Cincinnati Reds are back in Great American Ball Park on Friday night and will open a nine-game homestand beginning with their division rival St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals, who sold at the trade deadline and seemed almost uninterested in ‘going for it’ for all of 2025, can actually mathematically pass the Reds in the standings this weekend if everything goes their way, a statement that’s a pretty decent indictment of how half-assed the Reds have been about ‘going for it’ in 2025 themselves.

Matthew Liberatore will start for the Cardinals. He’s a lefty, and lefties have thwarted the Reds offense so far this season to the tune of just a 75 wRC+, the worst mark in the majors outside of the Colorado Rockies (who barely exist).

Zack Littell will start for the Reds and try to allow negative one runs (or fewer) to give this offense an actual chance.

First pitch is set for 6:40 PM ET. Lineups below!

Today’s Lineups​

Lars Nootbaar – LF	TJ Friedl – CF
Ivan Herrera – DH	Noelvi Marte – RF
Willson Contreras – 1B	Elly De La Cruz – SS
Nolan Gorman – 3B	Miguel Andujar – DH
Masyn Winn – SS	Austin Hays – LF
Thomas Saggese – 2B	Spencer Steer – 1B
Jordan Walker – RF	Jose Trevino – C
Pedro Pages – C	Ke’Bryan Hayes – 3B
Nathan Church – CF	Santiago Espinal – 2B
M. Liberatore – LHP	Zack Littell – RHP

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CARDINALS​

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Source: https://www.redreporter.com/game-threads/48482/cincinnati-reds-st-louis-cardinals-game-information

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Game 136: Reds vs. Cardinals (6:40 PM EDT) – Abbott vs. McGreevy

Go Reds.

Today’s Lineups
CARDINALS REDS
Masyn Winn – SS TJ Friedl – CF
Ivan Herrera – DH Noelvi Marte – RF
Lars Nootbaar – LF Elly De La Cruz – SS
Willson Contreras – 1B Miguel Andujar – DH
Jordan Walker – RF Gavin Lux – LF
Nolan Gorman – 3B Spencer Steer – 1B
Thomas Saggese – 2B Ke’Bryan Hayes – 3B
Pedro Pages – C Jose Trevino – C
Nathan Church – CF Matt McLain – 2B

Michael McGreevy – RHP Andrew Abbott – LHP

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/game-th...ds-vs-cardinals-640-pm-edt-abbott-vs-mcgreevy

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Game 137: Reds vs. Cardinals (12:10 PM EDT) – Singer vs. Pallante

Today’s Lineups
CARDINALS REDS
Lars Nootbaar – LF TJ Friedl – CF
Ivan Herrera – DH Noelvi Marte – RF
Willson Contreras – 1B Elly De La Cruz – DH
Nolan Gorman – 3B Austin Hays – LF
Thomas Saggese – SS Gavin Lux – 2B
Cesar Prieto – 2B Spencer Steer – 1B
Jordan Walker – RF Ke’Bryan Hayes – 3B
Jimmy Crooks – C Will Banfield – C
Nathan Church – CF Matt McLain – SS

Andre Pallante – RHP Brady Singer – RHP

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/game-th...s-vs-cardinals-1210-pm-edt-singer-vs-pallante

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Cincinnati Reds to call up Sal Stewart

The Cincinnati Reds ended a 5-game losing streak today, defeating the St. Louis Cardinals by a score of 7-4. Sunday’s game featured home runs by Matt McLain, his second in as many days, and Austin Hays, along with another two-hit day by Ke’Bryan Hayes. It was also the most runs they had scored since that 8-10 loss to Milwaukee over two weeks ago. Since that night, the Reds have really struggled offensively. They’ve lost three straight series and endured their first sweep of the season at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers. They are 2-8 over their last 10 games, scoring 3 or fewer runs in 6 of those 10 games.

While the Reds have been struggling at the plate, Sal Stewart most certainly has not. Since getting called up to Triple-A Louisville on July 18, Stewart has done nothing but mash the hell out of the baseball. He’s hit .315/.394/.629 over 38 games with the Bats, with 15 doubles, 10 home runs, and 36 RBI. He’s also walked 19 times against 26 strikeouts. Despite what would have seemed like an obvious move a couple weeks ago to help a struggling offense, the Reds did the predictable and waited until rosters expanded to make the move.

Source: The Reds will call up Sal Stewart on Monday. Club has made no announcement.

— Mark Sheldon (@msheldon.bsky.social) 2025-08-31T20:51:11.226Z

There has been no official announcement from the team, but it seems like this move is set in stone. Stewart will likely move around the diamond over the next month, as he’s been getting work everywhere but shortstop during his time in Louisville. Hopefully his call-up will provide a boost to an offense that has largely struggled since the All-Star Break. And hopefully this is a move that isn’t too little, too late for a Reds team who’s playoff odds have gotten longer and longer over the last couple of weeks.

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/news/48494/cincinnati-reds-to-call-up-sal-stewart

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Resilient Reds walk off Blue Jays in 5-4 thriller

There was ample good on display from the Cincinnati Reds at home in Great American Ball Park on Labor Day afternoon.

The single most releveant ‘good,’ of course, was the score. They scored a trio of runs in the Bottom of the 9th to come back and defeat the really, really good Toronto Blue Jays in walk-off fashion, a vital victory if they’ve got any shot of getting back into the playoff chase.

Noelvi Marte provided the walk-off single through drawn-in defense, smashing it just hard enough to clear the dirt but just soft enough to give TJ Friedl enough time to score the game’s winning run all the way from 2B. Friedl had earlier provided a mammoth hit of his own in the form of a ground-rule double, and the production from that key part of the order was good enough for the Reds to claw out a win.

For the long term, though, the most important ‘good’ of the day was the debut of Sal Stewart, who was promoted to the Reds from AAA Louisville when rosters expanded at the turn of the calendar. He played 1B on the day, singled into LF in his first career big league plate appearance, and later scored while on his first tour of duty on the basepaths. It’s pretty clear the Reds are going to get him in the lineup whenever and wherever they can, and today that just so happened to be at 1B to get Spencer Steer a bit of a break (though Steer later came in to cover 1B defensively).

Ace Hunter Greene was very, very good today also. He pitched into the 7th inning before running into some minor trouble, eventually exiting after his 101st pitch and a final line of 6.1 IP, 5 H, ER, BB, 7 K. He lowered his season ERA down to a brilliant 2.70 in the process, and provided precisely the kind of start a team needs from its ace against playoff-bound competition.

The bad, though, was that Cincinnati long had this game in the bag because of Greene – and because of the early work of the Reds bullpen. It wasn’t until the Top of the 9th that Toronto even scored multiple runs, let alone claimed a 4-2 lead – all things they did off closer Emilio Pagan in yet another shaky performance from him. He owns just one save (on August 31st) across his last eight appearances, in which time he’s been on the mound twice for games lost in extra innings and now thrice blown a save opportunity. That’s something that’s going to need to be rectified in short order given that Cincinnati’s offense has such a hard time winning games by lots of runs, putting all sorts of increased pressure on their relief arms to get each and every single out they can.

Still, it was a big win for the Reds on a big day for the future of the franchise, and they dodged the kind of loss that would’ve really, truly put the nail in the coffin for their season.

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/game-re...ff-toronto-blue-jays-sal-stewart-noelvi-marte