Milwaukee @ Cincinnati preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 15, 2016 ) Milwaukee 4, Cincinnati 5

The Milwaukee Brewers and the Cincinnati Reds are each spending the second half looking for signs that the future could turn out to be better than the present. Both teams will showcase the veterans for possible trades and give more time to the youngsters when the Reds host the Brewers in the second of a three-game series on Saturday.

Cincinnati has veterans Jay Bruce, Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips sitting in the middle of the lineup and clogging up the payroll, but only Bruce seems like a realistic option for a trade. Phillips has expressed his desire to stay in Cincinnati while Votto struggles through one of his worst seasons and has seven years left on a $225 million contract. The Brewers don’t have large veteran contracts on the books aside from left fielder Ryan Braun, who is still productive and could find his way out of town along with All-Star catcher Jonathan Lucroy. Lucroy drove in a run on Friday to support fellow trade candidate Matt Garza, but the Reds scored three runs in the sixth inning to take the lead and went on to grab a 5-4 victory.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee), FSN Ohio (Cincinnati)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Jimmy Nelson (5-7, 3.62 ERA) vs. Reds LH John Lamb (1-6, 5.43)

Nelson is not among the players rumored to be available from Milwaukee at the deadline and is fast becoming one of the pieces around which the team will build. The 27-year-old allowed a total of six runs in his final four starts before the All-Star break but could not come out with a win due to a lack of support. Nelson’s last win came on May 29 against Cincinnati, when he yielded two runs and six hits in 7 1/3 innings.

Lamb was ripped for eight runs on eight hits – three home runs – and four walks at Washington on July 3 but went into the break with a better feeling after putting up a solid effort in a no decision at Miami on July 9. The 26-year-old struck out a career-high nine and did not walk a batter but still suffered the loss while surrendering three runs in five innings. Lamb endured his shortest outing of the season at Milwaukee on May 27 when he was rocked for six runs in 3 2/3 frames.

WALK-OFFS

1. Reds RHP Homer Bailey (elbow) is expected to come off the disabled list after two more rehab starts.

2. The Brewers recalled RHP Corey Knebel from Triple-A Colorado Springs.

3. Milwaukee SS Jonathan Villar recorded multiple hits in four of his last five games.

PREDICTION: Brewers 4, Reds 3