The Cincinnati Reds are hoping to climb back into the National League Wild Card race over the final weeks of the season. One of the teams they are hoping to overcome is the New York Mets, and the two teams are playing at the Great American Ball Park Saturday night. If the Reds can win that game, they will do it without manager Terry Francona.
The Reds bench boss went home prior to the start of the game as he is battling flu symptoms. The illness is working its way through the Cincinnati lockerroom and several players have been impacted in the past week. Since Francona is not around, bench coach Freddie Benavides is managing the team in his absence.
Benavides was forced to go home earlier in the week when he was feeling the effects of the flu.
The Reds had a great chance to win the opener of the series Friday night. They loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth inning when they were trailing 5-4. However, they were not able to get the tying run home as New York reliever Edwin Diaz simply shut down the offense and did not allow the Reds to force the game into extra innings.
The Reds sent pitcher Brady Singer to the mound Saturday night in an attempt to square the series.
Reds need a hot streak to get back into the Wild Card race
The Friday night loss to the Mets was not typical of the way the Reds have been playing. Normally, their offense produces when it has excellent scoring opportunities., but the pitching lets the team down.
The hitting failed to produce the hit that would have tied or won the game for the Reds. The Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres and Mets are in the National League's three Wild Card slots. The San Francisco Giants, Arizona Diamondbacks and the Reds are hoping to chase them down. The Reds are six games behind the Mets in the final Wild Card spot.
While the Reds don't have a big slugger, they are depending on shortstop Elly De La Cruz and 1st baseman Spencer Steer to come up with the key hits.
De La Cruz has 19 home runs and 78 runs batted in while slashing .268/.337/.447. Steer has 17 home runs and 64 RBI while slashing .238/.307/.400.
De La Cruz is one of the top base stealers in the sport. He has stolen 32 bases to this point in the season.
