Cincinnati and Tampa Bay Both Hot Right Now, and Monday's Matchup Could Define Their Early Seasons

The Cincinnati Reds are rolling into St. Petersburg undefeated on the road after an absolutely wild Sunday night. They just swept the Minnesota Twins 7-4 in 10 innings, scoring six runs in the final two frames to stay perfect on their road trip. Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Rays are coming off a week where they won four of six games against the Chicago White Sox and Pittsburgh Pirates. This isn't a random Monday night matchup. Both teams are playing the kind of baseball that wins ballgames in April.

The Reds' Momentum Is Real

Cincinnati's skipper Terry Francona knows what he's got brewing. After the Reds rallied from a two-run deficit Saturday night, Francona said it plainly: "I just like the life and the enthusiasm and the competitiveness. I love the will to keep playing." That's not coach-speak. That's a guy watching his team refuse to quit.

The Reds will start Rhett Lowder, a right-hander who has been absolutely brilliant early. In his first two starts against Boston and Texas at the season's beginning, Lowder allowed just two runs on six hits in 11 innings, including six scoreless frames against the Rangers. Francona calls him a throwback. "In an era where you kind of grip it and rip it, he can go to different quadrants," Francona said. "He can throw something that changes eye levels. He can spin it down low, below their barrel." The guy doesn't need to throw 96 mph. He just needs to paint the corners, and right now, he's doing it. Lowder is 2-1 with a 3.52 ERA on the season, though he's been rougher in recent outings against Miami and San Francisco (1-1, 5.25 ERA).

Tampa Bay Rode One of the Weirdest Wins Into Monday

The Rays are playing well, but their week included one of the strangest games you'll ever see. Saturday in Pittsburgh, the first pitch came at 3:34 p.m., but a 2.5-hour rain delay meant the final pitch didn't land until after 10 p.m. more than 6.5 hours later. That delay turned the whole game. Pittsburgh's Paul Skenes, the NL Cy Young Award winner, had built a 4-0 lead, but the stoppage knocked him out of the game. The Rays rallied to an 8-6 lead in the 13th inning, then sent out Yoendrys Gomez to close it out. Gomez gave up an RBI single to Pirates rookie Konnor Griffin, who stole a base. Gomez then struck out Joey Bart with Griffin on second as the potential winning run. Winning pitcher Griffin Jax said it straight after: "It's just the type of win that can carry a team deep into the season."

Rays manager Kevin Cash called it like he saw it: "Probably Skenes coming out of the game, if we're going to be honest. But I mean, you've got to take opportunities when you get them."

Monday night in St. Petersburg will be Lowder's first career start against the Rays. Both teams are playing their best baseball, and this three-game set could separate the hot from the home-run hitters.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.