The Cincinnati Reds wrap their regular season on the road in Milwaukee today, doing so against a Brewers club that long ago clinched the NL Central title and a spot in the playoffs. With a win today, the Reds will join them in the postseason, though they can also sneak in if the New York Mets fall apart and lose to the Miami Marlins.
Thanks to the loss by the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday, the Brewers have already wrapped up the #1 seed on the National League side of the bracket. Ace Freddy Peralta is still slated to start for the Beers against the Reds today, but it remains to be seen how far he’ll be pushed as the Brewers look to get themselves set for the NLDS beginning at the end of next week.
Both the Mets/Marlins and Reds/Brewers games will commence at 3:10 PM ET, so we’ll have dualing action as the regular season wraps. The Reds will be starting Brady Singer, though it’s likely that most every single pitcher on the Cincinnati roster who can stand up and grip a baseball will be available in some form or fashion as the action picks up.
We’ll be following it all here and updating it as developments arise, so follow along with us!
Sal Stewart on the bench to start (11:45 AM)
The Reds dropped their starting lineup for the day, and yep – Sal Stewart’s on the bench again. Ke’Bryan Hayes and his wet noodle aren’t just starting, he’s hitting 7th on the day.
Brewers activate All-Star closer Trevor Megill (1:00 PM ET)
The Brewers made a series of roster moves on Sunday prior to the season finale against the Reds, the biggest of which being the activation of All-Star closer Trevor Megill.
Here’s how the Mets/Marlins will line up on Sunday (1:05 PM ET)
Pretty stock-issue for the Mets as they face Marlins righty Edward Cabrera on Sunday afternoon.
Here’s how Miami will counter with lefty Sean Manaea on the mound against them.
Here’s how Milwaukee will line up on Sunday (2:17 PM ET)
The Brewers will roll out their regulars to begin Sunday’s season finale despite having the #1 seed in the NL Playoff picture already wrapped up.
ELLY DE LA CRUZ GOES YARD (3:33 PM ET)
Elly blasts a solo homer to give the Reds a 1-0 lead!!!
TJ FRIEDL GOES YARD, TOO (3:55 PM ET)
The Milwaukee Brewers pulled Freddy Peralta early, as it was revealed they would do, and the recently activated DL Hall was brought in as his lefty replacement. The first batter he faced? That would be TJ Friedl, who socked a solo dinger of his own over the wall in RF to give Cincinnati a 2-0 lead!
Milwaukee gets on the board (4:03 PM ET)
Jackson Chourio nearly went yard, but had to settle for a double off the wall in right-center. He scored a batter later when Bryce Turang singled into right, and that carved Cincinnati’s lead in half to 2-1.
That got Chase Burns up and active in the Cincinnati bullpen.
Marlins take the lead over the Mets (4:15 PM ET)
Eric Wagaman doubled to CF to plate Connor Norby, who had earlier singled, and the Marlins took a 1-0 lead over the New York Mets in the Bottom of the 4th in Miami. Brian Navarreto later doubled to score Wagaman, and the Marlins had a 2-0 lead!
It’d be sweet if the Reds won today to clinch the final NL Wild Card spot, but the Mets losing would also hand it to the Reds even if they lose to the Brewers, too.
Danny Jansen homers, gives Brewers the lead, chases Brady Singer (4:22 PM ET)
Danny Jansen flipped the scoreboard by mashing a Singer meatball for a 2-run homer, and the Beers led 3-2.
That finally prompted Terry Francona to go to his bullpen, though the ‘bullpen’ in this case is Nick Lodolo, who’ll come on and give the Reds what he can after that groin injury scare earlier in the week.
Marlins piling on Mets in Miami (4:25 PM ET)
Miami now holds a 4-0 lead over the Mets, which is welcome news to all non-NY parties involved!
Nick Lodolo can’t stop the bleeding (4:29 PM ET)
Lodolo took over for Brady Singer, but the Milwaukee bats continued to find their way on-base. Andrew Vaughn looped an RBI-single into CF to give Milwaukee a 4-2 lead. Lodolo would later strand a pair of runners, but the Reds have dug themselves quite the hole on the road.
Go Marlins!
