Milwaukee @ Cincinnati preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 29, 2015 ) Milwaukee 8, Cincinnati 3

The Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers figure to have plenty of attention from opposing teams as they kick off a three-game series in Cincinnati on Friday. The Reds and the Brewers are expected to be big sellers at the upcoming trade deadline and are showcasing all available assets over the next four weeks.

Cincinnati is not playing like a seller of late and squeezed out a 2-1 win over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday to pick up its fourth win in the last five series. The home crowd offered Johnny Cueto, who is thought to be on his way out of town, a standing ovation when he left the mound. Milwaukee is enjoying a strong run as well and picked up its fifth straight win by outlasting Philadelphia 8-7 in 11 innings on Thursday. The Brewers will send Mike Fiers to the mound on Friday to oppose Reds rookie Michael Lorenzen.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Mike Fiers (3-7, 4.14 ERA) vs. Reds RH Michael Lorenzen (3-2, 3.38)

Fiers’ relatively small salary makes him a player Milwaukee would like to keep, but several teams would be interested should a pitcher with two earned runs or fewer allowed in 11 of his last 15 starts. The Florida native held the Minnesota Twins to one run and four hits on Sunday but did not factor in the decision. One of Fiers’ few bad outings came against Cincinnati on April 21, when he was ripped for a season-high eight runs (four earned) in four innings.

Lorenzen is trying to make himself a part of the future with the Reds and is 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA in his last three starts. The 23-year-old gets in trouble with walks from time to time and issued four in 5 2/3 innings at the New York Mets on Saturday. Lorenzen made his major-league debut against Milwaukee on April 29 and absorbed the loss while yielding three runs on three solo homers in five innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Reds captured one of the big prizes on the international free-agent market when they agreed to terms with OF Cristian Olivo.

2. Milwaukee C Jonathan Lucroy is 8-for-15 with five runs scored in his last three games.

3. Cincinnati 1B Joey Votto is 2-for-20 over his last six games.

PREDICTION: Reds 4, Brewers 3