Reds Broadcaster Jeff Brantley Calls Out Pitcher Sam Moll in Loss to Diamondbacks

It was a rough performance on Friday night.

The Reds Caravan returned to Muncie at Stoops Automotive on Clara Lane Thursday evening. Broadcasters Jeff Brantley and Jim Day, pitcher Tanner Roark, third- baseman Eugenio Su rez,, minor league catcher Tyler Stephenson, President of Baseball Operations Dick Williams, and mascot Rosie Red signed autographs and answered questions during the event. Redscaravan10698 The Reds Caravan returned to Muncie at Stoops Automotive on Clara Lane Thursday evening. Broadcasters Jeff Brantley and Jim Day, | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

It was an ugly loss for the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night. They were shut out for a league-leading 13th time this season.

In the bottom half of the 8th inning with Sam Moll on the mound, Diamondbacks infielder Tim Tawa hit an RBI double to the left-center field gap, making it a 9-0 Arizona lead.

Reds broadcaster “Cowboy” Jeff Brantley has never been afraid to call things how he sees them. He doesn’t hold back, and that was the case during Saturday’s game against the Diamondbacks.

After Tim Tawa’s double, Brantley wasn’t pleased with Sam Moll’s effort on the play, specifically pointing out that the veteran reliever failed to fully back up home plate.

“No matter what the score is you still got to back up home plate," Brantley told Reds play-by-play announcer John Sadak. “It’s the little things, John. It’s the little things.”

There’s really no way around it. This team is playing bad baseball right now, and the frustration is starting to build.

But Brantley is right. It starts with the little things, and that has to be part of the culture from the top down. Backing up a base, making the routine play and giving full effort may seem small, but those things add up. If you’re not willing to consistently do the little things right, it’s hard to expect the bigger things to suddenly fall into place.

Terry Francona Optimistic on Toglia's Injury

Aug 21, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Cincinnati Reds first baseman Michael Toglia (48) leaves the trainer after diving foe a ball against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Just hours after Spencer Steer announced he would miss the rest of the season, Michael Toglia made a diving catcher in left field and immediately grabbed his shoulder. He left the game wth what the Reds called a dislocated right shoulder.

However, after the game, Reds manager Terry Francona sounded optimistic.

“They put it back in, and there’s some thought that he might be OK,” Francona MLB.com's Patrick Brown. “It seems hard to imagine, but they can’t get an MRI tomorrow like they need to, so it’s going to be kind of on how he feels.”

Toglia's X-rays came back negative.

“It’s definitely pretty sore from being out of place, but I’m not in any pain right now, and the gentle range of motion looked fantastic,” Toglia said. “The whole time walking off the field it was out, and that was pretty painful. I definitely couldn’t move my arm.”

Toglia played well in Triple-A Louisville this year, but has struggled since being called up to the Reds. In 10 games, the switch-hitter is slashing .115/.179/.192 with two extra-base hits and 12 strikeouts.