GOODYEAR, AZ. − A day that started with disconcerting news for the Cincinnati Reds on the starting pitching front ended on a high note.
The Reds on March 4 announced ace Hunter Greene would seek medical advice for right elbow tightness, potentially threatening his ability to start the season on time. But 23-year-old Rhett Lowder offered plenty of pitching highlights later in the day at Goodyear Ballpark as the Reds (6-4 overall) defeated the Cuban national team, 19-2, in eight innings.
Cuba, which was preparing for the World Baseball Classic, was the home team for the game. In alignment with the rules of the tournament, the Reds-Cuba contest featured a “mercy rule,” which was triggered and resulted in the game ending after eight innings. Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) challenges were also suspended for the contest.
Rhett Lowder shines in another start for Reds
The 23-year-old Lowder made quick work of Cuba, allowing just two hits and no walks in three innings of shutout work. Lowder also struck out three.
After two no-hit innings, Alexander Vargas and Yiddi Cappe singled off Lowder in the third. Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson cut both players down as they attempted to steal secodn base, though.
“He (Lowder) pitches mature,” Reds manager Terry Francona said. “I was really happy. You know, they tried to run twice and he gave (Stephenson) a chance. And I thought ‘Steph-O’s’ second throw, I thought that was the best throw I’ve ever seen him make. In a game where it’s hard to, maybe, distinguish some things, that was really good to see.”
Lowder has allowed one run in eight innings in three spring starts.
Offensive power surge continues for Reds against Cuba
After pummeling the Chicago Cubs on March 2 and hitting six home runs as part of the drubbing, Cincinnati’s off-day March 3 didn’t derail the team’s offense. The Reds returned to action against Cuba and plated 19 more runs, as well as three home runs.
Noelvi Marte (2-for-3, three RBI) bashed a three-run homer off 28-year-old pitcher Josimar Cousin in the second inning. In the fourth inning, Sal Stewart cleared the high, right field wall with a 383-foot, three-run homer off Cuba’s Randy Martinez. The shot drove in Elly De La Cruz and Matt McLain.
Trailing 11-2, the game unraveled further for Cuba in the eighth inning. The Reds added eight more runs and offseason acquisition J.J. Bleday sent out yet another three-run homer.
The homer runs were the second of the spring for Marte, the third for Stewart and the second for Bleday, respectively. Fans looking up player stats from spring training will have to account for the long-balls off Cuba manually as they’re unlikely to be accounted for due to the game being an international exhibition.
Reds face Cuba as WBC kicks off overseas
Cincinnati’s meeting with Cuba came on the official start date for the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Chinese Taipei was scheduled to face Australia in Tokyo at 10 p.m. ET (FS1). In Tokyo, where the game is being played at the Tokyo Dome, that’s a noon local time first pitch, and it’ll be Thursday, March 5 there.
The Reds have two players participating in this edition of the WBC in Eugenio Suárez (Venezuela) and Edwin Arroyo (Puerto Rico). Several of Cincinnati’s American starting pitchers, including Hunter Greene, Andrew Abbott and Nick Lodolo, were approached about participating in the WBC and opted not to. South Carolina-born Emilio Pagán also passed on the opportunity to represent Puerto Rico.
So, for the vast majority of the Reds organization, the March 4 game against Cuba represented the closest thing to international competition they’ll see this year.
“It was cool, for sure,” Lowder said. “It (the WBC) is definitely going to be fun to watch… I’ll be excited to watch that.”
Dodgers travel to Goodyear to face Reds in nationally-televised game
Cincinnati on March 5 will host the Los Angeles Dodgers at Goodyear Ballpark (3:05 p.m.). The Reds’ Julian Aguiar, a candidate to begin the season in the starting rotation, is scheduled to face the Dodgers’ Cole Irvin.
The game is scheduled to be broadcast on ESPN.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Reds thump Cuba in WBC tuneup, pitcher Rhett Lowder impresses again
Reporting by Pat Brennan, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
