The Cincinnati Reds will have a major boost on Sunday as they aim to complete a sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates, with ace Hunter Greene set to make his first start since August 13. Greene, who has been sidelined with a sore elbow, enters the game with a 9-4 record and a 2.83 ERA. Reds manager David Bell confirmed that Greene’s outing will be monitored closely, though no strict pitch count has been set. Despite the injury layoff, Greene was determined to return this season, after an extensive recovery process ensured he was ready to compete.
Greene, who was named an All-Star this season, has had mixed results against the Pirates, going 0-3 with a 3.00 ERA in six career starts against them. His return comes as the Reds (76-80) continue to build momentum, having won five of their last eight games, including outscoring the Pirates 15-4 in the first two games of this series.
Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz also made history during the series, becoming the first shortstop in MLB history to hit at least 25 home runs and steal 65 bases in the same season. De La Cruz’s record-breaking performance has added a spark to a Reds team that, while eliminated from playoff contention, is striving to finish the season strong and build for next year.
The Pirates (72-83), meanwhile, have struggled, dropping seven of their last nine games. Rookie starter Paul Skenes will take the mound for Pittsburgh in hopes of ending the losing streak. Skenes has been dominant against Cincinnati, boasting a 2-0 record with a 0.75 ERA in two starts against the Reds this season. He struck out nine batters and allowed no runs over six innings in his last outing against them on August 22.
For Pittsburgh, offensive struggles have been a key issue, as they have frequently fallen behind early in games. Manager Derek Shelton noted that better plate discipline is needed, as the Pirates have often chased pitches outside the strike zone in key situations. If the Pirates are to avoid being swept, they’ll need to make adjustments both offensively and defensively in Sunday’s series finale.
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