The Cincinnati Reds picked up their 13th win of the season on Saturday afternoon in Minnesota as they beat the Twins for the second straight day. It moved the Reds to 13-8 as they remained in first place in the National League Central Division. That record is the best start that the team has had in two decades. Back in 2006, Cincinnati began the season 14-7 in the first 21 games and they got all of the way to 17-7. That team was not able to keep it going, though, as they finished the year 80-82 and in 3rd place in the division.
While this squad is in first place, the entire National League Central is out to a good start. The last place Chicago Cubs are 11-9 and just 1.5 games out of first place. Milwaukee and St. Louis are both 12-8. Pittsburgh lost in extra-innings on Saturday night and fell from being tied for first to being in 4th place at 12-9.
The best start in 20 years is barely buying the Reds a head start on the rest of the division. Everyone is keeping pace for the most part. The division doesn’t seem to have a standout team at this point but also doesn’t seem to have any teams that are expected to be bad.
The Pitching Depth has taken a hit
At the big league level the Reds are missing out of starts from both Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo. But their starting pitching depth in Triple-A has taken a hit in the last two weeks, too. Chase Petty, the club’s #5 prospect is on the 7-day injured list with a finger injury and the #10 prospect Julian Aguiar, who is coming back from Tommy John surgery, is on the 7-day injured list with elbow soreness.
Nick Lodolo made it through a live batting practice session on Friday in Minnesota and is expected to pitch again on Tuesday as he works on getting through a re-occurring blister issue. If he can return soon that would lessen the depth issue when it comes to the rotation – something that the team has survived well in the early part of the season after losing two guys from what they expected to be in their starting five when they arrived in Goodyear in February.
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