Reds Make Moves Before Facing Cubs

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The Reds made some roster adjustments on Thursday afternoon.

The Reds optioned Wandy Peralta to Louisville and selected the contract of Kyle Crockett from the Bats.  The Reds released catcher Tony Cruz to make room for Crockett on the 40-man roster.

Scott Schebler was placed on the bereavement leave.  Phillip Ervin was recalled to fill his roster spot.

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Peralta has been struggling all season.  The new Reds' pitching coach, Danny Darwin, spotted a flaw in Peralta's mechanics.

"We just need for Wandy to take a step back," Jim Riggleman said.  "Danny saw on video some drastic differences between when he was successful and what he's doing now.  We don't have the luxury of working that out here.  We put him out there is some softer situations but he still wasn't getting it worked out."

One of those "softer" situations was Tuesday night.  Peralta entered the game in the ninth inning with the Reds holding a safe 9-0 lead.  Peralta did not retire a batter and gave up five runs.  That outing increases his ERA to 6.14.  Even worse than that was the 25 walks he issued in 29 1/3 innings.

"He is a guy the opposing hitters around the league say, "Woh, this guy's tough," Riggleman said.

Crockett was drafted in the fourth round of the 2013 draft by the Cleveland Indians.  He pitched four years in Cleveland before the Reds picked him up on waivers in Novermber.  He was not tendered a contract but signed with the Reds in December.

This spring in Goodyear, Arizona, Crockett pitched 6 1/3 innings with a 5.68 ERA.

The left-hander pitched 27 innings in 23 games for Louisville.  He was 1-0 with a 4.00 ERA.

"He was doing ok,," Riggleman said.  "There are so many statistics they keep now.  Some of the periphery ones were favorable to him.  Like maybe the batting average (.278) may have been high but a lot of balls were kind of just getting through.  Maybe luck wasn't on his side.  The move really was made because we wanted to have another left-hander.  He's left-handed.  He has big league experience  He pitched for a good big league organization in Cleveland.  We don't think he'll be intimidated by being here, facing Cub lefthanders."

He did not pitch against the Cubs in the 2016 World Series.  He pitched in one game against the Cubs during his career and he struck out the only batter he faced.

Phillip Ervin played in 16 games with the Reds earlier in the season.  He hit .211 with a double and three RBI.  Ervin hit .221 in 27 games with Louisville with seven doubles, two triples and 10 RBI.