NL Central teams looking up in the standings will be in each other's way for the final time until September. The St. Louis Cardinals (27-37) took the first game of the series, pushing them to 3-2 against the Cincinnati Reds (29-35) in 2023. Both teams are alive in their division race but need to figure things out quickly if they want to pose a serious threat. The first pitch of the series' last game is scheduled for 2:15 p.m. EDT. Busch Stadium is the venue yet again for this Sunday matinee.
Nolan got the green light on 3-0!
You have the green light to vote for Nolan: https://t.co/XQUqBb3yqN pic.twitter.com/aOHVagERM2
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) June 10, 2023
Cincinnati's season has been defined by streaks this season. There have been 10 instances of the Reds winning or losing at least three in a row, with Saturday's game presenting an opportunity for an 11th streak. If they're on a down streak right now, it's a bad time considering they're still only 5.0 games back in the NL Central. Pitching has been the Reds' problem, as they're 28th in baseball with a 5.08 ERA. Only one starting rotation has been worse than Cincinnati's although this game's starter, Hunter Greene, has been a bright spot. Greene has a 3.11 road ERA in seven starts, and most of that damage was done in Denver. He has a 33.0% strikeout rate, which would be fourth in the majors with enough innings to qualify, and is emerging as the Reds' ace of the future.
It helps to play in one of MLB's friendliest parks for hitters, but the Reds' offense is 11th in runs per game this season. Cincinnati is third in stolen bases, fifth in walk rate, and sixth in OBP this season. They struggle with slugging, particularly hitting homers, but find ways to cross the plate anyway. Hyped rookie Elly De La Cruz recently made his MLB debut, and he may add some pop to the lineup. If the Reds start clearing fences consistently, they'll be a tough team to beat moving forward.
Elly De La Cruz casually goes 458 feet for his first MLB career home run… pic.twitter.com/diImkK58YP
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) June 7, 2023
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