“Hello, Cleveland!”: WTF, Bullpen?
by William Meiners
I feel for Terry Francona. The Reds manager seems like a nice enough guy, a player’s coach, if you will, and I don’t know if he ever gets too riled up. Though he’s never lived in an apartment above me and I’ve spent more than a few years in basement apartments.
With the Reds elevator drop from the Central’s top to basement in less than three weeks of May, the team rolled into Cleveland for round one in the Battle of Ohio. Rivalry games are happening all over this weekend with Cubs vs. White Sox, Yankees vs. Mets, Phils vs. Pirates, etc.
Francona managed the Indians/Guardians for a decade. Maybe his young players might win one (or two or three) for the Tito. But like the absence of crying in baseball, there may be no bulletin board material either. There’s a saying about momentum being as good as the next day’s starter.
Coming off a 15-run awakening in the getaway game against the Nationals, the Reds put a good starter on the mound on Friday night. Andrew Abbott, feeling his old self as young as he is (born June 1, 1999), pitched well and got three runs of support from his teammates. Tito hands it over to the bullpen after Abbott surrenders a homer in the sixth. In the top of the eighth, the Reds pitch in with three runs, including a two-run homer from Matt McClain, who seems to be getting on track. Up 7-1, this should be a Friday night laugher.
I wonder if Francona sees patterns in the nature of 26 young men. Generally equally divided by pitchers and fielders, the lineups are rolled out like chess pieces, hoping for a winning combination. Among the throwers, you’ve got starters and relievers, including long men, stoppers, and closers. Of a baker’s dozen position players, too many to date still ain’t hitting their weight, including a Gold Glove third baseman. JJ Bleday, who did not make the club out of spring training, is providing solid offensive output from the outfield. Sal Stewart, who can play first or third, has slumped a bit in May after a fantastic April. Elly de la Cruz is a superstar, go ahead and trademark EDLC (and I think he’s already got an ice cream named after him).
In the bottom of the eighth, Graham Ashcraft threw 12 straight balls. If he’d been my Little Leaguer, I might have threatened to murder him. Enter the game with a three-run lead, and it’s like the Guardians are on a speed loop, racing around the bases without once swinging the bat. After loading the bases, Travis Bazzana, born long after “Bonanza” left the airways, singled home a run. Then the next pitcher, Brock Burke, walks in two runners and gives up a sacrifice fly. Tejay Antone gives up one more in the bottom of the ninth but earns the save. Reds squeak out a one-run win. But Jesus Christ, it’s enough to give Francona ulcers. And I think he had some health problems in his Cleveland days. Beyond the general discontent of living in Cleveland.
Saturday was a glorious day for yard work in Michigan. The Reds had a chance to win the late-afternoon start, but the relievers (with a bullpen like this, who needs victories?), give up 2, 2, and 1 in innings six, seven, and eight to secure the loss from a game the Reds led 4-2 going to the sixth. Four relievers, all generous with at least one free pass, made the final score (7-4) look a little more lopsided than it was.
Sunday went “ugly early,” same advice they put on Harry’s t-shirts at Purdue. Brady Singer, in a second straight start, gave up three homers in four innings. Three relievers in red stockings gave up one each in another blowout loss (10-3). Cincinnati dropped back to just one game over .500. And it’s starting to look like a long season.
William Meiners is the editor of Sport Literate. Among his summer 2026 plans are the documentation of 33 Reds’ series. That should be about 600 to 700 words every few days. If you don’t expect too much breakdown or analysis, outside of his own troubled head, you may not be disappointed. From losing streaks through high-water marks, he’ll follow the club, sometimes literally, from the reluctant spring of early May through the dog days of August. Then he’s off to something else.