Johnson talks Reds' playoff pitching strategy

Two years ago, Reds pitching coach Derek Johnson was in the same role with the Brewers and helped a largely underdog staff reach Game 7 of the National League Championship Series vs. the Dodgers.

Johnson believes that experience will be useful as the Reds prepare to open the NL Wild Card Series on Wednesday.

“Once you've been there, you can slow the game down,” Johnson said on Sunday. “I don't know what this postseason is going to look like because of no fans and all of that. It may look completely different. I know when I was there the last time, it was loud. It went fast.

“I think if nothing else, a calmer influence, just making sure that our guys are ready to go, they're comfortable, making sure we're not doing anything different, either. We're not going to approach this any differently than we did with any other team, at least from a preparation standpoint. Internally, there will be some things we have to work through because you are kind of at that point where anything goes.”

Johnson being nimble with how his Milwaukee pitchers were used was a storyline in 2018. Brewers skipper Craig Counsell famously used openers -- including current Reds lefty Wade Miley for just one batter -- and sought to maximize every matchup.

With Trevor Bauer, Luis Castillo and Sonny Gray slated to start for Cincinnati in the Wild Card Series, Johnson and Reds manager David Bell likely won’t need openers. But they have relievers and starters not in the playoff rotation who are stretched out to take on innings, including Michael Lorenzen, Tejay Antone, Miley, Anthony DeSclafani and Tyler Mahle.

“If, for some reason, it doesn't look great early on, we have that ability to change gears fairly fast and feel like we can get through the game, feel like we are putting a quality guy out there against hopefully a good matchup,” Johnson said. “In the playoffs, matchup is a really big deal. A lot of these teams, especially the ones that are really deep, obviously they are kind of matchup-proof -- they can run out a right-handed lineup, a left-handed lineup and do a nice job even in between that going every other. When you do that, your matchups become a little harder to figure out.”

Lorenzen opened the season struggling as a late-inning reliever, but he found his niche as a long reliever. Following a pair of successful starts, he returned to the bullpen on Friday and earned the 7-2 win for Cincinnati over the Twins with 3 1/3 innings of relief.

“Michael's pitched really well in kind of a dual role,” Johnson said. “We do have some options that way that are kind of unique. They became unique almost by circumstance more than because that's what we planned on doing. Michael put himself in a position to get a start or two and was really, really good. Now, all of a sudden, you have different options, you have different weapons that you think you can use.

“The playoffs, they move fast, and you are going to make changes if you feel like the guy that's out there isn’t getting it done.”

Playoff droughts over
Until they clinched a spot Friday, the Reds had the sixth-longest stretch without reaching the playoffs -- since 2013. Ahead of them were the Mariners (‘01), Marlins (‘03), Padres (‘06), White Sox (‘08) and Phillies (‘11).

Miami, San Diego and Chicago will be joining the Reds in the postseason in 2020.