MLB Rankings: Baseball’s Greatest Hits of Week-19

LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 04: Max Muncy #13 of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the dugout before playing the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium on August 4, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 04: Max Muncy #13 of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the dugout before playing the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium on August 4, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)
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MLB Rankings
(Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)

MLB Rankings: Greatest Hits in Week-19

2. Tucker Barnhart, 48 percent

The Cincinnati Reds are not yet contenders for National League honors, but they are making life difficult for teams that are. They’re doing it with a cast of emerging stars such as Luis Castillo, Aristides Aquino, Nick Senzel and Josh VanMeter.

On Sunday, all those youngsters played a role in the Reds’ 6-4 win over the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves. But it was a veteran face that sealed the deal.

As previously noted, the Reds had carried a 3-0 lead into the game’s late innings, only to see home runs by Donaldson and Acuna tie it. In the 10th, VanMeter set up a potential rally with a base hit, only to be erased when Senzel bounced a double-play ball to shortstop Johan Camargo.

Aquino faced Braves closer, Shane Greene, next, and lined a solid single into left. Jose Iglesias grounded a single through shortstop, bringing Barnhart to the plate.

A six-year veteran, Tucker Barnhart has not exactly flourished. He’s batting just .215 although his eight home runs to date position him for a career-high in that department.  Against the Braves recent bullpen acquisition, however, Barnhart looked like an all-star. He ripped Greene’s first fastball over the wall in right-center for a three-run home run and a 6-3 advantage.

Although the Braves did pick up a run in the bottom of the 10th, it wasn’t enough to offset the damage done by Barnhart.