The Cincinnati Reds and Arizona Diamondbacks are back at it in Phoenix on Sunday, and the timing gives this one a little extra juice. FOX Sports reported that the matchup comes after JJ Bleday hit for the cycle against the Diamondbacks on Saturday, a reminder that one big night can change the mood around a series fast.
According to FOX Sports, the Diamondbacks enter at 68-62 and sit third in the NL West, while the Reds are 62-68 and fifth in the NL Central. Arizona has been stronger at home, with a 37-28 record in home games, and the club has gone 49-25 when it records at least eight hits. Cincinnati, meanwhile, has been better known for the long ball, with 169 total home runs to rank sixth in the majors.
Sunday’s game is set for Phoenix at 4:15 p.m. EDT, and the pitching matchup gives both sides a clear storyline to follow. FOX Sports lists Andrew Abbott for the Reds and Mitch Bratt for the Diamondbacks. Abbott is 6-8 with a 4.07 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 108 strikeouts, while Bratt is 1-2 with a 4.17 ERA, 1.47 WHIP and 25 strikeouts.
There’s also a little season-series context here. The teams are meeting for the sixth time this season, and Arizona leads the series 3-2, according to FOX Sports. That kind of edge matters in a division race, even in a long season where the standings can shift quickly.
A few names have been carrying the load lately, too. FOX Sports notes that Corbin Carroll has 27 doubles, 15 triples and 18 home runs for Arizona, while Gabriel Moreno has gone 14 for 43 over the past 10 games. For Cincinnati, Bleday’s cycle is the headline, and Matt McLain has also been productive over the past 10 games.
Both clubs have had their share of rough patches lately. FOX Sports says the Diamondbacks are 4-6 over their last 10 games, and the Reds are also 4-6 over that stretch. That makes Sunday feel less like a routine regular-season date and more like one of those games where both teams are trying to grab a little momentum before the week rolls on.
