The Cincinnati Reds have struggled at the plate this season, languishing at or near the bottom of several key offensive statistics.

That changed a bit, though, after their cold bats caught fire over the past 20 innings.

Fresh off posting a season-high run total, the Reds will look to complete an undefeated six-game road trip on Wednesday afternoon when they square off against former teammate Nick Martinez and the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg, Fla.

The Reds began the trek by winning all three games vs. the Minnesota Twins, capped by scoring six runs over the final two frames of a 7-4, 10-inning victory on Sunday. Cincinnati followed with a 6-1 win in the series opener against Tampa Bay on Monday and a five-homer performance in a 12-6 victory on Tuesday.

Elly De La Cruz recorded his sixth career multi-homer performance, and Ke’Bryan Hayes, Dane Myers and Spencer Steer also went deep on Tuesday. Myers reached base four times as the Reds improved to 10-2 on the road.

“I’m really happy for our hitters. If they can breathe a little bit, they’ll be better hitters,” said Cincinnati manager Terry Francona, who is celebrating his 67th birthday on Wednesday.

Martinez (0-1, 2.45 ERA), who set career highs in wins (11), losses (14) and innings pitched (165 2/3) last season with the Reds, will be tasked with slowing down Francona’s charges on Wednesday.

“It’s gonna be a lot of fun, right?” Martinez said. “It adds another layer to the pitching game. More of a cat-and-mouse (situation).”

The 35-year-old right-hander compared his former manager (Francona) to his current skipper (Kevin Cash).

“I feel like — not a knock on Tito whatsoever — I’m playing for a younger Tito,” Martinez said of Cash, 48. “It’s been a lot of fun. Obviously, a lot of similarities. They both manage to win the game. Communication is great with both those guys. It really feels like both those guys are really rooting for their players; they care about the players. They want to see us succeed.

“And they understand how hard this game is. That’s refreshing. Knowing your manager has your back allows you to play with a certain aggressiveness that usually leads to reward.”

Martinez would like to be rewarded on Wednesday after receiving his first decision of the season in his latest trip to the mound. He yielded two runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings during a 5-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday.

The veteran is 1-0 with a 4.00 ERA in four career appearances (one start) vs. the Reds.

Cincinnati will send left-hander Brandon Williamson (2-1, 4.35 ERA) to the mound on Wednesday. Williamson improved to 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA in three starts this month after allowing one run on three hits in 5 1/3 innings of a 2-1 win over the Twins on Friday.

While likely happy with the victory, Williamson has struggled with his control. He has permitted 10 walks over his past two outings (9 1/3 innings).

Williamson, 28, has yet to face the Rays in his career.

Jonathan Aranda belted a two-run homer as part of a three-RBI night on Tuesday for Tampa Bay, which has been outscored 24-10 during a three-game losing streak.

–Field Level Media

Michael Wacha has been the brightest light amid a dismal start to the season for the Kansas City Royals.

Meanwhile, Chris Bassitt might have found a needed rhythm following a rough beginning to his Baltimore Orioles’ tenure.

The two veteran right-handers will match up in the decisive contest of a three-game series on Wednesday afternoon in Kansas City, Mo.

Wacha (2-0, 1.00 ERA), who will turn 35 in July, is second in the majors in ERA, trailing only Jose Soriano (0.28) of the Los Angeles Angels. Wacha has yielded just three runs, eight walks and 13 hits over 27 innings of his four starts.

On Friday, Wacha gave up a two-run homer and two other hits over six innings in Kansas City’s 4-2 loss to the New York Yankees.

“He’s difficult against any lineup,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro.

Wacha is 3-3 with a 5.22 ERA in 13 career starts vs. Baltimore. He is 0-2 with a 5.29 ERA in three starts against the Orioles since joining Kansas City in December 2023.

The Royals, however, have some momentum after ending an eight-game losing streak with Tuesday’s 6-5 win to even this series.

“We believe in each other, and everyone in here,” star Bobby Witt Jr. told the Royals’ official website. “And that’s how we got to go about it. We got to get better every day and try to improve.”

Michael Massey belted a tying solo homer in the eighth inning and Maikel Garcia scored the winning run on a wild pitch in the ninth for the Royals, who will bid to post back-to-back victories for the first time since April 10-11.

“It’s a long season. … We have a great team,” Garcia told Royals.TV. “We just keep working, go out there and compete.”

Garcia is 4-for-9 in the series, but he’s hitless in four career at-bats vs. Bassitt (0-2, 6.19 ERA).

Bassitt allowed 10 runs over 6 1/3 innings while losing his first two starts as an Oriole this season. Since then, though, the former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher has yielded one earned run in 9 2/3 innings as Baltimore won his next two outings.

Last Friday at Cleveland, Bassitt yielded four hits and four walks over five scoreless innings of the Orioles’ 6-4 victory.

“Overall, good,” he said. “(I’m) able to just execute enough.”

Bassitt is 1-2 with a 3.60 ERA in eight career starts against the Royals, with Witt and Vinnie Pasquantino going a combined 2-for-10 vs. him.

Meanwhile, Massey’s homer served as the first hit and run allowed this season by Baltimore reliever Nico Garcia.

Pete Alonso had two hits Tuesday but is batting just .211 to open his first season with the Orioles after seven seasons with the New York Mets. However, Alonso is 3-for-7 with a home vs. Wacha.

Baltimore has lost six of its last eight games and is 2-4 on a seven-game road trip.

Fellow Orioles star Adley Rutschman came off the 10-day injury list Tuesday and hit his first home run of 2026. He’s a career .301 hitter with two homers and 10 RBIs against Kansas City.

–Field Level Media

Chase DeLauter was the most impactful rookie in the majors during the opening weekend of the season, homering four times and driving in five runs over his first three games with the Cleveland Guardians.

Things haven’t gone nearly as well since then. However, they might be trending upward as the Guardians conclude a seven-game homestand Wednesday afternoon against the Houston Astros.

Cleveland’s Tanner Bibee (0-2, 4.81 ERA) will start the afternoon contest against Houston’s Peter Lambert (0-1, 7.20) in a battle of right-handers.

DeLauter recorded a go-ahead, three-run triple in the eighth inning on Tuesday to help Cleveland rally to an 8-5 victory over Houston. The Guardians scored a season-high six times in the inning.

“It’s no secret he hasn’t gotten results, but this kid is a good hitter,” Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said. “Chase stepped up in a huge way, backing up a fastball with a two-strike count. It was a cool moment for him.”

DeLauter was in a 1-for-26 slump when he sent a sinking liner toward the foul line in left, where Brice Matthews was unable to reach the ball in time.

DeLauter was batting .140 with four RBIs in his previous 14 games, dropping his season average to .219.

“Obviously, it’s not been the most ideal last two weeks or so,” DeLauter said. “But I’ve had the rest of the guys behind my back. And when you show up in the box, anything can happen.

“It’s been cold, there’s been a lot of stuff going on, so play the game and let’s see what happens.”

Bibee, who was considered the staff ace two years ago, also could be turning the corner after tossing six scoreless innings against the Baltimore Orioles last Friday. He had a bloated 6.38 ERA in his first four starts this spring.

In three career games against Houston, Bibee has 13 strikeouts over 16 innings and a 4.50 ERA without a decision.

The Astros won six of their first nine games but since have gone 3-13. They have split their first two matchups in Cleveland, taking the opener 9-2 on Monday behind a strong start from winning pitcher Spencer Arrighetti.

Second baseman Jose Altuve became the third player to play in 2,000 career games with Houston, going 0-for-5 Tuesday, while American League homer (10) and RBI (24) leader Yordan Alvarez extended his hitting streak to eight with two hits and three RBIs.

Astros manager Joe Espada was more focused on another number: 16. That’s how many players the team has on the injured list after outfielder Taylor Trammell (left groin strain) was hurt in Cleveland.

“It (stinks) because he has been grinding for two years, and given us some quality at-bats and was playing really good in the field,” Espada said. “It’s going to take some time for him to get back.”

Houston appears to have avoided a 17th IL stint as postgame X-rays to the left hand of outfielder Dustin Harris were negative. He exited after being hit by a pitch from Parker Messick, prompting Espada to tell his players to “be smart about” handling any further minor injuries.

Lambert made his first big league appearance since 2024 on Friday, giving up four runs in five innings in a loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. His only outing against the Guardians came two years ago with the Colorado Rockies, losing in relief by allowing one run in two innings in a 13-7 game.

–Field Level Media