Clinching a playoff berth Friday by beating the Twins 7-2 at Target Field gave the Reds the option of changing their pitching plans. They still want to win the final two games to improve their seeding, but the most important thing was getting to the playoffs.
“It’s good to have the ability to structure that in the most optimal way,” Bell said. “In a lot of ways, we couldn’t go wrong. We don’t have Trevor starting tomorrow, but we have Sonny. Those are pretty good options there. Giving Sonny’s last two or three starts, I do think there’s some real benefit to having him start the game tomorrow.”
Bauer (5-4, 1.73 ERA) and Castillo (4-5, 2.86) each made 11 starts in the regular season. Gray (5-3, 3.73) will make his 11th start Sunday.
Bell said Gray and Bauer were already thinking the Reds would go this way with the rotation when he approached them Saturday.
“They weren’t surprised,” Bell said. “They were expecting it.”
Postgame scene: Of all the Reds who talked to the media via Zoom after the game Friday, Amir Garrett might have been the happiest. In fact, he said, “I am so happy!” three times in a row and used the word “happy” at least six times in a seven-minute interview.
Garrett sat down in front of the camera with a can of Bud Lite and later said there was champagne everywhere in the visitor’s clubhouse at Target Field.
“I’m not a Bud Lite kind of guy,” Garrett said, “but tonight it tasted really good man, really good. Really good!”
This is Garrett’s fourth season with the Reds, and it’s been his best season. He has a 2.50 ERA in 20 appearances and 25 strikeouts in 18 innings.
“I’m so happy for our guys,” Garrett said. “I’m happy for myself. We worked so hard. We talked about this for years. We talked about it at the beginning. We said we want to get to the playoffs. We want to take it from here. This is a big step for us because a lot of people doubted us. We were talking the talk. Now it’s time for us to walk the walk. I truly believe we have a legitimate shot at this. Our team is scary. These last few weeks we put it together. I could not be more proud of these guys.”
Family reunion: The series against the Twins gives Bell a chance to see his younger brother, Twins bench coach Mike Bell. However, they’re limited in how much they can visit because of baseball’s health-and-safety protocols.
“I’m sure I’ll see him on the field,” said Mike, who played for the Reds in 2000, his only season in the big leagues. “We’re trying to abide by the rules and do what’s right and keep everybody healthy and safe.”
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