Best – Sonny Gray SP Reds – 6.2IP 1H 0ER 1BB 11K 1W
The Cincinnati Reds came into the start of this shortened season as the favorite to win the NL Central, but coming into Wednesday’s game, they sat at the bottom of their division with a 1-4 record. Standing in between the Reds and their fifth loss in a row was starting pitcher, Sonny Gray. Gray pitched magnificently against the Detroit Tigers last Friday (6IP 3H 1ER 2BB 9K 1W), but he looked even better on Wednesday night against the Chicago Cubs. This game was a must-win for the Reds.
Gray has gotten the Reds the only two wins to start the season off. The Reds need the other starting pitchers to have performances more like this to achieve any goals set for this season. The bullpen has also been shaky, ranking near the bottom of the league in all pitching categories. Until the rest of the pitching staff get right, the Reds are going to need to lean on their big three (Gray, Luis Castillo, and Trevor Bauer) to keep the L’s at bay.
Other Notables: Freddie Freeman 1B Braves – 4-5 1R 3RBI 1HR; Zach Plesac SP Cleveland – 8IP 3H 0ER 0BB 11K; Mike Yastrzemski OF Giants -3-5 2R 2RBI 2HR GW HR; Max Scherzer SP Nationals – 7.1IP 3H 0ER 3BB 10K; Nick Castellanos OF Reds – 2-3 2R 4RBI 1HR.
Worst – Kyle Hendricks SP Cubs – 4.1IP 7H 6ER 2BB 3K
The Chicago Cubs were in first place to start the day on Wednesday. They had won three games in a row heading into their matchup with their rival, the Cincinnati Reds. But the Reds came out fighting and lit up Cubs starting pitcher, Kyle Hendricks. Hendricks was the MLB player of the week for the first week of the season. The recognition was well deserved for his complete-game shutout on opening day, but the Hendricks that showed up on Wednesday was not the same pitcher. Hendricks’s start was the last thing the Cubs needed with how bad their bullpen has been. The Cubs are 4-2 and still sit atop the NL Central, but with how messy the pen is, the offense and starting pitching will have to continue to carry this team. Hendricks needs to put this game behind him and regain his opening day form.
Extra Trash: David Fletcher 2B Angels – 0-5; Brad Hand CP Cleveland – .1IP 1H 3ER 1BB 0K 1L; David Dahl OF Rockies – 0-5; Johnny Cueto SP Giants – 3.2IP 4H 4ER 3BB 4K; Jake Lamb 3B Diamondbacks – 0-4 4K.