Cincinnati Reds vs. Cleveland Guardians – Chase Burns vs. Slade Cecconi

The Cincinnati Reds return to Great American Ball Park on Monday fresh off a sucucessful road trip, and now they’ll send ace Chase Burns to the mound for the series opener against the Cleveland Guardians.

They’re riding a pretty good high right now, something that the Baseball Gods saw fit to wreck with the news that Spencer Steer tore a sheath in his wrist and will be out indefinitely – including through the trade deadline. So, now they don’t even have their most coveted trade chip to cash-in on in the next week even if things go sideways enough to start ripping things completely apart, which complicates the job facing the front office as this club is still mired in last place in the Central.

The Reds are, though, just 5 games out of the final NL Wild Card spot, and they could climb higher in that list if Burns shows up tonight and dominates the way we know he can. They’re up against a Cleveland club that has fallen completely on its face to begin the second half, fresh off five consecutive losses and just 3-7 overall since the All Star break. Because the AL as a whole this year is about as garbage below the top as it has been in years, they still hold a 1 game lead over Minnesota for the final AL Wild Card spot, but this is a team fighting for its life just like the Reds are with just a week to go before the deadline.

Slade Cecconi will start for Cleveland, who welcomed back Jose Ramirez last week after a five-week absence just in time to revv up to face Cincinnati pitching.

First pitch is slated for 7:00 PM ET, with this one being broadcast directly by ESPN.

Here’s how both clubs will line up to start:

GUARDIANSREDSSteven Kwan – LFElly De La Cruz – SSJose Ramirez – DHSal Stewart – 1BChase DeLauter – RFJJ Bleday – RFTravis Bazzana – 2BEugenio Suarez – 3BBrayan Rocchio – SSNathaniel Lowe – DHKyle Manzardo – 1BTyler Stephenson – CGabriel Arias – 3BDane Myers – CFPatrick Bailey – CEdwin Arroyo – 2BPetey Halpin – CFTJ Friedl – LFSlade Cecconi – RHPChase Burns – RHP