Luke Maile's best game keeps the Reds clinging to playoff hopes
Charlie GoldsmithCLEVELAND –– Before this season, Cincinnati Reds catcher Luke Maile felt like free agency was his Christmas.
“It’s a yearly holiday,” Maile said in June. “The World Series ends, and then you get fired five days later. It is what it is. Six teams now for me. I’ve had a lot of great experiences because of it. Ideally, job security is something you want to have. But I’ve made the most of it.”
The 32-year-old journeyman backup catcher was never a productive enough hitter to stick with the same team for very long. But in a career year with the Reds this season, Maile has fully taken advantage of his opportunity with his hometown team.
On Tuesday at Progressive Field, with Maile facing his former team, he helped get the Reds an 11-7 win over the Cleveland Guardians. Maile had a homer and three RBI in his best game of the season. He also had three hits in the game, which tied his career high.
"Luke is really comfortable playing on our team," Reds manager David Bell said. "This team has brought out the best in a lot of us."
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Entering Tuesday, the Reds were 2.5 games back of the Chicago Cubs for the third wild card spot. Second baseman Jonathan India has said that the Reds’ only chance to make the playoffs would be winning their final five games, and they had their ace on the mound for the series opener in Cleveland.
In three-plus innings, Hunter Greene allowed seven runs on three homers. It looked like the season was coming to an end. Instead, the Reds’ lineup continued a solid week. At one point in the middle of September, it looked like a Cincinnati Reds’ lineup was running out of steam. A group of inexperienced hitters was slumping down the stretch and wearing down through the grind of a 162-game season.
Then over the last week, with the Reds clinging to playoff hopes, the lineup has found its rhythm again.
"The way our offense played tonight, it felt free," Maile said. "It felt like we were on the attack. We need that right now, playing with nothing to lose."
Maile, known for his defense, made his biggest difference on Tuesday with his power.
With the Guardians last season, Maile posted a .627 OPS. This year with the Reds, he entered Tuesday with a .687 OPS, which is close to league average for a catcher. With the Reds, Maile has been a veteran presence and a consistent piece.
On Tuesday, his single in the fifth inning gave the Reds an 8-7 lead and completed their comeback.
"Defense always comes first," Maile said. "To contribute a little offensively this year feels good. Everyone wants to contribute. But a couple timely hits have felt great this year. Tonight was the same."
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Three takeaways from Reds vs. Guardians
1. Following a very short start from Greene, the Reds’ middle relievers picked up the entire pitching staff again. On a day where the bullpen wasn’t at full strength, Sam Moll, Fernando Cruz and Lucas Sims combined to pitch five scoreless innings. They were efficient, aggressive and in full control.
2. Christian Encarnacion-Strand has a case as the Reds’ best hitter down the stretch. On Tuesday, he belted a home run off the back gate of the entire ballpark. Encarnacion-Strand picked up his sixth home run in his last eight games, and he has become a reliable cleanup hitter in the Reds’ lineup.
3. Elly De La Cruz showed his power and his speed in an encouraging game for the struggling rookie. He blasted a 420-foot homer right up the middle. Later in the game, he raced home from second and beat the throw home with a head-first slide. Then in the ninth inning, De La Cruz clobbered a 467-foot home run. He hadn’t homered since Aug. 23, and he homered twice on Tuesday.
