Reds fall to Phillies 5-1 on July 5 as bats go quiet despite a Will Benson HR. The loss is softened by huge news: ace Hunter Greene begins his rehab assignment.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a frustrating Saturday in Philadelphia as the Reds' offense went quiet in a 5-1 defeat at the hands of the Phillies. A night of missed opportunities and stalled rallies left fans wanting more, but a major piece of good news from the clubhouse offers a significant silver lining for the team's second-half hopes.
The Reds loaded the bases in the fourth inning but came away empty-handed, a perfect snapshot of their offensive struggles against the Phillies.
The Reds' entire offensive output against the Phillies came from a single swing: a solo home run from Will Benson in the fifth inning. Beyond that and a double from Spencer Steer, the bats were largely dormant. The biggest moment of frustration came in the fourth when the Reds loaded the bases against Phillies starter Ranger Suárez but couldn't push a run across. Meanwhile, Philadelphia used the long ball to secure their victory, with Alec Bohm and Kyle Schwarber each launching two-run homers off Reds starter Ricardo Suarez. It was a classic case of one team capitalizing on its chances while the other couldn't find the timely hit.
While the on-field result was disappointing, the best news of the day came from the training room. Ace Hunter Greene is officially set to begin a rehab assignment with the Triple-A Louisville Bats on Tuesday. After a successful simulated game and bullpen session, Greene reported feeling great and is on track for a return to the big-league rotation after the All-Star break. His presence has been sorely missed. In 11 starts this season, Greene has been electric, posting a 4-3 record with a sparkling 2.72 ERA and 73 strikeouts. Getting that arm back to lead the rotation will be a massive boost. In other injury news, outfielder Jake Fraley is also making progress, taking at-bats this weekend as he works his way back.
Today's loss stings, there's no doubt about it. But baseball is a long season of ups and downs. While the offense looks to get back on track in the series finale, the real story to watch is in Louisville. Every pitch Hunter Greene throws is a step closer to getting the Reds' top gun back in the rotation, a move that could fundamentally change the team's trajectory as they head into the second half of the season.
