Brady Singer (3-6, 4.81 ERA) gets the ball against Mitch Keller (5-5, 4.89 ERA) in the 1:35 PM ET series finale. On paper these 2 look almost interchangeable — sub-5 ERAs, barely above .500 combined. In practice, Singer is heading into today on the back of a 7-inning, 0-run gem against Milwaukee that ended in a no-decision only because the Reds couldn't score. That performance deserves more credit than his record suggests.
The backdrop here is Cincinnati already having clinched the series. Eugenio Suárez hit a 3-run homer with 2 outs in the 9th Saturday to erase a 7-6 deficit and steal a 9-7 win — the Reds' second straight comeback at PNC Park. Sal Stewart has been the offensive engine all week, leading the team with 15 home runs on the season and opening the scoring Saturday with a solo shot in the 1st. This is a Reds club that's found something after getting swept at home by Milwaukee, and they're not showing any signs of giving a game back.
Keller's last outing wasn't a disaster — 6 innings, 3 earned runs, 1 walk against Seattle in a 3-2 loss. But zoom out a bit and it comes after a stretch where he allowed 18 earned runs in 12.2 innings across 3 starts from late May through June 11. The command has tightened recently, which is the one encouraging sign for Pittsburgh. The problem is the bullpen behind him. Gregory Soto gave up the Suárez walk-off Saturday, and Cincinnati has now put up crooked numbers in back-to-back games against this Pittsburgh relief corps. Singer, meanwhile, comes in with genuine momentum — 7 shutout frames against Milwaukee, 7 strikeouts, 106 pitches, 2 hits allowed. If his command holds, the Reds' lineup is set up for another long afternoon.
- Day-To-DayBlake Dunn CF — Dunn (elbow) isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Pirates.
- Day-To-DayConnor Burns C — no
- 10-Day-ILKe'Bryan Hayes 3B — Hayes (back) has begun hitting at the Reds' training facility in Arizona, MLB.com 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.
- 15-Day-ILEmilio Pagan RP — Pagan (hamstring) will begin a rehab assignment Thursday, Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now Cincinnati reports.
- 60-Day-ILHunter Greene SP — Reds manager Terry Francona said Wednesday that Greene (elbow) will make one more rehab start with Triple-A Louisville on Sunday, Charlie Clifford of NBC 5 Cincinnati reports.
- 60-Day-ILBrandon Williamson SP — Williamson (shoulder) tossed a bullpen session Saturday, his first since landing on the injured list April 30, Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now Cincinnati reports.
- 60-Day-ILGraham Ashcraft RP — Ashcraft (elbow) received a platelet-rich plasma injection Tuesday, MLB.com reports.
- Day-To-DayJared Jones SP — no
- Day-To-DayAnthony Solometo SP — Solometo underwent left shoulder labrum surgery and is expected to be sidelined until at least April 2027, Mark Chiarelli of Baseball America reports.
- Day-To-DayMitch Jebb LF
- Day-To-DayOddanier Mosqueda RP — Mosqueda will not throw for a couple weeks due to left forearm inflammation, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.
- Day-To-DayMike Clevinger RP — Clevinger is expected to be sidelined for around six weeks after being diagnosed with an MCL sprain in his right knee, Jason Mackey of MLB.com reports.
- Day-To-DaySean Sullivan SP — Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Wednesday that Sullivan is battling right elbow soreness, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
- 10-Day-ILSpencer Horwitz 1B — The Pirates placed Horwitz on the 10-day injured list Thursday due to a left hamstring strain.
- 10-Day-ILOneil Cruz CF — Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said Sunday that Cruz (hand) is facing an estimated recovery timeline of 4-6 weeks, Danny Demilio of PittsburghBaseballNow.com reports.
Pittsburgh is without Oneil Cruz (hand), who's looking at a 4-to-6 week recovery timeline, and Spencer Horwitz just landed on the 10-day IL with a hamstring strain. Anthony Solometo is out until at least April 2027 after shoulder surgery, which puts significant pressure on Keller to go deep every time out. For Cincinnati, Hunter Greene remains on the 60-day IL but is reportedly making a Triple-A rehab start today — he's not a factor here. Blake Dunn sat out Saturday with an elbow issue and is day-to-day. Neither team is fully healthy, but the Reds have managed to win despite it. A sweep here would be a real statement heading into the July stretch.