ST. LOUIS -- The Reds prepared to play the Cardinals four times in three days on Friday night, but the impenetrably dark clouds and accompanying storm surrounding Busch Stadium washed out Friday’s game. Cincinnati and St. Louis will instead play doubleheaders on both Saturday and Sunday.
“The focus is just having all your energy for the game,” Reds manager David Bell said in his office before Friday’s postponement. “Every pitch.”
“This time of year, anyway, we’ve been going at it for a long time.”
The team announced Trevor Bauer, Friday’s scheduled starter, will pitch the opener of Saturday’s doubleheader. Sonny Gray will remain in place for Saturday’s second game, while Sunday’s starters will be Tyler Mahle for the first game and Luis Castillo for the conclusion of the second twin bill.
Cincinnati enters play Saturday 10.5 games behind the Cardinals for first place in the National League Central, and 9.5 games behind the Cubs for the second NL Wild Card spot. Despite that gap in the standings, Bell remained focused on a potential playoff berth.
“We can’t get ahead of ourselves, but if we take [it] one game at a time, come out and play our best, you never know what can happen,” Bell said. “This is kind of a time when we’re on this stretch of games that’s a great challenge for us, and we’re going to see if we can get on a roll.
“If it’s going to happen, now’s the time, and now’s the time against, really, the best team in our division.”
The challenge for Bell and the Reds will be managing the clock and the weather to best utilize their bullpen arms throughout the weekend. With a doubleheader already on the schedule for Saturday, Sunday’s twin bill deepens those difficulties.
“It’s always a balance between trying to win today [and win tomorrow], and where we are is we have to win today,” Bell said. “Which is great,” he added.
“It’s fun to be thinking all those things through and making decisions, trying to do what’s best for each guy, trying to do what’s best for our team, trying to win tonight and still be in good shape for tomorrow.”
The Reds did not arrive in St. Louis until approximately 3 a.m. local time on Friday. Within approximately 60 hours of that arrival, they’ll have played four baseball games. Where others might see challenge, Bell sees an opportunity.
“It seems like every year, every team has a stretch like this, it really does,” Bell said. “In a lot of ways, we’re used to it. It’s just one more challenge that you have to get through.
“A lot of times you end up playing your best baseball because you’re so focused, and you know you have to give everything you have, and sometimes it can get you on a roll. So that’s what we’re hoping at this point.”