JR Ritchie strikes out eight in tough loss to Reds

The Brewers have made just one change in the series, swapping Sal Frelick and Garrett Mitchell in Game 4. They’re sticking with that arrangement tonight. The lineup: LF Jackson Chourio, 1B Jake Bauers, DH Christian Yelich, C William Contreras, 2B Brice Turang, RF Frelick, SS Cooper Pratt, CF Mitchell and 3B David Hamilton.

Misiorowski was considerably more lethal against lefties than righties this season, and the Rays don’t think it’s a fluke. As a result, Richie Palacios and Victor Mesa Jr. are sitting tonight, as is the long-forgotten Cedric Mullins. The lineup: DH Yandy Díaz, 1B Jonathan Aranda, 3B Junior Caminero, C Liam Hicks, CF Jonny DeLuca, LF Chandler Simpson, 2B Williamson, RF Vilade and SS Taylor Walls.

Caminero seemed to be struggling with a foot issue before being lifted for a pinch-runner in the 12th inning Tuesday, but manager Kevin Cash said afterwards that it was nothing that would affect his availability. Caminero is batting third tonight.

The Rays have their backs up against the wall, so they will now turn to their ace, Drew Rasmussen, to start Game 5. Rasmussen just threw 3 2/3 innings on Saturday night, so he will come into this one on just three days’ rest. With that in mind, it’s unlikely that Rasmussen pitches deep into this game, but the Rays will help that he can keep the Brewers off the board in the first few innings and give them the chance to build a lead they can hand over to the bullpen.

Parker is now up to five steals in the AFL season while hitting .423 with a 1.097 OPS in 26 at-bats. The 5'7" Parker hit .253/.347/.467 in 87 games at Double-A this season with 19 home runs and 12 steals. He is also working in the outfield during the AFL season to try and increase his chances of helping the big league club. He should begin 2027 at Triple-A and has a chance to push for MLB at-bats if he continues to flash that kind of power and speed.

The big right-hander struck out five and walked two while throwing 38 of his 63 pitches for strikes. After undergoing lat surgery in 2025, Susana didn’t pitch in the minor leagues this season until August, so this was his longest outing since early in 2025. While he showed off his trademark triple-digit four-seamer, he also heavily mixed in a sinker that runs in on the hands of right-handers and an upper-80s power curve. The Nationals also have him working on a tighter cutter that he’s been throwing in the upper 90s in Arizona. Given his long layoff, health is the biggest positive for Susana, but if the 22-year-old is able to find a pitch mix that will give him good enough command to pair with his elite fastballs, he could be an impact arm for the Nationals in 2027.

Garcia played just 38 games at Triple-A for the Diamondbacks this season, hitting .233/.340/.451 with six home runs and 21 RBI. He’ll look to latch on somewhere as spring training catching depth.

He didn’t seem fine, and Caminero himself indicated that there was a foot issue, though he was adamant that he’d play Wednesday. Caminero came up lame while trying to beat out a grounder on Joey Ortiz’s error in the 12th and stayed in to run to third on a single before being replaced by Cedric Mullins.

DeLuca took advantage of a drawn-in infield with runners on first-and-third and singled up the middle to tie the game at 3-3. It was his only hit of the game and he has scuffled mightily over this postseason, but he keeps the Rays alive with a chance to make the series a little tighter with a Game 5 win Wednesday.

Pratt also singled twice and doubled, but the hit he will remember forever was his go-ahead homer off Ian Seymour that gives the Brew Crew a 3-2 lead in the 12th. Unfortunately for Pratt and the Brew Crew, it wasn’t enough with Tampa Bay scoring twice in the bottom of the frame. The 22-year-old has been outstanding in the postseason minus some mental gaffes, but the Brewers will need to win one more game to clinch that first championship.