Cincinnati isn't walking into Seattle as a healthy club either. Spencer Steer got X-rayed after taking a pitch to the ribs Monday, and the pitching staff is already thin with Nick Lodolo, Graham Ashcraft, Brandon Williamson and Tony Santillan all on the shelf. The one thing going right in Cincinnati's favor right now is Elly De La Cruz, who's been arguably the best player in this series and has turned into one of the sport's must-watch talents.
The records tell two different stories — Seattle's fighting for a division lead at 51-50, Cincinnati's 9 games under .500 and mostly playing out the string at 45-54 — but this specific game hinges less on the standings and more on who's actually available and who's on the mound. De La Cruz set a franchise record for the fastest path to 150 stolen bases this season, and he's been hitting safely in bunches all July, giving the Reds a legitimate spark at the top of the order even as the rest of the roster limps.
Burns has been must-see theater all year, and Tuesday's the kind of get-right spot for Cincinnati that this rotation desperately needs after getting shut out Monday. If Seattle's lineup is even a little short-handed with Rodriguez and Crawford banged up, this has the look of a game that stays close a lot longer than an 8-0 final would suggest.