Reds Visit PNC Park, Kuhl v Harvey & Notes - Swags Signs, Kang Back on 40-Man

Today: The game starts at 7:05 and will carried by AT&T Sportsnet and 93.7 The Fan. It's a free-tee night with a black Buc's top for the first 20,000 fans and also Dollar Dog Night. Both teams were off yesterday; the Reds come into tonight on a three-game roll with a win against the Cards and two v KC. Eight games separate the two clubs, so Pittsburgh is as close to last place as to first place.

Pitchers: RHP Chad Kuhl (4-4, 3.95) starts it off against RHP Matt Harvey (1-4, 5.97). Chad has been finding his groove, giving up seven runs in his last four starts with a 3.10 ERA in his last seven outings. He's still looking to get a little deeper into games, to limit the longball, and get a win - his last W was seven starts ago on May 6th. Kuhl has pitched good ball against Cincy this year with a 2.45 ERA in two starts, charged with three runs on 11 hits in 11 frames in a pair of no-decisions. Harvey has given up 14 runs in his last 16-1/3 IP covering his last three starts, surrendering 19 hits/five homers. His last solid game as a Red was against the Bucs on May 22nd when he gave up three hits and a run in six innings, fanning five. Harvey is 2-1/4.76 in six career starts against Pittsburgh.

Chad on the bump (image Pittsburgh Pirates)

Lineup: Josh Harrison 2B, Corey Dickerson LF, Starling Marte CF, Colin Moran 3B, Fran Cervelli C, Josh Bell 1B, Gregory Polanco RF, Jordy SS & Kuhl P. Austin sits again; otherwise it's the A-Team version 2.0.

Notes:

• Jung-Ho Kang has been taken off the restricted list and added to the 40-man roster, which is now full. He's back on the payroll after 15 months in limbo. Being transferred to active status, per NH, was a matter of getting into baseball shape and not a performance incentive.
• Cincy has dropped five of their last six games at PNC Park.
• The Reds have had big trouble with their starters - their rotation's ERA is 5.58 w/a FIP of 5.36 (Pittsburgh by comparison is 4.14/4.07). But their pen has outdone ours at 3.98/4.01 to 4.61/3.78; too bad FIP isn't real-life. (stats from Fangraphs). The Cincinnati's may be coming around; they only gave up one run in their two-game sweep of the Royals.
• Slow Starters: In the last seven games, Pirates foes have tallied in five opening frames (13 runs) while the Bucs have scored in three first rounds (three runs). The first, sixth (third time through the order) and eighth (set-up) innings have been particularly problematic for the arms so far this year.
• If you're curious just how much poor defense has bitten the Pirates, Alex Stumpf of Bucs Dugout spells it out. (Spoiler alert - it's ugly)
• Jon Morosi of MLB.com begins the speculation on who goes if the Bucs become sellers at the deadline. Jeff Todd of MLB Trade Rumors also looks at potential trade pieces.
• Nick Kingham went eight scoreless frames for Indy last night, giving up two hits and fanning six. He carried a perfect game into the seventh when an infield chop went for a base hit. Max Moroff hit his fourth HR and Jung-Ho Kang went 0-for-3 with a walk and sac fly.
• Jim Callis of MLB Pipeline first reported that, pending his physical, Pirates first-rounder Travis Swaggerty (OF - South Alabama) has agreed to a $4.4 M deal (slot value is $4,560,200). He was in the house for tonight's game and then heads to the short-season WV Black Bears.