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    Home Blog Page 23

    Cincinnati Reds at San Francisco Giants – May 11, 2024

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    8 game skid officially over. Thank God! Just in time for Dolo Day to keep it going. The Giants dropped to 3-7 in their last 10 and send out their bottom guy (a rookie making his second start) tonight. Plus some consistency in the lineup!

    LHP Nick Lodolo

    Cincinnati Reds SP Nick Lodolo.

    Lodolo comes into this matchup having been rocked in the first inning against Baltimore last time out. Nick is thriving on his swing-and-miss stuff in 2024. Ranking in the 91st percentile or better in Chase %, Whiff %, and K %, Lodolo has been making good hitters look foolish. When they get a hold of a not so well placed pitch though, his Hard Hit % has been well below average. We’ve always known Lodolo is pure talent the Reds best pitcher – when he’s on. The Giants are only fielding two left-handed batters today. Expect Lodolo to look like early season Lodolo.

    Reds Lineup Card

    BattersAverage
    1CF TJ Friedl.222
    2SS Elly De La Cruz.271
    3DH Mike Ford.125
    41B Spencer Steer.246
    5RF Jake Fraley.280
    6C Tyler Stephenson.226
    73B Jeimer Candelario.209
    8LF Will Benson.197
    92B Jonathan India.215

    Steer stays at 1B, keeping Candelario at 3B – phew! A lineup full of guys better than their average. Should eat against a rookie pitcher making his second outing after getting shelled.

    RHP Mason Black

    San Francisco Giants rookie SP Mason Black.

    An enigma. This guy only has 266 innings – minor leagues included. Not much to say here except that he was hammered by the Phillies a week ago for 5 ERs in just 4 IP.

    Giants Lineup Card

    BattersAverage
    12B Thairo Estrada.248
    21B Lamonte Wade Jr..341
    3C Patrick Bailey.278
    4DH Wilmer Flores.206
    5RF Heliot Ramos.333
    63B Matt Chapman.205
    7LF Michael Conforto.277
    8SS Casey Schmitt.000
    9CF Tyler Fitzgerald.273

    Lots of Rotation for San Francisco – platooning against Lodolo. Schmitt will play in his second big league game. Watch out for Wade Jr. – a leftie that rakes against lefties.

    Cincinnati Reds End Their 8 Game Losing Streak and Defeat San Francisco

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    Stuart Fairchild Cincinnati Reds

    It’s over. It’s over. The losing streak, it’s FINALLY over. After the Cincinnati Reds dropped 8 games straight, they went into San Francisco and finally put together a complete game to beat the San Francisco Giants 4-2. Good freakin’ morning. Rejoice.


    On a day where the Cincinnati Reds desperately needed to get a win, they went into San Francisco and hit a really stout Logan Webb around. Over 11 Reds had batted balls at above 100+ MPH off Logan Webb, which isn’t surprising considering his 12th percentile hard hit rate. Webb, however, has been nails at home, sporting a 0.82 ERA at home (coming into tonight’s game) and the Reds tagged him for 3 Earned tonight.

    The Cincinnati Reds pitching in whole came up clutch tonight. Andrew Abbott pitched very well despite getting bit by the homer bug again, luckily, it was another solo shot. That marks 6 of the 8 homers he’s given up in 2024 as solo shots, which you live with. The Reds offense started hot with an Elly de La Cruz single & Spencer Steer RBI double in the top of the 1st. The lead was erased shortly after with Abbott giving up a bomb, but the offense kept going. Spencer had another RBI, and Elly scored on a TJ Friedl hustle double.


    And for tonight’s electric factory:

    How About Stu… Stuart Fairchild came up in the top of the 8th cold as ice off the bench and provided an inside the park homer!

    Stuart Fairchild Inside The Park Homer to make it 4-2

    Hit log:

    • Elly de La Cruz: 2-4 2 R 2 SBs totaling 25 on the year so far
    • Spencer Steer: 2 for 3 2 RBI 1 BB
    • Stuart Fairchild: 1-1 Inside The Park Homerun

    • Pitching log:
    • Andrew Abbott: 5.0 IP 6 H, 2 ER, 1 BB 2 K 3.35 ERA
    • Emilio Pagan: 1.0 IP 1 K
    • Justin Wilson: 1.1 IP 1 H 1 K
    • Lucas Sims: 0.2 IP
    • Alexis Diaz: 1 IP 1 BB 2 Ks SV

    Cincinnati Reds vs San Francisco Giants – May 10th, 2024

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    Hope you like Late Night Reds, buddy.

    The first west coast road trip of the year has arrived. Are you excited? Probably not, the Cincinnati Reds have lost 8 games in a row, for fuck sake. Join us with ice cold millers tonight at 10:10 pm EST where the Cincinnati Reds face the San Francisco Giants.

    Andrew Abbott LHP

    cincinnati reds vs san francisco giants

    Andrew Abbott has been the perfect example of why Pitcher’s wins & losses DO NOT MATTER. He’s 1-4 with a 3.32 ERA in 7 starts. His latest outing he got bit by the homer, giving up two solo homers in the Cincinnati Reds’ 2-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles, but he struckout 8 and otherwise looked like the Abbott we love and know. San Francisco is a HUGE ballpark – he should fare well tonight against their lineup, however, they do hit a little better against LHPs average wise, and are middle of the pack offensively with a .670 team OPS.

    Reds Lineup 5/10/24

    BattersAverage
    1TJ Friedl.231
    2Elly de La Cruz.264
    3Mike Ford.200
    4Spencer Steer.237
    5Jake Fraley.292
    6Tyler Stephenson.222
    7Jeimer Candelario.216
    8Will Benson.193
    9Jonathan India.214
    cincinnati reds lineup 5/10/24

    Logan Webb RHP

    There may not be one as consistent as Logan Webb – talking about a guy that knows his role & excels in it. He, once again, is pitching great, and naturally primarily at home, where the Reds are visiting today. His home/away splits are dramatic. 0.82 ERA at home, 5.92 ERA away. The Reds, who are already struggling offensively, will likely struggle even more. He’s not striking as many guys out this year as years prior, but still, at home, he’s holding opponents to .225/.244/.264/.506 – he’s yet to give up a HR at home. The Reds have a tough task ahead of em tonight.

    San Francisco Lineup

    BattersAverage
    1TBD.204
    2TBD.301
    3TBD.284
    4TBD.273
    5TBD.234
    6TBD.226
    7TBD.307
    8TBD.229
    9TBD.286
    The Giants have yet to post their lineup. It’s 6pm est. TBD.

    The Reds 2023 Most Valuable Player is BACK! And some more moves…Who Is The “Fastest” Team In Major League Baseball?

    The Reds 2023 Most Valuable Player is BACK! And some more moves…

    Swing and a Miss or Home Run? Assessing the Reds’ 2024 Season Standouts and Struggles

    Arizona Diamondbacks at Cincinnati Reds – May 9, 2024

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    It’s win day… right? There will be jubilee on that plane ride after the game. Hunter will dominate. Elly will launch one. Or am I still living the life of a Reds fan a month ago? This skid needs to end in a bad way. This roster is more talented than this. May 9th will forever be “Get Back Right Day.”

    Hunter Greene

    Cincinnati Reds Starting Pitcher Hunter Greene.

    Greene is quietly having a great year. Yes, he got whomped against the Brewers, but all of the advanced statistics are trending up. Greene is well above average in everything except walks and ground balls. He’s 83rd percentile in Pitching Run Value and 98th in Fastball Run Value. Hes 90th or better in Expected ERA, Expected Batting Average Against, and Fastball Velo of course. Greene isn’t getting barreled, his fastball is generating tons of whiffs, and he’s getting a lot of weak contact. Yet, the run support hasn’t been there. And he’s had a nasty tendency to be frustratingly inefficient. Greene is consistently around 70-80 pitches by the end of the 4th inning and that is what’s killing him. Greene needs to hone in his Slider – it’s basically all he throws outside of his phenomenal fastball.

    Reds Lineup Card

    BattersAverage
    1CF TJ Friedl.250
    2SS Elly De La Cruz.254
    31B Spencer Steer.234
    4RF Jake Fraley.294
    52B Jonathan India.221
    6DH Mike Ford.000
    73B Jeimer Candelario.206
    8LF Will Benson.190
    9C Luke Maile.140

    Steer at 1B! Ball knowers rejoice! Against RHP this is the best lineup the Reds could field except Catcher but Greene likes Maile. Kudos to Bell for figuring it out.

    Slade Cecconi

    Arizona Diamondbacks SP Slade Cecconi.

    Cecconi was rocked by the Padres last time out for 6 ERs. The Reds faced Cecconi last year in his 5th career appearance and were held to just one run. Cecconi has only one start on his young career without an ER. He’s got a Fastball-Slider-Changeup mix and he’ll come right at Cincinnati’s lineup. He doesn’t get chases outside the zone and he doesn’t have a ton of movement on his slider. Cecconi is a straight up fly ball pitcher. He excels at weak contact in the air and the occasion ground ball out with his slider that he loves to throw low and glove side. There’s not a ton of data on this guy, but expect the Reds to put the ball in play quite a bit.

    Diamondbacks Lineup Card

    BattersAverage
    1CF Corbin Carroll.204
    22B Ketel Marte.301
    3DH Joc Pederson.284
    41B Caleb Walker.273
    5LF Lourdes Gurriel Jr..234
    63B Eugenio Suarez.226
    7RF Jake McCarthy.307
    8C Tucker Barnhart.229
    9SS Blaze Alexander.286

    Newman gets a day off in favor of rookie SS Blaze Alexander. From a baseball perspective, will be fun to watch a rookie on a roll (hopefully getting K’d by Greene). The D-Backs go back to Barnhart behind the plate after a good showing by Moreno last night.

    Trade Rumors: Preview of Potential Cincinnati Reds Trade Targets

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    CES will reportedly be out for 4-6 weeks, per Charlie Clifford, and as detailed here: https://natisports.net/christian-encarnacion-strand-cincinnati-reds-injury/

    Also, even before this revelation, Krall indicated that the Reds were open to a trade – with the right partner, per Gordon Whittenmeyer & Dan Sewell.

    One following the other, if the Reds were already open to a trade and then discovered CES had an injury, they must be open to improving the current roster. The most telling thing is that Mike Ford wasn’t good enough for this roster on Monday, but he is on Wednesday. The Reds were blindsided.

    Trade Rumors: Potential Targets

    Jazz Chisholm Jr. – OF Miami Marlins

    Trade Rumors Jazz Chisholm
    Miami Marlins OF Jazz Chisholm Jr.

    I know, I know – unlikely. Or is it? He’s been labelled available (?), per Andy Slater.

    Not much analysis to give here. If a top talent like Chisholm Jr is available, why not shoot for it? The Reds need something to get it going. On their current skid, its still not over and an acquisition like this could be a spark. Chisholm Jr is primarily a CF, but he has over 100 games at 2B and SS. Jazz and Elly on the same team? Yes please. And honestly, the Reds may not be able to give up enough here.

    What The Marlins Get

    INF Sal Stewart

    RHP Cole Schoenwetter

    OF Jacob Hurtubise

    What The Reds Get

    OF/IF Jazz Chisholm Jr

    Jo Adell – OF Los Angeles Angels

    Los Angeles Angels OF Joe Adell.

    A bit more realistic. Folks in Angels media genuinely saw 2024 as his last chance, and many believed he wouldn’t be on the opening day roster. Add in that Ron Washington has been critical of Adell, and you have to believe the Angels listen to an offer.

    On the Reds side, without CES, today had Candelario playing first base which moves Espinal into third base and in the lineup. Ideally, I’d like to see Steer at first, Candelario at third, and Espinal nowhere near the lineup. If Candelario can stay as hot as he was tonight, finding a right-handed OF to allow Steer to move into the infield is a priority. If he can’t, Steer at third and Ford at first is another option.

    By adding Adell, the Reds give themselves another option in the OF when Steer is shifted to first. An option with quite a lot of potential and who may benefit from transferring to hitter friendly park. Adell has 7 more expected HRs in GABP than his career mark. He’s also well above average (in the 90th+ percentile) in Barrel %, Hard Hit %, Expected Batting Average, and Expected Slugging. “Why would the Angels let him go then?” you might ask. Well, they’re sellers this year. With Trout out, and where their record sits, they’ll be open to letting some fringe hitters go. Los Angeles has three other outfielders currently available with better career numbers.

    The Texas Rangers acquired OF Robbie Grossman from the Chicago White Sox today for RHP Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa. Adell has quite a bit more value on the market than Grossman given Robbie’s age, but their stats are very similar and Grossman is much better on his career. The Reds will have to give up a higher rated prospect due to Adell’s age and potential. The Angels need a higher end RHP prospect in their organization. They are set at OF and have a few IF that they are very high on.

    What The Angels Get

    RHP Cole Shoenwetter

    INF Carlos Jorge

    What The Reds Get

    OF Jo Adell

    Eloy Jiménez – OF Chicago White Sox

    Chicago White Sox OF Eloy Jiménez.

    Another player that could benefit from a change of scenery, Jiménez is underperforming compared to his career numbers. Evidently, the White Sox have made him available along with half of their starters and some other position players, per Bob Nightengale.

    A career .271 hitter, Jiménez is hitting the ball hard to the wrong places this season. Seems like that tends to happen the worse your team is, and even coming from the Reds perspective in a down period, the White Sox lineup is putrid. Jiménez is ranking near the top of the league in Hard Hit % and Average Exit Velocity. He’d also have 107 HR in GABP vs his career 90. The prospect of getting that power in a Reds uniform is exciting, and he’s available. Again, this would be a move along the lines of moving Steer into first base which I think is the Reds best option.

    The White Sox situation is unique. Jiménez is a better player than Jo Adell, but the Reds might be able to get him for less. We call that value. With seemingly half the roster available, the White Sox will be looking for young talent that can play soon. They are stacked with soon to be MLB-ready IFs and have a few options at pitcher. They need an OF or two and the Reds have just that. It might take a fan-favorite here to get some MLB talent – and multiple players. We have to be realistic here – no fooling ourselves that we can get Jiménez on the cheap. Yes, we know Eloy hasn’t been able to stay healthy. It’s part of the reason we went with a “lesser” package, although the Reds will still be giving up a top 100 prospect.

    What The White Sox Get

    OF Rece Hinds

    EDITED 6/11, player is injured

    What The Reds Get

    OF Eloy Jiménez

    Brent Rooker – OF Oakland Athletics

    Oakland Athletics OF Brent Rooker celebrates a walkoff HR on May 13th, 2023.

    The A’s might be looking to sell high here. Rooker is on a tear in 2024 to the tune of a .277/.370/.628 slash line. He’s good for 2.0 WAR on his career and he provides some pop – 30 HRs last season and 9 so far this year. Rooker would shore up the Reds right-handed batting options and again allow flexibility for Spencer Steer to move into the infield.

    With his current performance and his projection at GABP – roughly 40 HRs – the Reds will have to get creative here.

    What The Athletics Get

    RHP Chase Petty

    INF Hector Rodriguez

    RHP Carson Spiers

    What The Reds Get

    OF Brent Rooker

    Christian Encarnacion-Strand Is Headed To The Injured List

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    On 5/8/24, the Cincinnati Reds resigned Mike Ford to a major league deal, araising several questions around Reds fandom on X/Twitter. Today…we finally know why. CES is headed to the injured list, as reported by the team.

    CINCINNATI, OHIO – JULY 17: Christian Encarnacion-Strand #33 of the Cincinnati Reds bats in the second inning against the San Francisco Giants at Great American Ball Park on July 17, 2023 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The game was Encarnacion-Strand’s MLB debut. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

    What type of injury is this?

    Several weeks ago, Christian Encarnacion-Strand was hit on the hand by former Cincinnati Reds pitcher Michael Lorenzen in the series against the Texas Rangers – he received x-rays, which were found to be negative, but in those x-rays, it was revealed that he had a wrist contusion, likely from a HBP that occurred well early on in Spring Training. CES didn’t even know when or how it happened. When that type of detail comes out, it’s always usually worse than anticipated. Well, today, we finally know the extent of it. And it makes sense…cause CES hasn’t quite been the CES we know.

    Christian Encarnacion-Strand has a Fractured right Ulnar Styloid. You’re probably like, what in the f is that? So let me show you below.

    This injury likely has been lingering – according to Healthline, this type of injury primarily is result of consistent use of catching a ball, or hard falls. We know CES injured himself on a hit by pitch. Heathline suggests that surgery is typically not necessary. Considering CES got X-rays and they were “negative” this is likely a hairline fracture, which will require nothing more than your basic wrist-cast. That tells me CES won’t be on the Injured List very long at all. Some time off may help him, after all. If anyone knows CES, you know he’ll be doing plenty of fishing. Get better soon, CES. We’ll need ya down the stretch.

    Arizona Diamondbacks at Cincinnati Reds – May 8, 2024

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    Friends, it’s dire. We’ve reached that point that the season could begin to slip away if the bats can’t get going. Somebody in this lineup has to step up and start a rally. Hopefully, and I’m not usually a silver lining guy, that started with the two solo shots last night from India and Stephenson. Several Reds in the lineup today are better career hitters against Montgomery than their numbers on the season so far.

    Graham Ashcraft

    Cincinnati Reds Starting Pitcher Graham Ashcraft.

    What better day to pull it together than Doug Day? The Reds have provided Ashcraft with plenty of run support – 34 runs in games he’s started. That’s top for Reds starters this year. Ashcraft has been the beneficiary of a ton of ground ball outs this season. He ranks in the 86th percentile for GB %, the 76th percentile in BB %, and the 83rd percentile for Breaking Run Value. Basically, his fastball is getting barreled, but his breaking and off-speed stuff is generating whiffs and ground balls galore. Doug needs to hit his locations on his fastballs because his spin and movement is confusing hitters. In small sample sizes, the Diamondbacks that have faced Ashcraft have raked, and their lineup in general seems to have an advantage. However, Ashcraft has only allowed one Earned Run in his last 12 1/3 inning – he’s on his best stuff right now.

    Reds Lineup Card

    BattersAverage
    12B Jonathan India.222
    2SS Elly De La Cruz.262
    3LF Spencer Steer.240
    4C Tyler Stephenson.213
    53B Santiago Espinal.169
    6RF Stuart Fairchild.179
    71B Jeimer Candelario.184
    8CF TJ Friedl.000
    9DH Luke Maile.146

    Jordan Montgomery

    Arizona Diamondbacks Starting Pitcher Jordan Montgomery.

    Montgomery’s advanced statistics are a mess. He doesn’t get strikeouts, but he also doesn’t issue walks. An abysmal 3rd percentile in strikeouts and 4th percentile in Whiff % – hitters are seeing his stuff. His only pitch with positive run value is his curveball, which he’s throwing about 30% of the time. He was also rocked for 6 Earned Runs last time out. If ever there was a day to get the bats going, it’s today.

    Diamondbacks Lineup Card

    BattersAverage
    1CF Corbin Carroll.211
    22B Ketel Marte.303
    3DH Joc Pederson.295
    41B Caleb Walker.271
    5LF Lourdes Gurriel Jr..234
    63B Eugenio Suárez.215
    7C Gabriel Moreno.241
    8RF Pavin Smith.200
    9SS Kevin Newman.200

    Notebook

    Mike Ford returns to the Reds. The Reds placed Christian Encarnacion-Strand on the 10-Day IL with a Right Ulnar Styloid Fracture as a corresponding move. The Reds made a move for Ford because of CES’ injury and wanted to go with a hot bat.

    The Reds have Cruz, Martinez, Sims, and Diaz available out of the bullpen. The Diamondbacks only have Matt Bowman on full rest, but should also have Ginkel and Thompson available. TJ came back yesterday going 0-4 with a strikeout, but don’t be discouraged – it’s just his first game back from a wrist fracture less than two months ago. TJ also has reverse splits, hitting lefties better than righties – go ahead and book a knock. Lastly, the loss last night went on Montas, but don’t blame him. His outing was stellar – bringing up the average velo on all of his pitches by about 3 MPH. Frankie struck out seven and allowed one Earned Run on six innings pitched. Encouraging stuff from Montas – excited to see him for his next outing.

    Nick Krall Doesn’t Hate Puppies Afterall. Mike Ford Is BACK.

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    According to Jon Heyman, the Cincinnati Reds are bringing back Mike Ford on a Major League deal this go around – NOT an MiLB deal. Mike Ford had been the source of drama on Reds Twitter before the team ultimately ended up on a 6 game slide, losing 9 of 11 games, and on one of the worst stretches offensively in team history. Now…he’s back. Was he the x factor? The juice? The strawberry to the jam?

    Mike Ford as a Cincinnati Reds player…

    Mike Ford had his best season as a big leaguer last year as a Seattle Mariners player, in which he slashed .228/.323/.475/.798 with 16 homers and 34 RBI. Ironically, he’s better against LHP in the minimum ABs he had against them in 2023, but the Reds will primarily use him everywhere.

    With AAA Louisville, before he opted out of his contract, as he should’ve, Mike Ford was slashing .297/.381/.539/.920 with 6 HRs & 4 doubles. He also walked 12 times and struckout 20 times. He was playing well.

    What does this mean for the MLB team?

    With Mike Ford resigning with the Reds on an MLB deal, this likely means that either Christian Encarnacion-Strand will be demoted or put on the Injured List or Jeimer Candelario will go on the Injured List. As I posted last night, CES has REALLY been struggling, not quite as bad as Jeimer, but definitely struggling real bad. Wouldn’t shock me to see them go that route, using the 2nd year player’s options. If it’s CES that is being demoted to get Mike Ford a roster spot, it won’t be a long stint. It’ll strictly be to get him his feet again. His BB% is under 3, and K is above 28%…that is not sustainable in the big leagues.

    Cincinnati Reds Prospect Rhett Lowder Is Being Promoted

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    When the Cincinnati Reds selected RHP Rhett Lowder with their 7th overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, the plan was always to have him move quickly. He was awarded a 2024 invite to big league spring training, where he pitched in 3 games, and then we were a little bamboozled to find out he’d start in A+ Dayton, just to find out that he’d only make 5 starts there to get his feet wet in professional ball. After all, he didn’t throw a single inning after being drafted last year, so an aggressive start wasn’t necessary. We all knew he was better than A+, we’re talking about the games 30th best overall prospect according to MLB Pipeline, and by far the Cincinnati Reds best pitching prospect. Dayton wouldn’t be long, however…

    Fast forward to today…It’s now said that RHP Rhett Lowder will be promoted from the Dayton Dragons (A+) to the Chattanooga Lookouts (AA) – several folks with boots on the ground noticed Rhett Lowder was with the Lookouts tonight in the dugout, suggesting that he will indeed be announced and promoted to AA, and the timeline adds up, too. The announcement is not yet official, but you can go ahead and book it…

    The Reds Farm Director said there’s no specific timeline on when we can expect to see Rhett Lowder pitching in Cincinnati just yet, but he did mention that he just wants to see Rhett go out and pitch no matter what level he’s at, and that’s exactly what he’s done. In 5 games started in Dayton, Rhett has thrown 25.1 innings, given up 7 earned runs on 18 hits on 2 homeruns, and is sporting a 2.49 ERA paired with a 6:29 BB:K. He is rocking a 0.95 WHIP. In other words, he has been the Rhett Lowder the Reds drafted in his first 5 starts in pro ball. There’s nothing suggesting he couldn’t make his MLB debut in 2024, though very unlikely, considering the Reds starting staff has been stellar.


    What to expect from Rhett Lowder in AA Chattanooga

    Rhett Lowder is going to be challenged the most in Chattanooga. I expect him to continue throwing his fastball, but I’d be shocked if the Reds didn’t have him throwing his secondaries in Chattanooga way more than he did in Dayton. His changeup is still his best pitch, and his slider could use some more polish, which is where I think he’ll be focusing a lot of his development at this level on. I would imagine him making 10 starts in AA, and if all goes well, getting promoted to AAA, where, as long as there’s no significant injuries to the Major League rotation, he likely finishes his 2024 season, barring a late 40 man roster addition & September call up.

    If you’re a Reds fan, you should be thrilled for the potential of adding Lowder to the mix. With Nick Lodolo and Hunter Greene both shining early, adding Rhett Lowder to the bunch packs a really fun 1-2-3. That’s before we even mention Graham Ashcraft, who has pitched well in his own right, and Andrew Abbott who is right there with them. Starting pitching is no longer an issue for this club.

    The Reds 2023 Most Valuable Player is BACK! And some more moves…

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    Refreshing news to start your Tuesday

    Today the Cincinnati Reds made several moves to bolster their offense in what has been a dreadful start to the 2024 season. As of May 7th, as this article is published, the Reds currently have the WORST team average in Major League Baseball at .209. Today, they made moves to change that.

    TJ Friedl is BACK!

    First, among the most fun move…the Reds 2023 MVP Terry Lee Friedl is back. Yes, the guy that posted 3.8 Wins Above Replacement – he’s finally back in the lineup and with the Major League Baseball team Cincinnati Reds. Rejoice. TJ’s rehab stint was cut short due to the Reds genuine sense of urgency and dire need for some offensive help. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, TJ is notorious for rehabbing quick and getting back to the team.

    In 4 quick games with AAA Louisville Bats, TJ Friedl logged 16 At Bats and had 4 hits. 3 of those went for extra bases, 3 doubles. He also walked twice, and struckout 3 times, but saw a plethora of pitches. By all counts, this is an aggressive call up, but a necessary one. The Cincinnati Reds offense has entirely flatlined, looks lifeless, and really needs one of its leaders back. I won’t be shocked to see a slower start for TJ, although May is typically his month of chaos. Let’s give him some breathing room here, folks. He is back QUICK.


    More roster moves made…

    In whole, Cincinnati Reds GM Nick Krall made several moves today to improve the team. Some, like me, could criticize they’re coming a bit late. FINALLY, after a dreadful, and I mean dreadful start, Nick Martini was optioned to AAA. Bubba Thompson was, too.

    Conner Capel, number 74, highfiving Tyler Callihan in Spring Training 2024 in Goodyear, AZ after a HR.

    The Cincinnati Reds selected the contract of Conner Capel, whom was ripping up AAA pitching in the 30-so games he was down on the farm. Capel signed an MiLB contract with the Reds late in spring training and decided to stick it out with the organization, and now, he’ll be rewarded for it. Conner plays RF primarily, but will likely DH some as a Red. He slashed .268/.397/.567 with a 146 wRC+ and had 7 homeruns, 6 stolen bases. Conner is only 26 years old, and adds to the youth of our Cincinnati Reds, though he does have MLB experience, having played for the St. Louis Cardinals & Oakland Athletics in ’22 & ’23.

    Full list of moves today from Reds GM Nick Krall:

    • OF TJ Friedl instated from the 10 day Injured List
    • DH Nick Martini optioned to AAA Louisville
    • OF Bubba Thompson optioned to AA Chattanooga
    • Reinstated RHP Frankie Montas
    • Ian Gibaut transferred to the 60 Day IL