The Reds have one more shot to turn this trip into something useful.
After taking a 6-2 win from the Dodgers last night, Cincinnati is back at it this afternoon with a chance to earn a series split in the four-game set. First pitch is set for 12:40 p.m. ET, and the game may be shown on MLB Network in some parts of the country, though it could be blacked out in others.
Cincinnati is sending Brady Singer to the mound, while Los Angeles counters with Justin Wrobleski.
Singer has had a season that’s gone in waves, and right now he’s in one of the rougher stretches. Over his last five starts, he’s carrying a 9.00 ERA after allowing 25 runs on 33 hits, plus four hit batters and 14 walks in just 25.0 innings. That adds up to 51 baserunners, which is more than two per inning.
The matchup has some clear split pressure built into it, too. Left-handed hitters have done most of the damage against Singer this season, hitting .304 with a .369 on-base percentage and a .514 slugging percentage.
They’ve also powered 22 home runs against him. Right-handers have had a tougher time overall, though they’ve still managed to do some damage when they connect.
Singer’s pitch mix has leaned heavily on his two-seam fastball and slider, with the two-seamer showing 50% usage and the slider at 41%.
Wrobleski has had a different kind of season, but the recent results haven’t been much cleaner. He’s worked out of the bullpen twice this month, with his other appearance coming in a three-inning start. Since the end of July, he’s given up 25 earned runs in 26.2 innings, and the biggest problem has been the long ball - 13 home runs allowed in that span.
His season splits are a little more balanced than Singer’s. Lefties have hit him slightly better than righties, but neither side has really overwhelmed him.
Right-handed hitters are batting .239 against him, while lefties are at .243. The power has been modest for righties and a little better for lefties when they’ve found their hits.
Wrobleski’s pitch usage is built around a four-seam fastball, which he’s thrown 50% of the time, along with a 31% slider usage. He’s also mixed in a two-seamer, curve, changeup and a little cutter.
One of the biggest individual stories in this matchup is Elly De La Cruz. His month-long surge has pushed him up to third in MLB in WAR among position players, with a 6.1 mark that trails only Bobby Witt Jr. at 6.5 and Pete Crow-Armstrong at 10.4.
Cincinnati also comes in with its place in the standings still very much in view. The Reds are 71-81, sitting 24.0 games behind Milwaukee in the division, with Chicago at 85-68, Pittsburgh at 75-77 and St. Louis at 75-78.
In Other News...
Sal Stewart Just Got A New Rookie Of The Year Threat
The National League Rookie of the Year picture got a lot more interesting this week with the Cardinals activating second baseman JJ Wetherholt from the injured list, putting him back into the race just as the season is heading into its final stretch. For the Reds, that matters because Sal Stewart has been right there among the leagues most talked-about first-year players, and the award conversation now looks like a crowded one with about a week and a half left in the regular season.
Stewart is part of a group that also includes the Mets Nolan McLean and Carson Benge, while Wetherholt brings a different case back into the mix after his time on the shelf. The debate around the race has not just been about who has the biggest traditional numbers, but also who looks strongest in metrics such as WAR, and that split is what makes the closing weeks so intriguing for Cincinnati as Stewart tries to hold off a late push from another top candidate. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Are Back To An Outfield Experiment Fans Know Too Well
The Reds are taking another familiar detour in the outfield, this time with Juan Brito starting in right field against the Dodgers. Brito is mainly a middle infielder, but he does bring some background there from his time in the Guardians system, including a short run of work in right field over the past couple seasons.
It is the kind of move Cincinnati has tried before, with infielders Noelvi Marte and Matt McLain both getting looks in the outfield along the way. Sometimes those experiments have helped patch holes in the lineup, and sometimes they have only underscored how thin the options can get, which is why this latest test is worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Elly De La Cruz Just Delivered Another Dodgers Moment Reds Fans Loved
Elly De La Cruz keeps finding new ways to make a game against the Dodgers feel like a Reds showcase. In the latest chapter, he turned in a 5-3-6 double play that had the kind of snap and creativity that can change an inning in a hurry, catching a throw behind him while still moving and then tagging a sliding baserunner just before the bag. For a Cincinnati club that has seen De La Cruz deliver plenty of highlight material already, this one stood out even in a crowded week.
It also came with some history attached, since it was only the second 5-3-6 double play since the start of the 2024 season. Terry Francona praised the play afterward, which only added to the sense that De La Cruz is stacking up moments that matter beyond the box score. And after a week that already included a record-setting relay throw, the bigger question for the Reds is how many more of these plays he has left to surprise even the people who have seen almost everything from him. [Read more 🡒]