GDT 4/3/24 Cincinnati Reds (Montas) @ Philadelphia Phillies (Wheeler)

[kikutaro]

Nick Castellanos

Defensive switch from center field to left field for Stuart Fairchild.
Bubba Thompson remains in the game as the center fielder.
Pitching Change: Alexis Díaz replaces Fernando Cruz.
Ball (91.7 mph four-seam fastball)
Ball (92.1 mph four-seam fastball)
Called strike (91.2 mph four-seam fastball)
Foul tip (93.3 mph four-seam fastball)
Batter Timeout.
Swinging strike (85.5 mph slider)

Nick Castellanos strikes out swinging.

[kikutaro]

Brandon Marsh

Swinging strike (86.2 mph slider)
Foul (88. mph slider)
Foul (93.7 mph four-seam fastball)
Called strike (93.3 mph four-seam fastball)

Brandon Marsh called out on strikes.

[LoneStarPhan]

The second ball should have been a strike and the called strike was clearly outside and should have been a ball. But swinging at the slider well off the plate is all on Castellanos.

[kikutaro]

Whit Merrifield

Ball (92.7 mph four-seam fastball)
Ball (92. mph four-seam fastball)
Called strike (92.3 mph four-seam fastball)
Foul (92.6 mph four-seam fastball)
Batter Timeout.
Foul (91.1 mph four-seam fastball)
Ball (86.8 mph slider)
Foul (92.8 mph four-seam fastball)
Foul (84.7 mph slider)
Foul (90.8 mph four-seam fastball)
Foul (92.1 mph four-seam fastball)
In play, no out (86.3 mph slider)

Whit Merrifield singles on a fly ball to center fielder Bubba Thompson.

[kikutaro]

Alec Bohm

Ball (85.3 mph slider)
Whit Merrifield advances to 2nd on defensive indifference.
Foul tip (92.9 mph four-seam fastball)
Foul (92.6 mph four-seam fastball)
In play, out(s) (86.3 mph slider)

Alec Bohm lines out to right fielder Will Benson.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cincinnati Reds	0	0	2	0	0	1	0	0	1	4	6	0
Philadelphia Phillies	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	6	2

---

Current Batters

Cincinnati Reds

Hitters	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	K	HR	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
Jonathan India 2B	2	1	0	0	1	2	0	.227	.393	.364	.757
Will Benson RF	4	0	0	0	0	2	0	.261	.320	.565	.885
Christian Encarnacion-Strand 1B	4	0	1	2	0	1	0	.192	.192	.385	.577
Jeimer Candelario 3B	4	0	1	0	0	1	0	.167	.200	.375	.575
Santiago Espinal 3B	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.143	.250	.143	.393
Jake Fraley RF	3	1	1	0	0	0	0	.467	.467	.600	1.067
Stuart Fairchild LF	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	.375	.444	.375	.819
Elly De La Cruz SS	4	0	1	1	0	2	0	.250	.280	.417	.697
Spencer Steer LF	4	0	1	0	0	2	0	.435	.480	.739	1.219
Bubba Thompson CF	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000
Nick Martini DH	4	1	1	1	0	1	0	.333	.353	.800	1.153
Tyler Stephenson C	4	0	0	0	0	3	0	.188	.188	.250	.438
Frankie Montas P								.000	.000	.000	.000
Justin Wilson P								.000	.000	.000	.000
Lucas Sims P								.000	.000	.000	.000
Fernando Cruz P								.000	.000	.000	.000
Alexis Díaz P								.000	.000	.000	.000

Philadelphia Phillies

Hitters	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	K	HR	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
Kyle Schwarber DH	3	1	1	1	1	1	1	.280	.308	.520	.828
Trea Turner SS	4	0	0	0	0	2	0	.217	.308	.217	.525
Bryce Harper 1B	4	0	1	0	0	0	0	.211	.286	.684	.970
J.T. Realmuto C	4	0	1	0	0	2	0	.278	.350	.444	.794
Bryson Stott 2B	3	0	0	0	1	0	0	.222	.364	.278	.642
Nick Castellanos RF	2	0	0	0	2	1	0	.150	.292	.150	.442
Brandon Marsh CF	4	0	1	0	0	1	0	.333	.333	.667	1.000
Whit Merrifield LF	4	0	1	0	0	1	0	.143	.250	.143	.393
Johan Rojas CF	2	0	1	0	0	1	0	.067	.176	.067	.243
Alec Bohm 3B	2	0	0	0	0	1	0	.238	.273	.286	.559
Zack Wheeler P								.000	.000	.000	.000
Yunior Marte P								.000	.000	.000	.000
Gregory Soto P								.000	.000	.000	.000
Nick Nelson P								.000	.000	.000	.000

Current Pitchers

Cincinnati Reds

Pitchers	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	HR	P-K	ERA
Frankie Montas	5.2	5	1	1	3	5	1	100-63	0.77
Justin Wilson	0.1	0	0	0	0	0	0	3-2	0.00
Lucas Sims	1.0	0	0	0	1	2	0	20-10	3.00
Fernando Cruz	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	0	8-7	2.70
Alexis Díaz	1.0	1	0	0	0	2	0	24-18	9.00

Philadelphia Phillies

Pitchers	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	HR	P-K	ERA
Zack Wheeler	6.0	3	3	1	1	10	0	93-64	0.75
Yunior Marte	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	0	11-8	0.00
Gregory Soto	1.0	1	0	0	0	3	0	15-11	0.00
Nick Nelson	1.0	2	1	1	0	1	0	15-9	6.75

[LoneStarPhan]

2-4 start to the season as the Phillies lose back to back series at home.

A miserable day for the players and fans alike.

Need a strong start from Nola to get things on the winning track on Friday.

[Austinfan]

Bullpen settling into place, I think Nelson goes down for Kerkering.
Otherwise, SD, Alvarado, Hoffman, Kerkering, Soto, Marte, Pinto, Turnbull as swing man until they know what's happening with Walker.

If Nola settles in, and Walker can pitch in May with his usual velo, solid pitching staff from top to bottom sets them up for a long run.

[gmwannabe]

I know it is way, way too early, but can Wes Wilson play Right Field?
gm

[andyb]

A little less Merrifield also might help. Marsh should play almost every day.

[Austinfan]

Merrifield is fine as a super sub, but not worth force feeding into the lineup.
Though I think some of early moves are just to keep bench fresh, it's easy to just write in starters, then a month from now have to put a bench player in for two weeks after 3 PAs to start the season.

[BostonRoss]

The main problem is the offense. Only Schwarber, Marsh, and JT have been ok (and Harper for one game). If most of the others don’t snap out of it soon, it could be a long season. To be fair, the weather isn’t helping, but the opponents have been hitting better.

[zambonir]

The pen has been a bright spot after a bumpy start. This is worse than last year though since they started at home. Offense can't squander pitching like they got last night even if it wasn't the kind of night where five runs could be expected.

The hitters also have to hit for the Rojas plan to work... though they still lack an actual alternative (as Merrifield's own beginning as this year's Jake Cave spring training performance also demonstrates).

Schedule gets easier for next couple of weeks though who knows what these teams actually are or which ones will roll over like they used to. Pirates (like the Reds) might actually be good.

[Austinfan]

Not going to panic about the hitters until June. Players have hot and cold streaks.
As long as the pitching is solid they can reel off 16-4 runs at any time.

[andyb]

I think some of early moves are just to keep bench fresh

Yes they needed to get everyone a start the first week, but Merrifield has played 4 out of 6 so far and is really not that good. If he keeps playing more than 50% of the games it will be a problem. Not because he wears down, but because someone like Marsh or Bohm or Stott is probably better than him (especially layering in defense). They should not have Merrifield as a quasi starter. Maybe things change a bit if Rojas is sent down, but at that point we probably layer in a left-handed bat like Clemens who is a better fit for some playing time than Merrifield against right-handed pitching.

[Philsmania]

Merrifield is Topper's new toy at the moment.

[zambonir]

Pache is the forgotten man at this point which is not surprising and of course it's early but I really thought when they made that call he'd get the nod over Merrifield more (in addition to one start a week in CF over Rojas). Merrifield got the start at 2B the one time Pache started in LF but Marsh came in early that game so Pache only got 1 AB.

[BostonRoss]

Pache still doesn't really fit on this roster. But since all the other RH batters are struggling except JT, I'd start Pache against Corbin tomorrow and Gore on Sunday. The Phils are scheduled to face LHP three of the next five games.

Of course, if Rojas doesn't start hitting, Pache will get even more starts.

[zambonir]

For sure, he's just here as Rojas insurance. But since I don't think Merrifield can hit or play great LF, and the Phillies still don't seem to believe in Marsh as an everyday player, he should play a little. And yeah, probably will with more of those lefties. I just don't want to see Stott sitting against them regularly. But would be fine with Merrifield playing 3B once a week against RHP.

[BostonRoss]

I don't think Stott should sit very often, and I am fine with letting Marsh get most of the ABs against LHP. For now, I don't think they'll sit Rojas against LHP, and they won't (and shouldn't) sit Bohm. So they have to choose between Marsh, Pache, and Merrifield for the LF starts. I'd let Pache have the next two or three starts, or maybe two for Pache and one for Marsh. I'd consider Merrifield for a RF start against the next RHP (he and Castellanos have been equally bad so far). I might give Sosa a start for Turner as well.

[zambonir]

While it is obviously very early, if things continue like this some changes/upgrades to the bench, or possibly a trade deadline OF, will inevitably happen. But Rojas is going to get his month or so, and they'll obviously be patient with Castellanos. Especially since in both cases there's really no better alternative. Rojas shouldn't really be punished for the shortcomings of 1-8.

I bet we still see more of Merrifield than Pache in those three games against LHP. Or, rather, the same amount (and Marsh once).