On this night, patience was a virtue for both the Reds and pitcher Mike Leake, who came back to pitch after the 1-hour, 5-minute delay and never missed a beat as the Reds powered past the Cleveland Indians, 6-1.
Leake knows the score — and it wasn’t 6-1. The Reds have not talked to his agent about a contract extension, which means one thing to him. He’s gone before the trade deadline.
“No, no, they haven’t talked about a contract,” said Leake. “I think it’s more likely I’ll get traded than stay here.”
Leake wants one thing. Please trade him to a contender.
“I’m eager to play for a winning team right now,” he said. “It sucks that we had the season we’ve had and I wish it was a different story. But if they are going to trade me I’m eager to pitch for a team that’s in it.
“Each start here could be my last (for the Reds), so I try to give them the best I can,” he said. “It is motivation. I want to end here on a good note.”
Not only did Leake muzzle the Tribe on one run and four hits over six innings, he drove in three of the first four runs with a sacrifice bunt and a two-run double.
His double gave the Reds a 4-0 lead with two outs in the third as lightning crackled and thunder rumbled from across the Ohio River, forcing the delay.
Then Leake returned to finish what he started. In his previous start, Leake pitched eight scoreless innings against the Miami Marlins. He extended that to 13 innings before the Tribe broke through in the sixth.
Leake gave up a run, but it could have been much more damaging. Francisco Lindor singled and Michael Brantley doubled, putting Indians on second and third with no outs. But only Lindor scored, coming across on a weak ground ball to shortstop by Carlos Santana.
Marlon Byrd gave Leake aid and comfort with a four-hit night that included his 15th home run in the second inning to give Leake a 1-0 lead. After Leake’s two-run double gave the Reds a 4-0 lead, Joey Votto made it 5-0 with his 16th home run to go with three strikeouts.
While most of the trade talk centers on Johnny Cueto and Aroldis Chapman, scouts are closely watching Leake and one Friday night was very impressed.
“He had a great breaking pitch and was getting it over both corners,” he said. “He mixed in some good change-ups and had great command. I was really impressed that he was able to come back after the hour rain delay after he threw what seemed like about two innings in the bullpen after the delay.”
Said an American League scout, “I like Leake a lot. I like the whole package. He is a contributor to his team, even though he isn’t the ace. And he is a fantastic hitter, which makes him additionally valuable in the National League.”
There are some who say participating in the All-Star Home Run Derby messes up the swing. Some players won’t participate for that reason.
Does it? Well, Home Run Derby winner Todd Frazier went 0 for 5 Friday, struck out, hit into a double play and hit one ball out of the infield. But it is a miniscule sample.
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