Pirates at Reds, Game 2 - Preview and Lineups

Trade Deadline Eve

Happy Trade Deadline Eve, everyone. Where, as of this writing, not a damn thing is happening.

Fresh off a bludgeoning of the Pirates in game one, the Reds will run it back and try to do more of the same this evening. Tanner Roark is on the mound (unless, you know, he isn’t #hugwatch). It could likely be his final outing in a Reds uniform, should the Reds receive an offer worth pursuing before tomorrow’s 4 PM ET deadline. I’m sure there will be a lot of MLB executives watching this game tonight (not only for Roark and the multitude of Reds trade pieces, but the Pirates guys as well).

Joe Musgrove will toe the rubber for the Pirates. He’s shut out the Reds in nine innings pitched against the team this season, one a two inning relief appearance, one a start. That was all the way back in April, though, when Musgrove ended the month with 35 innings pitched over five starts (and the one relief appearance) of 1.54 ERA ball. Since then, however, he’s basically regressed back to his career numbers.

In fact, before tonight’s game, Musgrove is sitting at exactly the same number of innings he ended the 2018 season with (115). His ERA in 2019 is 4.29 vs 2018’s 4.06 mark. Each of his FIP, WHIP, HR9, BB9, and K9 all sit more or less at exactly his four year career average.

Musgrove got hit around in his most recent start, a five inning affair with the Cardinals in which he gave up seven hits and five earned runs.

CIN lineup (subject to change)

PIT lineup