You May Defeat Me But You Can’t Make Me Quit - Julian Garcia Story

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Dateline: Cincinnati 

At 31 years of age, Julian Garcia got his first call to the big leagues.

On June 23, he made his first Major League Baseball appearance against the Milwaukee Brewers.

On Friday night, Garcia earned his first Major League win by pitching to one batter, Ivan Herrera, who was on the National League All-Star squad. He struck him out.

In all of five pitches, Garcia had his first big league win, one month after making the Reds roster, when Eugenio Suarez hit a home run.

The ease of the win belied the tough journey to get there.

Standing in the security line at the Atlanta airport Louisville Bats manager told him that he was going to the Reds. The Bats just finished a series in Lawrenceburg, Georgia against the Gwinnett Stripers on Father's day.

Garcia got on the phone to his dad to tell him his 11-year quest to reach the Major Leagues was over. 

"It is a pretty cool story,"| Reds' manager Terry Francona said. "He went back to Independent ball. He has done just about, anything and everything you could ask. We felt he was very deserving of a shot. He has done really well and it will be kind of fun to see how he fits in here."

Garcia was chosen by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 10th round of the 2016 draft out of Metropolitan State University in Denver, Colorado. 

He toiled in the Phillies farm system for six years and decided to reset and take 2023 off.

Garcia a 6'3" righthander, taught youths how to pitch during the year off while working out. 

"I believed it from day one. That's why I kept grinding to get to this point," Garcia said. "I took off in 2023 after I was released from the Phillies. I needed a mental reset. I just needed someone to give me a shot."

He pitched in 22 games with the Kansas City Monarchs of the American Association Independent League. He pitched 19 more in 2025 before the Reds signed him to pitch at Chattanooga last season. He pitched in a couple games in spring training and the Reds sent him to pitch at Louisville.

"The independent league gets a bad wrap but I fell in love with the game again," Garcia said. "I got there in Kansas City it is close to home, (in Ft. Collins, Colorado). The manager there didn't say anything. He just gave me the ball every five days." 

"I was able to just be a pitcher and I became a better pitcher," Garcia said. "There were a lot of ups and downs with the Phillies. I was in Double A and they moved me to Triple A pretty quickly and I just struggled."

Garcia went to Louisville to pitch for Pat Kelly and the Bats.

He made 21 appearances in Louisville, including two starts. Garcia was 3-0 with a 3.03 ERA. He pitched 35 2/3 innings walking 12 and striking out 34. He has given up four home runs.

"He is in the top percentile in almost everything," Francona said. "By all accounts, he holds runners. He throws strikes. Now we just have to let him go pitch."

When he does, his father, uncle, cousins and girlfriend will be here to watch him reach his dreams.

Pierce Johnson was activated from the injured list. Zach Maxwell was optioned to Louisville. Chris Paddack was designated for assignment.

Garcia has pitched in 10 games, covered 14 1/3 innings, allowed five runs on six hits and seven walks, striking out 15 for a 3.14 ERA.

He has finished two games and looking for his first save.

Rhett Lowder Eugenio Suarez Clip Cards

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

The Reds have bumbled through the NL Central this season but Friday (072326), Rhett Lowder and Eugenio Suarez combined to clip the St Louis Cardinals wings in a 4-2 triumph.

Lowder displayed the talent that has eluded him this season as he handled the Cardinals with five innings of one-hit baseball.

 Tyler Stephenson, who has been a .352 hitter in his last 28 games, hit his seventh double in that span to put the Reds into the lead.

The Reds are 2-4 against the Cardinals this season and had the lead at some point in each of them.

Lowder on the other hand was breezing. He retired the Cardinals lineup in order the first time through with three strikeouts. He walked JJ Wetherholt to start the fourth but got league leader in RBI, Jordan Walker, to bounce into a double play before striking out Alec Burleson for his fourth whiff.

The Cards solved Lowder in the fifth though. He hit All-Star, Ivan Herrera, with a pitch, leading off the fifth. Herrera stole second and advanced to third on a fly out. Masyn Winn grounded out softly to second base. Lowder walked Nathan Church with two outs. Blaze Jordan doubled to left to put St. Louis in the lead.

Lowder finished with five innings. He allowed two runs on one hit, two walks and a hit batter. He struck out four.

Caleb Ferguson got two outs in a scoreless sixth and turned the ball over to Julian Garcia. He struck out Herrera.

Sal Stewart singled off George Soriano in the seventh. Suarez blasted his 14th home run of the season 413 feet into the left field stands to give the Reds the lead.

Brock Burke made short work of the Cardinals in his league leading 53rd appearance.

Tejay Antone gave up a one-out double to Jimmy Crooks but struck out Wetherholt and retired Walker on a weak pop to second.

Elly De La Cruz walked against Luis Gastelum to start the ninth. De La Cruz stole second and took third on a wild pitch. Stewart singled to drive in his 75th run of the season, two behind Walker, to give the Reds some breathing room.

Emilio Pagan handled the three, four and five hitters, striking out Herrera and Lars Nootbaar to finish the game.

It is Pagan’s 10th save and third since the All-Star break.

Garcia got credit for his first career win at the age of 31, after toiling eight seasons in the minor leagues, one season in foreign professional baseball and two seasons of independent baseball.

Rhett Lowder Needs To Rebound Against Cardinals

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

The last time the Reds were in St. Louis they were swept in three games there. 

Rhett Lowder was battered by the Colorado Rockies in his first start after three decent relief appearances. Lowder was forced back into the rotation because Nick Lodolo developed another blister.

 Lowder is 3-7 with a 5.75 ERA in 17 appearances and 14 starts. He allowed one run over seven innings in three relief appearances. The Colorado Rockies scored eight run on Lowder in 2 1/3 innings on 11 hits. It was the second start of the season in which he allowed eight runs. He has another in which six runs crossed the plate.

Lowder pitched five scoreless innings against the Cardinals in 2024. His last start against them was on June 7, his first start off the injured list. He pitched just three innings. The Cardinals did not score and only got one hit but Lowder walked five batters which shortened his stint.

Dustin May, a 28-year old right hander, is 5-7 with a 4.17 ERA in 19 starts. 

May was the third round pick of the Los Angeles in 2016 out of Northwest High School in Justin, Texas. The Cardinals signed him as a free agent in December.

He is 0-1 in his last five starts. He has allowed 18 runs over 16 1/3 innings for a 9.92 ERA. His last start on July 18 against the Arizona Diamondbacks was his losing decision. He gave up five runs in five innings on eight hits and four walks. He struck out six.

This will be his first appearance against the Reds.

Reds lineup:

Elly De La Cruz SS

Sal Stewart 1B

JJ Bleday LF

Eugenio Suarez 3B

Nathaniel Lowe DH

Spencer Steer RF

Tyler  Stephenson C

Dane Myers CF

Edwin Arroyo 2B

Cardinals lineup:

JJ Wetherholt 2B

Jordan Walker RF

Alec Burleson 1B

Ivan Herrera DH

Lars Nootbaar LF

Masyn Winn SS

Nathan Church CF

Blaze Jordan 3B

Jimmy Cooks C

Singer And The Swinger Stage Series Win

 

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Brady Singer pitched into the seventh inning for the third straight game and Sal Stewart stays high on the Major League Baseball RBI leader board to stage the Reds second straight series win.

The 5-3 win over the Seattle Mariners secured the Reds second series win coming out of the All-Star break.

 They have 61 games remaining and need to play at the .667 pace, they forged on this road trip to give themselves a chance to play in the postseason again.

Singer had the measure of Josh Naylor in his career mostly spent in the American League.

Naylor had just three hits in 28 career at bats against Singer. He blooped a pitch that even the long outstretched reach of Elly De La Cruz couldn’t catch. Then the first baseman, built like a beer league softball player, stole a base for the 21st time. To put the stolen base in perspective. Reds speedster, De La Cruz stole his 16th in the first inning. Cal Raleigh, who is struggling through a down year after a 60 home run season, singled to right center to give the Mariners a lead.

The Reds got even and more against Mariners starter Emerson Hancock. JJ Bleday launched his 17th home run to lead off the fourth. After two outs Tyler Stephenson hit his 12th double of the season and took third on a wild pitch. Dane Myers hit a ground ball that Cole Young stopped with a dive but couldn’t throw Myers out as Stephenson scored.

Seattle got the runs back in the bottom of the inning.

Dominic Canzone singled to start the inning. He was forced at second. Naylor hit a ground rule double down the third base line against a shifted infield. Raleigh popped out but Luke Raley singled to put the Mariners back on top.

Edward Bacardi relieved Hancock. Edwin Arroyo drew a one out walk. Ke’Bryan Hayes singled. De La Cruz flies out but Sal Stewart hit a drive to right that turned Canzone in a circle for Stewart’s 21st home run and three more RBI for 74 in the season. It is just two off the Major League leading 76 by Jordan Walker and CJ Abrams.

Of Stewart’s 21 home runs 11 have been to right field.

“I think there are guys who relish those opportunities. He can drive the ball so well to right field,” Terry Francona said. “That changed the whole game. He’s so strong. He’s got great hitter hands. The ball jumps off his bat.” 

Singer got two out in the seventh but issued his lone walk of the game to number nine hitter Westin Wilson. It was his last batter. 

Singer pitched 6 2/3 innings. He allowed three runs on six hits. He struck out six.

“He’s working ahead. First pitch strikes,” Terry Francona said. “He’s staying down when he wants to. He’s not walking people. We played pretty good defense today. I think he’s a good pitcher. He got off to a tough start. He had a blister coming out of camp. He kind of found his stride. He takes pride in taking the ball. There is a lot to be said about that.”

Brock Burke made his 51st appearance in relief of Singer. He is one appearance behind Toronto Blue Jays Maso Fluharty for the MLB lead.Burke got Colt Emerson out on a fly out to left. 

Julio Rodriguez hit a one out double off Burke but he got Canzone and Randy Arozarena on ground outs back to him.

“That was big,” Francona said. “We talked about not using him today but he said he was ok.”

Emilio Pagan got his ninth save and second in two days with a perfect ninth.

 

Resurgent Brady Singer Responsible For Winning Road Trip

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Brady Singer started the road trip on a winning note. When he takes the mound in the series finale against the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday afternoon, his outing will decide if the Reds go to St. Louis with a 4-2 record of 3-4.

Singer is 4-9 with a 4.56 ERA in 19 starts. Since June 1st, Singer is 2-4 but has a 2.76 ERA in eight starts that includes three of seven innings or more.

 His last start against the Colorado Rockies in the first game back from the All-Star break, he won a 7-2 decision with seven innings with two runs on four hits, no walks and six strikeouts.

Singer made seven appearances, six start against the Mariners with a 1-2 record and 3.93 ERA.

His last start against the Mariners was on April 17 last season, resulting in an 11-7 loss for the Reds in 10 innings. He pitched 4 1/3 innings, allowing four runs  three earned on six hits and three walks. Singer struck out six. Luke Raley hit a two-run home run off him.

Emerson Hancock was his mound opponent that day, pitching five innings giving up two runs on five hits, including a home run to Austin Hays.

Hancock is a 27-year old right hander who was the Mariner’s first round choice in the 2020 draft out of the University of Georgia.

He is 6-4 with a 3.17 ERA in 18 starts. Hancock is 1-2 in his last five starts. On July 5, he pitched seven scoreless innings against the Toronto Blue Jays with two hits, two walks and five strikeouts in a 4-0 win. His last start was on July 12. He pitched 1 2/3 innings with no runs on no hits and a walk.

This will be his second appearance against the Reds.

Reds Seven Games Under After 100 Games

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Three home runs and a scoreless outing by Chase Burns lifted the Reds to a 4-2 win to improve to 46-54 with 62 games to play.

Elly De La Cruz crushed his 17th home run of the season, leading off the game against former Reds ace, Luis Castillo. 

Eugenio Suarez, who was Castillo’s teammate in two cities, hit his 13th leading off the fourth inning. 

 Sal Stewart’s sacrifice fly added the Reds third run. It was his sixth sacrifice fly of the year and gave him 71 for the season. He is fourth in baseball five RBI shy of CJ Abrams and Jordan Walker who lead baseball with 76. Only Johnny Bench (1970) and Sam Crawford (1901) have driven in that many runs 100 games into the season.

Nathaniel Lowe hit his 12th in the ninth inning to give the Reds some cushion.

Burns pitched five scoreless innings with three hits, two walks and six strikeouts.

The Reds are monitoring his innings as he posted his 12th win against one loss. It is the sixth game in which he put up a scoreless start of five innings or more. 

“He gets it. He’s a pretty sharp kid. I know he loves competing but we do have to keep an eye on him, Terry Francona said. “I told him there’s going to be a day where you’ll probably get two more innings but just not now.” 

Tejay Antone pitched an inning and gave up the third home run of the season for Weston Wilson. Julian Garcia gave up Julio Rodriguez’ 15th home run in his inning.

Emilio Pagan had one strikeout in a perfect ninth to notch his eighth save.

The Reds have 62 games to pass up five teams and make up 5 1/2 games to slip into the last playoff spot, currently held by the Pittsburgh Pirates, who come to Great American Ball Park to play a four game weekend series, set to start July 30.

Reds Young Starting Pitching The Good And Bad

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Coming out of the All-Star break the Reds will find out what their young group of first round starters are made of.

After veteran Brady Singer held off the Colorado Rockies for seven innings in a 7-2 win.

They turned duties over to the number ones in the final two games of the season. 

Rhett Lowder (2023 draft),who was sent to the bullpen to make room for Hunter Greene (2017), both first rounders. Pitched the next two games.

Lowder was clobbered in a 10-2 loss. He allowed eight runs for the second time this season.

After three relief appearances in which he allowed one run in seven innings, Lowder pitched 2 1/3 innings with eight runs on 11 hits. The bright spot was he issued no walks but the Rockies hit three doubles and a triple before Julian Garcia took over.

Greene had a awful first start against the Baltimore Orioles when he gave up  eight runs on seven hits and four walks in 3 1/3 innings.

He won his secord start against seven scoreless innings in a 4-0 win over the Chicago Cubs. He defeated the Rockies in a 9-6 win over Colorado with six innings, with three earned runs allowed on three hits and a walk with 12 strikeouts.

Andrew Abbott a second round pick in 2021, pitched six strong against the Seattle Mariners on Monday night allowing one unearned run in six innings on four hits and two walks. He struck out six.  His record fell to 5-6 with a 3.89 ERA when the Reds were shut out by George Kirby and three relievers. 

Next up is All-Star Chase Burns, the first pick in the 2024 draft with an 11-1 record and a 2.54 ERA. He signed a seven year extension with the Reds with a team option for 2033. 

Burns just two years removed from the draft and called Franchise by his teammate, has pitched 102 2/3 innings in his first full big league seasons. He has 118 strikeouts and 37 walks in those innings.

Burns will start against the Mariners in the second game on Tuesday (072126).

The Mariners start against former Reds ace Luis Castillo, 3-8 and a 4.93 ERA.

Chase Burns Signed Long Term

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Nick Krall, the Reds President of Baseball Operations, announced today that the 23-year old All-Star right handed pitcher, signed an extension through 2033 for $105 million.

The seven year deal gives tge Reds two starting pitchers locked up long term.

 Hunter Greene signed a six-year deal with a team option for 2029 for $53 million.

Greene is 26.

The Reds players refer to him informally as the Franchise.

He was named to the 2026 Bational League All-Star team with an 11-1 record and a 2.54 ERA. 

Brady Singer Pitches Spencer Steer Slams And Scrams

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Brady Singer pitched seven innings for the third time in five games. Spencer Steer homers twice once over the wall once inside the wall in Reds 7-2 win over the Colorado Rockies in Denver. 

The start of the second half got off quickly for the Reds. Elly De La Cruz singled on the first pitch from rookie Gabriel Hughes. Sal Stewart drove in his team leading 66th run of the season.

 Singer pitched four perfect innings until TJ Rumfield touched him with a single to left in the fifth. Kyle Karros grounded into what appeared to be a double play but De La Cruz relay pulled Stewart off the base at first. Willi Castro singled Karros to third and Troy Johnston tied the game with a sacrifice fly. 

Hughes walked JJ Bleday one out into the sixth. Jimmy Herget, who broke in with the Reds, gave up a two-run home run to Steer. It was his 15th. Eugenio Suarez followed with his 12th the ninth set of back-to-back homers hit by Reds batters.

In the seventh Ke’Bryan Hayes reached second on a throwing error by Ezequiel Tovar. De La Cruz singled him to third. Stewart’s 67th RBI came on a sacrifice fly.

Castro’s eighth home run in the seventh kept Colorado in the game.

Singer left after the inning. He pitched seven innings, allowing two runs on four hits. He issued no walks but hit a batter and struck out six.

Steer led off the eighth against Jeff Criswell. Steer hit a drive to the right center field gap. It hit off the base of the wall and took a hard left turn past Jake McCarthy. By the time right fielder Tyler Freeman ran it down, Steer was well around second base and dived into home with his 16th home run.

De La Cruz’s fourth hit of the game was his 16th home run. He increased his average to .282.

Brock Burke pitched a scoreless eighth and Tejay Antone a scoreless ninth.

Brady Singer Opens Second Half

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Brady Singer will open the second half of the season on Friday against the Colorado Rockies. 

Singer was 3-9 with a 4.72 ERA in the first half.

He closed out the last five games with a 1-3 record and 28 2/3 innings, included starts of seven innings and 7 1/3. He allowed nine runs for a 2.83 ERA. 

Singer pitched 7 1/3 innings in his last start o  July 9 against the Philadelphia Phillies. He allowed the only run in a 1-0 loss on four hits, a walk and two hit batters while striking out five.

He is 2-0 with a 1.89 ERA in three career starts against the Rockies. His last start against them was on July 12 last year. He gave up three runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out seven. Singer allowed a home run to Ryan Ritter.

Gabriel Hughes, a 25-year old righthander will pitch for the Rockies. He was the Rockies first pick (10th)in the 2022 draft out of Gonzaga University.

Hughes is making his second career start since he made his first appearance on July 3. He has no record and a 3.00 ERA. He pitched six innings as a starter against the Los Angeles Dodger and gave up three runs on four hits and two walks.

It is his first game against the Reds.