After a successful first position at home, the Cincinnati Reds (5-1) look to bring their offensive machine to the road as they head into the desert to face the Arizona Diamondbacks (2-5) at Chase Field in downtown Phoenix Get ready for a dose of #LateNightReds, folks. The first release is at 9:40 pm EDT. You can watch the game on Bally Sports Ohio or listen to it on 700 WLW.
How impressive were the Reds’ bats during the first week of the season? The Reds have scored the most runs in the first six games for any MLB team since 1999 and the most runs in the first six games in Reds history.
A red-hot start! Get it?@Red | #ATOBTTR pic.twitter.com/vTUranxa5x
– MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) April 8, 2021
Meanwhile, the Diamondbacks have started in the opposite direction from the Reds, winning just two of seven games against the Padres and Rockies on the road. They have also allowed 43 runs, including a pair of offensive bursts.
Starting pitchers
On his first outing of 2021 on Saturday, Tyler mahle He pitched well against the Cardinals, allowing three runs and four hits while striking out nine batters in five innings. Two of those runs came via home runs for Paul DeJong.
Mahle’s fastball averaged 95.1 mph on Saturday, up from 93.9 in 2020. He used all three pitches about the same as last year, with the four-seam fastball being the most used, followed by his slider. He only uses his split finger about 11 percent of the time and almost always for left-handed hitters. Mahle’s highest puff rate on Saturday was actually his slider at 28.6 percent, but his fastball was just behind at 23.5 percent. He finished with more strikeouts on his fastball, but he also threw more his fastball.
The Diamondbacks will fight back with a right-handed pitcher Taylor widener, also in its second season opener. Widener pitched Sunday, shutting out the Padres and allowing just three hits with five strikeouts and three walks in six innings. It was his first start in the majors. In 2020, his rookie season, he pitched in 12 games from the bullpen.
Widener relies on three pitches: four-seam fastball, slider, and switch. He’s predominantly a fastball pitcher (he pitched it nearly 65 percent of the time in 2020) and uses his breakthrough pitches as secondary pitches. You will be throwing the slider mainly at right-handed hitters. The change is thrown primarily at left-handed hitters. Widener’s fastball averaged 94.5 mph in 2020. In his first game this year, his fastball speed was slightly lower, averaging just 92.8 mph. His breaking pitches will average between 85 and 86 mph.
Statistics are from 2020.
| Name | IP | IT WAS | FIP | xFIP | WHIP | K% | BED AND BREAKFAST% |
| Tyler mahle | 47.2 | 3.59 | 3.88 | 4.59 | 1.15 | 29.9% | 10.4% |
| Taylor widener | 20.0 | 4.50 | 6.49 | 5.65 | 1.30 | 25.0% | 13.6% |
Lineups
Cincinnati Reds
|
Arizona Diamondbacks |
| LF Jesse Winker | CF Tim Locastro |
| RF Nick Castellanos | RF Kole Calhoun |
| 1B Joey Votto | 1B Christian Walker |
| SS Eugenio Suarez | LF David Peralta |
| 3B Mike Moustakas | 3B Asdrúbal Cabrera |
| CF Tyler Naquin | 2B Eduardo Escobar |
| 2B Jonathan India | SS Josh Rojas |
| C Tucker Barnhart | C Carson Kelly |
| P Tyler Mahle | P Taylor Widener |
Kole Calhoun returns to the Diamondbacks lineup after being on the 10-day disabled list to start the season.
News and Notes
Sonny gray could come back this week
Before today’s game, manager David Bell said if the Sonny Gray simulated game he hopes to pitch tomorrow goes well, the right-hander would return to the rotation this week.
Jesse Winker is back in the lineup
Jesse Winker returns to the Reds’ lineup tonight after being out of a few games due to illness. Enjoy new Reds announcer John Sadak as much as the fans.
Jesse Winker told new play-by-play announcer John Sadak during his pregame Zoom that he really enjoyed it on TV broadcasts. Winker looked #Red house games when he was sick with the flu earlier this week.
– Bobby Nightengale (@nightengalejr) April 9, 2021
Early today at Redleg Nation
Listen to the latest episode of Redleg Nation Radio, where Chad Dotson and Chris Garber discuss the Reds 5-1 start.
John Ring wrote today about the arrogance and excitement the 2021 team brings to the table and compared this start to the quick starts other Reds teams have had.
Final thoughts
Hey, look at the Reds, now on top of Fangraphs’ odds to win the NL Central. I don’t care if it’s the first week of the season. I’m going to enjoy the journey this team is on.
Hello, new favorites from NL Central pic.twitter.com/1469pTv2Sn
– ???? ???? and (@Nicholaspkirby) April 9, 2021