Willy v Trevor Bauer, Lineup & Notes

Game: It's a late start for Sunday at 3:05 with the game aired on AT&T SportsNet & 93.7 The Fan. It's Sunday kids day, with stuff outside the yard pregame, a free backpack for the 14-and-under fans, and baserunning after the game.

Lineup: Kevin Newman SS, Adam Frazier 2B, Melky Cabrera RF, Jose Osuna 1B, Pablo Reyes CF, Jake Elmore RF, Jake Stallings C, Erik Gonzalez 3B, Trevor Williams P. And what's left of our 2019 Pirates...God bless Stalls, who caught 11 innings last night and starts today's day game, presumably without a backup.

Willy gets the finale - image Pirates wallpaper

Pitchers: RHP Trevor Williams (7-8/5.52) ends the campaign against RHP Trevor Bauer (2-5/6.39).  Trevor is making is 26th start; this is his third straight year with 25+ starts for the Bucs. Willy's last six trips to the hill have been workmanlike, except for one beat down delivered by the Cubs. He has been money against the Redlegs in three starts, with a slash of 2-0/1.50. Bauer hasn't done much for the Reds since they acquired him, although he has settled down some in September, going 2-2/4.10. He was chased after three innings in late August by the Bucs in his only start against them this year, giving up eight runs. (Sonny Gray was supposed to start, but had his elbow scoped a few days ago.)

Notes:

• Bryan Reynolds at .314 finished with the highest batting average for a qualified MLB switch-hitting rookie since 1896.
• The Pirates starting pitcher picks out the locker room music. Willy is playing a holiday playlist, because he feels like “every day in the majors is like Christmas.”
• The Pirates close out the season today and Steve Blass will close out his broadcast career.
• The Cards and Brewers are a game apart with one to go. The possible scenarios are here.