Photo: Redleg Nation Staff
Last night saw the Cincinnati Reds jump out to a big lead but barely hang out in a 7-6 win. Tonight they’ll look for an easier win against the New York Mets, but it’ll be tough as they face off against a future Hall of Famer with Justin Verlander making his second start of the season. The Reds will counter with Hunter Greene. First pitch tonight is set for 6:40pm ET.
Starting Lineups
Starting Pitchers
Hunter Greene
The last time out, Hunter Greene had his worst start of the season. He allowed seven hits, a walk, and two home runs that led to five runs in 5.2 innings against Chicago. The home runs were the first since Opening Day.
This season has seen right-handed hitters torch Hunter Greene. They are hitting .338 and slugging .535. Left-handed hitters, though, have found almost no success. They strike out more, hit for no average, and hit for very little power. Last season he also pitched better against lefties than righties, though the splits were not nearly as extreme (righties had an OPS that was 76 points higher).
Splits
| Split | PA | H | 2B | 3B | HR | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| RHH | 78 | 24 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 21 | .338 | .397 | .535 |
| LHH | 72 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 26 | .185 | .264 | .292 |
Pitch Usage
| 4-Seam | Slider | Change | |
| Velo | 99.3 | 89.1 | 91.8 |
| Usage | 55% | 40% | 4% |
Justin Verlander
After beginning the season on the injured list, Justin Verlander is back with the Mets and he’ll be making his second start of the season tonight. In his first outing he allowed two runs in 5.0 innings with a walk and five strikeouts.
Last season, and for just about his entire Hall of Fame career, no one has really hit Justin Verlander well. Right-handed hitters did find more success, but that’s only because left-handed hitters found no success.
Splits (2022)
| Split | PA | H | 2B | 3B | HR | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| RHH | 329 | 65 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 12 | 82 | .208 | .240 | .313 |
| LHH | 337 | 51 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 17 | 103 | .164 | .214 | .228 |
Pitch Usage
In his 2023 debut, Verlander did not throw a change up. He threw it during spring training and he’s thrown in his entire career.
| 4-Seam | Slider | Curve | Change | |
| Velo | 95.6 | 88.6 | 80.5 | – |
| Usage | 47% | 43% | 10% | – |
When and Where
- Game time: 6:40pm ET
- Where: Great American Ball Park
- Watch: Bally Sports Ohio, MLB.tv
- Listen: 700 WLW AM (Cincinnati area)
- Forecast: 76°, sunny, 0% chance of rain
News and Notes
Elly De La Cruz is breaking records
Last night in Louisville the Reds top prospect did things that no other player in professional baseball has done that we’re aware of. No other team has done it as a group, either. Elly De La Cruz is just a different kind of guy. And you can read (and watch the video) all about it here.
Standings
| Team | W | L | GB | Playoff Odds |
| Pirates | 21 | 16 | 0.0 | 18.9% |
| Brewers | 20 | 16 | 0.5 | 66.0% |
| Cubs | 17 | 19 | 3.5 | 20.5% |
| Reds | 15 | 20 | 5.0 | 1.3% |
| Cardinals | 13 | 24 | 8.0 | 24.9% |
| Playoff Odds via Fangraphs | ||||
