Eugenio Suarez Is Ready Joey Votto Bats Fourth

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Eugenio Suarez missed one game with a slightly sprained right ankle that he suffered on Tuesday in San Francisco.  Suarez was trying to return to second base after a line drive when he twisted it. He remained in the game and hit a two-run home run.

The Reds gave him Wednesday afternoon off and they had an off-day on Thursday.   Suarez was in the lineup and batting third with Joey Votto in the cleanup spot in the batting order.

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"I hit a double two and my ankle felt good," Suarez said.  "It was sore the next morning when I got out of bed.  I want to be in the lineup.  It has happened before to me.  I just needed a little rest."

The Reds put Suarez through a series of test in the afternoon.  He fielded ground balls, ran forward and backward.  He passed all of the tests.

Votto is batting fourth for the 29th time in his career but the first time since May 14, 2014, when hit fourth in both games of a doubleheader with San Diego.

The Reds had a day off before and a day off after the Cubs series which means they will not need an extra starting pitcher for the double header on Saturday.  The Reds and Cubs were washed out of a game on April 3.  The Cubs were late arriving in Cincinnati as their game on Thursday was rained out.  Luis Castillo will pitch the first game against Kyle Hendricks.  Sal Romano will pitch the second game against Jose Quintana.

"We will see where we are after the game tonight," Reds' interim manager Jim Riggleman said.  "We have to see what we need and who is scheduled to pitch at Louisville."

The starters can stay on schedule unless rain zaps one of the four games.

Anthony DeSclafani and Michael Lorenzen are getting close to a return. 

"They are both throwing well," Riggleman said.  "Lorenzen threw a bullpen yesterday to simulate back-to-back outings.  His next time out he will go more than one innings so when he returns we can use him for more than one inning."