Brandon Sproat (2-4, 5.43 ERA) takes the mound for Milwaukee against Rhett Lowder (3-5, 4.81 ERA) in Game 2 of this 4-game set, with first pitch at 6:40 PM CT at American Family Field. The subplot: Sproat is going against these same Reds for the second time in 7 days, and what he did the first time was borderline unfair.
Sproat's June 23 outing in Cincinnati set a Brewers franchise mark — 6 scoreless innings, 1 hit, 10 strikeouts, 0 walks on just 80 pitches, the first rookie in Milwaukee history with that line in a single start. He's been carrying a 3.48 ERA across his June starts, a meaningful step forward from a shaky early-season stretch. The Reds couldn't touch him in that outing, and this time he's pitching at home. Lowder's last crack at these Brewers produced 5.2 innings, 8 hits, and 3 earned runs — he needs a sharper effort to keep Cincinnati in this series.
The biggest news heading into Tuesday is Dane Myers, who crashed into the outfield wall at full speed in the fourth inning of Monday's loss while making a running backhanded grab, was carted off the field, and was sent to the hospital for further evaluation. He's listed as out. Blake Dunn is already on the 10-day IL with an elbow issue, meaning Cincinnati is extremely thin in center field. The 1 piece of good news for the Reds: closer Emilio Pagan is set to come off the 15-day IL Tuesday and step back into the ninth inning after rehabbing a hamstring. The bullpen needed it.
- Day-To-DayEugenio Suarez DH — Suarez (wrist) is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Brewers.
- Day-To-DayConnor Burns C — no
- 10-Day-ILKe'Bryan Hayes 3B — Manager Terry Francona said that Hayes (back) will face live pitching at the Reds' facility in Arizona on Wednesday or Thursday, Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now Cincinnati reports.
- 10-Day-ILBlake Dunn CF — Dunn (elbow) underwent an MRI on Saturday and is likely to return to Cincinnati for more testing, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILEmilio Pagan RP — Reds manager Terry Francona said Monday that Pagan (hamstring) will be activated from the 15-day injured list Tuesday and is set to regain his role as the team's closer, Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now Cincinnati reports.
- 15-Day-ILTony Santillan RP — Reds manager Terry Francona said Friday that an MRI on Santillan's left oblique showed a significant strain, Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now Cincinnati reports.
- 60-Day-ILHunter Greene SP — Greene (elbow) struck out four and allowed one hit and no walks over 6.1 scoreless innings Sunday in a rehab start with Triple-A Louisville.
- 60-Day-ILGraham Ashcraft RP — Ashcraft (elbow) will receive another scan on his UCL on Tuesday, Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now Cincinnati reports.
- 10-Day-ILBrandon Lockridge LF — Lockridge's timeline for a return has been pushed back to late July after imaging showed a chondral flap in his right patella, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
- 15-Day-ILLogan Henderson SP — Brewers manager Pat Murphy said Monday that he expects Henderson (back) to return from the 15-day injured list before the All-Star break, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
- 15-Day-ILDL Hall RP — Hall (pectoral) hopes to gain clearance to resume throwing during a checkup Tuesday, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILColeman Crow SP — Crow (forearm) will throw a bullpen session Tuesday, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
- 15-Day-ILCarlos Rodriguez RP — The Brewers placed Rodriguez on the 15-day injured list Monday due to a right shoulder impingement, MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILRob Zastryzny RP — The Brewers reinstated Zastrzyny (shoulder/ribs) from the 60-day injured list Sunday.
- 60-Day-ILQuinn Priester SP — Priester will undergo thoracic outlet compression surgery on Monday and is expected to be sidelined 8-to-10 months, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
- 60-Day-ILBrian Fitzpatrick RP — Fitzpatrick (elbow) has been diagnosed with a left UCL strain and will get a second opinion to determine if he needs Tommy John surgery, MLB.com reports.
The Brewers have now won 4 straight against the Reds — including a sweep of the 3-game series in Cincinnati June 22-24 — and Milwaukee's bullpen has been a driving force. Aaron Ashby entered Monday's game in the eighth inning and earned his major-league-leading 11th win; Trevor Megill shut the door with a perfect ninth for his 11th save. The Reds' best moment Monday came on an Elly De La Cruz 2-run homer in the fifth, but they couldn't hold the lead. With Milwaukee sitting 20 games above .500 and running away with the NL Central, the Brewers have every reason to keep pushing in this series.