The Houston Astros will face a difficult task as they look to break their eight-year losing streak to the Cincinnati Reds. Amidst this recent stretch of success, the Astros have not been able to beat the Reds since 2016. Included in this extended slide against Cincinnati is a 5-3 loss to them on Monday night, which was Houston’s seventh straight loss to them.
This dry spell of the Astros against the Reds has been a bit of a surprise, considering they have dominated most teams over recent years. Starting from 2016, Houston has been a juggernaut, capturing two World Series titles and many times finding themselves at the top of the American League. Then again, their kryptonite has come in the form of the Reds, who bested the talented team multiple seasons in succession—including a sweep in 2019 and another in 2023.
Reds’ Recent Form
The Reds have been a little more resilient. Monday’s win marked back-to-back victories for the first time since mid-August, ending such a drought without consecutive wins. It has pretty much been all Santiago Espinal of late. Since the beginning of July, Espinal has been baseball’s hottest hitter with a .419 batting average. His two-run single proved huge in Monday’s affair.
The Houston Astros are looking to change their luck with Kyle Tucker, who might come back. Tucker has been nursing a small fracture in his right shin that occurred at the beginning of June. He has been rehabbing pretty seriously and is anticipated to join the team soon.
With Tucker having been an All-Star this season, his much-needed shot in the arm will be added to Houston’s lineup. His return could prove to be a game-changer for the Astros, who since his injury have been one of the best teams in the league. They have had the best record in the American League over the past few months.
Houston Astros Pitching Matchup
The Astros counter with rookie right-hander Spencer Arrighetti, who has been pretty impressive, including a standout effort last Wednesday, in which he took a no-hit bid into the eighth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies. He had a run of success lately that made him the AL Rookie of the Month for August. He has been instrumental, including a 14.1 scoreless inning streak.
Arrighetti, in his first career start against the Reds, has been among the league leaders in strikeouts this season with a 10.9 strikeouts per nine innings rate. He’ll be very important if the Houston Astros want to break their losing streak against Cincinnati. The Reds counter with right-hander Nick Martinez, who has been a reliable option for Cincinnati amid injuries to key pitchers.
Martinez has made 12 starts this season and had a solid August despite struggling in his last outing against Milwaukee. He has a 3-4 record and a 4.13 ERA in his career against the Astros. This is proof that he can indeed handle the pressure.
Looking Ahead
The series onward will be about the Astros finally winning against the Reds. Given Houston’s strong lineup, they do have a good chance of ending this long-standing problem. With the return of Tucker and the excellent form of Arrighetti, at least something has brightened the prospect of breaking the jinx.
In all, the Astros have reached a critical junction as they try to get over their woes against the Reds. Coming off an attractive pitching matchup and perhaps returning a key player to the fold, Houston has an opportunity to turn recent trends around. Meanwhile, the Reds will look for more of the same and seek to protect the recent edge. Both sides have now warmed up for the next game, with the fans really in for a mouthwatering encounter as both teams have a lot at stake.
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