Returning from the 15-day injured list Sunday, Tyler Mahle answered questions about how his arm felt prior to the trade deadline with his performance against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Mahle, pitching in front of nearly a dozen scouts at Great American Ball Park, delivered one of his more efficient outings of the season.
"There are thousands of people in the stands, you know," Mahle said after the Cincinnati Reds' 6-3 win. "In my mind, we just go out there, do our job and whatever happens, happens. I’ve said it a million times: All I can do is go out there and pitch. If it’s for the Reds or whatever, I’m going to go out there and try to win a ballgame."
Mahle required 79 pitches to complete six innings. He permitted only two hits, though they were both homers from Paul Goldschmidt. His velocity was a tick down for most of the afternoon, but he ramped up to 96 mph against his final batter.
For those looking ahead, Mahle’s first start off the IL for a shoulder strain was a success because he showed he was healthy. For those staying present, the Reds earned the three-game series victory in front of 18,813 fans and they've won eight of their last 12 games.
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The Reds have a 33-36 record since May 7, following their franchise-worst 3-22 start. It's nowhere close to contending for the playoffs, but they no longer look like a team destined to lose 100 games. In that same span, the Cardinals are 35-36 and the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers are 34-35.
The 27-year-old Mahle owns a 2.80 ERA in his last eight starts. He’s viewed as one of the top pitchers available on the trade market, behind teammate Luis Castillo and Oakland A’s starter Frankie Montas, because he could fit as a No. 3 starter on playoff contenders.
“We’re lucky to play behind him," Joey Votto said. "Every pitch has intent. He’s aggressive with his fastball. He can sniff out opposing hitters, what they’re going to be aggressive on if they’re hunting for something. He’s got a real good head about him every time he pitches. He’s got good stuff. I love playing behind him."
Mahle set the tone Sunday with a seven-pitch first inning, striking out Goldschmidt on a 93-mph fastball.
"Probably the least amount of pitches I’ve thrown in the first inning ever," Mahle said. "It was awesome."
Mahle, who is scheduled to make one more start before the Aug. 2 trade deadline, relied heavily on his fastball. He felt he started sharp, was a little wild in the middle innings and then finished strong.
Outside of Goldschmidt, there wasn’t much hard contact against Mahle. Goldschmidt drilled a two-run homer to center field in the fourth inning and a solo homer to right field in the sixth inning.
"He hits mistakes," Mahle said. "The two balls he hit were mistakes, a splitter right down the middle and then a fastball that was supposed to be up and in was down and over the plate."
Goldschmidt, one of the leaders for National League MVP this year, has five homers in his last four games against the Reds.
Does it make it any easier to give up homers to one of the hottest hitters in the league?
"I disagree," Mahle said. "Anybody, it pisses you off. If you make good pitches, good things are going to happen. I don’t think I’ve ever given up a homer or anything to somebody and been like it’s whoever. My job is to make pitches."
Mahle struck out five and walked three in his six innings. He threw a first-pitch strike to 14 of his 23 batters and he looked in control while pitching with a lead for most of the afternoon.
In the bottom of the third inning, Votto lofted a three-run homer that bounced on the top of the wall in left field and into the seats for his eighth home run of the season. Votto had six homers in 66 games prior to the All-Star break and he has two in the last three games.
"That was a really good swing, a really good sign for me," said Votto, who tinkered with his stance this weekend. "I’ve been struggling against all kinds of pitches this year and haven’t been driving the ball well to left-center. It was good to do it on an off-speed pitch, for sure.”
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St. Louis right-hander Miles Mikolas hadn’t allowed more than three runs in any of his last eight starts, owning a 1.98 ERA since June 9, and the Reds totaled four runs in the third inning.
The Reds manufactured two more runs in the fourth inning. Tyler Naquin delivered a two-out RBI single after Michael Papierski unsuccessfully attempted to bunt twice with runners on the corners. Then the Reds traded a run for an out on a double steal when Brandon Drury was in a 1-2 count, Matt Reynolds scoring from third when the catcher’s throw went to second base.
"It's not a real easy decision with Brandon Drury hitting," Reds manager David Bell said. "A lot of times, teams won't throw in that situation, so it's a pretty good situation where you end up with (runners on) second or third. Or as it turned out with the runners we had on base there, it was possible to execute it."
The Reds will continue their 10-game homestand out of the All-Star break with a four-game series against the Miami Marlins on Monday.
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