This sure is fun, isn’t it?
It was another day with impressive hitting in run-producing situations and for power, as the Cincinnati Reds won their fourth in a row and fourth out of five games out of the gate.
Some in Redleg Nation and beyond will cite small sample size before being willing to consider that this might be the start of something big. I will certainly admit that it’s too early to say anything other than maybe all of last year’s bad BABIP luck is reversing itself in less than a week’s time. It’s also very fair to suggest that for at least the past two days, they have been playing against essentially a Class AAAA team.
For the sake of discussion, let’s say that what we’re seeing in early 2021 is much more representative of this team’s offensive capabilities than what we witnessed in 2020. This team, if it continues to play well this year and beyond, has the potential of a young core that can be a factor for several years.
Including this season, this is how many years the Reds have members of the current major league roster under team control:
6: Jonathan India, Tyler Stephenson
5: Tejay Antone, Aristides Aquino, Alex Blandino, Cionel Perez, Sal Romano, Nick Senzel
4: Jose DeLeon, Carson Fulmer, Jeff Hoffman, Lucas Sims
3: Luis Castillo, Amir Garrett, Tyler Mahle, Jesse Winker
2: Tyler Naquin
And that doesn’t include future hoped-for reinforcements such as pitchers Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo and shortstop Jose Garcia.
Clearly, in the spirit of small sample size, there might be some names on the list above that are not quite as shiny in a week or two. But if you believe there is a core here of a good team with a contending window of several seasons, then the numbers above could add up to some great expectations.
The Offense
It started early and really never stopped.
Welp, there goes the no-hitter. pic.twitter.com/LkUnzlpaVw
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) April 6, 2021
Tyler Naquin is on pace to hit 9 dingers this game. pic.twitter.com/OxsbfvY3Hx
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) April 6, 2021
Naquin batted 3-for-4 with a walk, two runs scored and seven knocked in for one of the best Cincinnati batting lines this side of Scooter Gennett. His seven RBIs are the most ever for a Reds leadoff hitter. And he leads the National League with nine RBI.
Other three-hit performers were Senzel, India and Tucker Barnhart.
The Pitching
Lefthander Wade Miley showed what Reds fans were hoping for a year ago, six innings of shutout pitching.
Notes Worth Noting
Since 1895, no Cincinnati Reds team has scored as many as the 46 runs this team scored in its first five 2021 games. Fourteen runs were the most scored by Cincinnati since mid-2019.
The 13-run margin of victory was Cincinnati’s largest at home over Pittsburgh since 1926.
Up Next for the Cincinnati Reds
Pittsburgh Pirates vs Cincinnati Reds
Wednesday, April 7, 12:35 pm ET
Chad Kuhl (3.00 ERA, 0-0) vs Luis Castillo (21.60 ERA, 0-1)