Spiers hit hard as Reds' starters continue to struggle

TORONTO -- When the best pitching highlight of the game is two perfect innings thrown by the backup catcher, you know it's been a bad night at the ballpark.

For the second time in four games, Luke Maile was summoned to the mound to finish a blowout loss and preserve an overused bullpen, this time in a 10-3 loss to the Blue Jays on Tuesday night at Rogers Centre.

“I hate it. I don’t like it at all,” manager David Bell said. “Luke makes it easy because of his attitude, and he actually obviously does a good job. But I hate every bit of that. And that was the situation we were in.”

Against a Blue Jays club that ranks 26th in the league in home runs, starter Carson Spiers gave up five long balls -- the most allowed by the team this season.

Spiers allowed 10 runs (nine earned) on 13 hits over 4 1/3 innings. He walked two and struck out three, and stayed in longer (85 pitches) than he otherwise should have to preserve the bullpen.

“Every time out I want to go deep into a game and give our team a chance to win. Unfortunately tonight, I had some balls turned around and left over the middle of the plate, and they did what they should have done,” Spiers said.

The last time a Reds pitcher gave up five homers was exactly one year ago, on Aug. 20, 2023, when Hunter Greene did it … also against the Blue Jays (but at Great American Ball Park) in an identical 10-3 loss. FYI, the schedule has the Reds playing the Angels in Southern California on Aug. 20, 2025.

Spiers’ last batter was George Springer, who made it a 10-1 game in the fifth inning with his second homer of the game.

"Obviously you feel for anyone to go through a night like that," Bell said. "He kept pitching and just nothing went right. Carson is going to be fine, we know that. But it’s tough to see him have to go through that tonight."

Last Wednesday, the Reds were one game under .500 at 60-61. After their fourth loss in five games, they are 61-65 and 6 1/2 games back from the final National League Wild Card spot that is quickly disappearing from their horizon.

Greene, a first-time All-Star this season, was rolling before he went on the 15-day injured list on Saturday because of a sore right elbow. A second opinion is scheduled for Thursday.

In one rotation turn since Friday, Nick Martinez, Nick Lodolo, Andrew Abbott, Julian Aguiar and Spiers have combined for a 10.80 ERA. Only Martinez has a quality start, with three earned runs allowed over six innings on Friday vs. the Royals.

Lodolo gave up eight earned runs over 2 1/3 innings on Saturday in a 13-1 loss. Maile finished that game with one scoreless inning.

"They’re feeling good. They’re competing, too," Spiers said. "Sure, it’s a rough stretch. But they've also thrown the ball well all season long, so it’s tough to kind of put it into perspective if you’re going to look at the last three weeks or whatever."

Going into the season, the Reds felt good about their starting depth; their pitchers not only had higher ceilings, but the floor was also higher than in 2023, when they were forced to rush prospects to the big leagues or use journeyman Minor Leaguers.

Brandon Williamson has yet to pitch this season because of a left shoulder injury. Graham Ashcraft struggled early, got demoted and is on the IL with a right elbow strain. Lodolo has had three stints on the IL and has a 7.30 ERA in eight starts since returning from a blister on his left index finger.

At Triple-A Louisville, No. 16 prospect Connor Phillips struggled and was sent to the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League for a reset. No. 27 prospect Lyon Richardson has had issues with walks and is now being developed in Triple-A as a reliever.

Meanwhile, Abbott has been inconsistent in recent weeks, while Spiers has faded since overtaking Ashcraft in the rotation. In his last start, he gave up eight earned runs over five innings. In his previous turn last Wednesday, the Reds used an opener ahead of him.

Between Triple-A and the big leagues, Spiers is at a career high with 116 1/3 innings.

"I feel good. I’m ready to compete," he said. "I wouldn’t say that has anything to do with tonight."