Every year at Christmas we usually see gifts that quarterbacks and running backs give to their offensive linemen. Cincinnati Reds pitcher Luke Weaver might want to consider doing something like that for the team’s hitters this year.
Weaver was not particularly sharp in Sunday’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He went four innings, allowed three runs (all earned) on eight hits and two walks. Despite Weaver’s struggles, the Reds still won the game 7-3. That’s been a theme for a while.
Weaver has no quality starts in any of his last 10 outings. In fact, he hasn’t reached six innings in any of those outings and has only gone beyond five innings once. He’s been hit hard, amassing an 8.79 ERA. But that hasn’t sunk the Reds. Far from it, in fact. After Sunday’s game, Cincinnati has gone 9-1 in Weaver’s last 10 starts.
Luke Weaver has a ERA of 8.79 in his last 10 starts, but the Reds have a team record of 9-1 in those games.
That is the highest ERA in a 10-start span for a pitcher whose team won at least 9 games in that span since ERA became official in 1913. pic.twitter.com/6WiVYmSYa5
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) July 23, 2023
The responses to this ranged from confusion to quite funny.
I don’t know what meaning to glean from this, but it’s weird. https://t.co/5vFCXW6eV0
— Sean Lahman (@seanlahman) July 24, 2023
He just knows how to win https://t.co/rW0UYMj1wI
— Mike Petry (@themikepetry) July 24, 2023
Once again, it just might be the Cincinnati Reds year folks https://t.co/mJFPY5ZF44
— Nick Kirby (@Nicholaspkirby) July 24, 2023
This is crazy lmao https://t.co/pnSUP2MVzx
— Chris Novak (@ChrisMNovak) July 24, 2023
The Cincinnati Reds are averaging 7.8 runs per game in Luke Weaver’s last 10 starts. Now, that’s what I call run support! #Reds #ATOBTTR #KeepRowing https://t.co/uT1xCwzpVB pic.twitter.com/imOtTP0HYk
— GameOn513 (@gameonjmoney) July 23, 2023
All-time great morale guy. Just fires up the boys when he gets on the mound. Can't teach that. https://t.co/vlUAJ33faB
— Hunter Hurst (@HunterHurst_) July 24, 2023
It's insanity https://t.co/AMS7vcIWc5
— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) July 23, 2023
Cincinnati posting a great record despite Weaver struggling is especially interesting because, elsewhere in the National League Central, the exact opposite is happening. Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Julio Teherán has been shoving over his last seven innings, posting a 1.52 ERA. Despite that, the Brewers are 2-5.
Meanwhile, the Brewers are 2-5 across Julio Teheran’s first 6 plus today’s 10th starts, despite him having a 1.52 ERA in those 7 starts.
— Dalton Van Schoyck (@DVSMoney) July 24, 2023
Only two words are needed to describe this, and it’s the same two words that people have been using for centuries. That’s baseball.
