Reds Call Padres "Daddy" As San Diego Sweeps The Season Series

 

 

 

 

The Reds most experienced starting pitcher, Tyler Mahle, was put in the role of stopper against the San Diego Padres, who had beaten the Reds in 11 of the last 12 meetings.

Mahle pitched five strong innings and left with a lead but Tony Santillan couldn't hold it. As another big inning sent the Reds to a 7-5 defeat and the Padres second three-game sweep over them in a week.

San Diego scored a run off Mahle in the first inning.  Jake Cronenworth walked and came arouglend to score on singles by Manny Machado and Eric Hosmer.  Mahle gave up two hits in the second but held the line.  Mahle retired eight of the next nine batters and got a double play to hold on until the Reds could score off Nick Martinez.  

Brandon Drury opened the bottom of the fifth with a double.  Mike Moustakas, who returned from the injured list, plated Drury with the first of his two singles.  Moustakas scored on Mark Kolozsvary's first major league hit, a double over left fielder Jurickson Profar's head.

The Padres answered with a big four-run inning, a common theme in their mastery over the Reds this year.

Manny Machado started the game hitting .366 and improved on that with his second hit of the game, a double to left center. One out later. Mahle walked Eric Hosmer.  

"I made, not necessarily a bad pitch, but the wrong pitch to Machado and he doubled," Mahle said.  "I fell behind Hosmer and I didn't feel the need to challenge him.  He's been pretty hot lately. I felt good about my chances with the guys after him."

David Bell determined he was done at that point and called on Santillan, who promptly hit Matt Beaty with his first pitch to load the bases.

Jorge Alfaro scored Machado with a fly out to right. Santillan then nicked C.J. Abrams with a pitch.  Ha-Seong Kim unloaded the bases with a double to left.  Pham, who made two nice sliding catches, missed a diving catch of Kim's liner that went to the wall as three Padres raced home. 

"From the dugout from pitch one, it looked like he was over throwing his slider a little bit," Bell said.  "He's been so good for us.  He's going to have days like that.  He's still a young pitcher.  We put a lot on him.  You expect it to be great every time out.  That's just not going to be the case.  Today just wasn't his day."

The Red tried to mount a comeback off reliever Nabil Crismatt.  Joey Votto walked for the second time in the game.  Farmer, who had a single to give him five straight hits in his first at bat, handcuffed Abrams at short with a liner at the shortstop's feet.  It was ruled an error but Drury hit into the third double play San Diego turned to end the threat.

Hunter Strickland surrendered Machado's third hit of the game and Hosmer's second in the sixth.  He followed by issuing a pair of walks to force in a run.

The Reds fought back.

"Even when we get down, we're coming back," Bell said.  "A lot of that gets lost when you lose games. A lot of good things are happening that gets lost.  That's to be expected. We have a lot of good at bats, good pitching.  We just haven't put it all together

Moustakas reached for the third time when he coaxed a walk from lefty Tim Hill. Pinch hitter Matt Reynolds singled through the big hole in the shift into right.  Kolozsvary lined to Hill on the mound, who tried to double Reynolds off but Hosmer was no where near the bag.  Both runners moved up.  Jonathan India, getting the day off pinch hit and delivered an RBI single.  Tyler Naquin out ran another potential DP grounder to score Reynolds with the fourth run.

Machado struck again with his fourth hit of the game in the eighth to score Kim with two outs.  He hit a flair that Naquin couldn't reach. Kim lead off with his third hit and second double off Dauri Moreta. Whether he hit them hard or hardly hit them, the ball fell for Machado all series.

Farmer reached base again on Abram's second error, then rode a pair of wild pitches to third before scoring on Drury's groundout to Abrams.

The Reds brought the tying run to the plate on Aramis Garcia's pinch single but Nick Senzel flied out to the warning track in center against Taylor Rogers for his eighth save.

The Reds are now 3-16, the worst record in the MLB.  Every other team has at least six wins.  The Reds have been swept in four series, in two games by Cleveland, in four games by Los Angeles and three games by San Diego, twice.

Tyler Mahle said it, "Losing sucks whether it is one game or a lot of games."

The headline was stolen from Jeff Wallner of the Associated Press. 

Kyle Farmer Finds His Stroke Waits For Teammates To Catch Up

 

 

 

 

Kyle Farmer was a little off on his swing but he went to his notebook to find his stroke and used new technology to fix it into muscle memory.

"I keep a book.  I write down stuff from the past," Farmer said.  "I went back and found I wasn't doing something that I normally do.  My hips were kind of coming up.  We have a K-Vest here.  That you look at it and it tells you how the body moves.  I wan't hitting the fastball like I was able to.  I made an adjustment.  It is still a work in progress.  Hitting in baseball is a crazy game.  You have to stick with what you know and keep doing it."

The four doubles tied a Reds and major league record done many times.  The last MLB player to do it was the Pirates Kevin Newman in August last year against the Brewers.  The last Red to do it was Billy Hatcher in August 1990 against the Cubs.  The last three Reds before Hatcher were Jim Greengrass in 1954, Billy Werber 1940 and Ernie Lombardi in 1935.

It was the first time Farmer had four hits in the game.

"A hit is fine with me.  Anyway you can get on base," Farner said. "It's cool.  Anytime I can get into the record books."

It is obvious the Reds are struggling at 3-15 but the only way to fix it is to keep plugging away and try to get better as Farmer did yesterday,

David Bell pointed that out.  The third generation major league player, who played for mote than a decade just like his father, Buddy and grandfather Gus.  His father was also a manager.  All have experienced spells like this.  "Losing sucks," Bell admitted on Saturday after the 11th straight loss. "It is a long season."

"I mean it's easy with this group, not easy that's not the right word but they way these players are going about it," Bell said.  "The example is Kyle Farmer had a great night tonight was here early working on his swing.  He just found it.  That's what it's all about we have to keep adjusting as a team but as an individual. When they keep working like they do we can get on the right track.  There is a lot to look forward to although it is hard to see it like that."

Two more examples have been the starting pitching the last two nights when big innings doomed the Reds to losses.

Vladimir Gutierrez has a total of 26 big league games.  Reiver Sanmartin has five.  Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo, who was placed on the 10-day Injured List with a back strain, made their first starts this month.

Gutierrez walked six to fuel a four-run inning for the Padres in an 8-5 loss.  Sanmartin was stung for eight runs the night before in a 9-6 loss.

"He continues to throw the ball well but walking that many is hard to overcome," Bell said. "I believe he's on to some things that can make him better than he was last year that's the whole point; keep getting better.  He needs to trust what he's doing. It was a short spring training.  I like the way he's throwing, obviously the walks hurt him but he has to keep trusting what he's doing." w

Gutierrez explained the walks.

"All my fastballs were tailing away," Gutierrez said.  "I think that it is something we've been working on with DJ (pitching coach Derek Johnson) sometimes I move too quickly when I lift my leg.  Sometimes I move to slowly.  I appreciate DJ working with me.  This is something new that I'm continuing to work on."

The same thing happened to Sanmartin.  The Padres exploded for eight runs in an inning where only one or two balls were hit hard.  The rest came off soft contact from batters who found holes in the defense.

Tommy Pham, who hit his third home run of the season and the 100th of his career on Wednesday, saw this from his position in left field.

"Yesterday Sanmartin was making great pitches.  They were just sticking the bat out and finding holes.  I think he had three infield singles and the bloop hits.  He executed his pitches.  He did everything he could on his end.  Right now things aren't going our way.  Eventually when we get everybody healthy and back we'll be a competitive team," Pham said.

"Our last few games, we've been playing good baseball,"  said Tommy Pham, who hit his 100th career home run.  "Use just take away that one big inning.  That one big inning seems to haunt us.  There's been some luck on the opposing teams side.  That's part of the game of course.  You create your own luck but if you look at those games minus that one inning. We're right there in it. We have to keep chipping away.  It's a long season."

Padres Big Inning Dooms Reds To 15th Loss

 

 

 

The San Diego scored a run without a hit, then exploded with four straight hits to propel themselves to a 8-5 win over the Reds.  

It is the 11th win for the Padres over the Reds in their last 12 meetings.  It was an eight-run inning on Tuesday that led to a Reds' defeat.  Though half as large, the Padres four-run third had the same effect.

The 1931 Reds were 2-16 after 18 games.  This is one of the worst starts to a season in franchise history.

"Our last few games, we've been playing good baseball,"  said Tommy Pham, who hit his 100th career home run.  "Use just take away that one big inning.  That one big inning seems to haunt us.  There's been some luck on the opposing teams side.  That's part of the game of course.  You create your own luck but if you look at those games minus that one inning. We're right there in it. We have to keep chipping away.  It's a long season."

"Yesterday Sanmartin was making great pitches.  They were just sticking the bat out and finding holes.  I think he had three infield singles and the bloop hits.  He executed his pitches.  He did everything he could on his end.  Right now things aren't going our way.  Eventually when we get everybody healthy and back we'll be a competitive team."

Vladimir Gutierrez was having a problem finding the strike zone.  He walked the bases loaded in the second inning. Luis Campusano got the run home with a fly out to right field.   San Diego pummeled Gutierrez in the third.  Trent Grisham hit a triple to open the inning. Jake Cronenworth's single scored Grisham.  Manny Machado singled and scored on Jurickson Profar's three-run home run, his third of the season.

"Vladimir continues to throw the ball well but when you give a team the extra base runners.  It is going to be tough to over come.  That's what happened tonight," David Bell said. "I believe he's on to some things that will make him better than he was last year.  He is working on it."

The Reds got a run back in the bottom of the third.  Tommy Pham singled with one out.  Kyle Farmer's double sent Pham toward home plate.  Home plate umpire, Chad Whitson, called Pham out, ruiling he was tagged by Austin Nola in time on the head first slide.   The Reds wanted a second opinion.  The call was reversed.  It was the first of four doubles in the game for Farmer.

"Kyle Farmer came in early today to work on some things," Bell said.  I think he found it and had a great night.  That's what it takes to get out of these slumps.  We have to keep making adjustments as a team but also the individual stuff.  That's what all of out staff comes to work for you have to keep going.  There is a lot to look forward to.  I know it is hard to see it that way."

Farmer had never hit four doubles at any level.  The four doubles ties a Reds record.  The last time was by Billy Hatcher in 1990.

"I've never hit four doubles in a game," Farmer said.  "It the first time in my life I've done that.  I don't think I've had four hits in a big league game. I wish we had one but it was a good night for me.  Any time I can get in a record book for anything.  I'll take it."

Gutierrez allowed a single and the last of his six walks to start the fifth.  David Bell made the pitching change bringing on Luis Cessa.   Eric Hosmer greeted Cessa with a run scoring single that sent Profar to third.  Matt Beatty lined out to Pham in left field.  Profar took off after the catch but changed his mind half way home.  Aramis Garcia threw Profar out getting back to third.  This call was upheld under review.

Pham homered for the third time this season, all against his former teammates from San Diego, victimizing Steven Wilson.  

Hosmer got the run right back with his second home run in as many nights with a long blast off Alexis Diaz.

Manny Machado doubled home another run in the ninth off Dauri Moreta.

Brandon Drury hit his third home run of the season in the ninth.  It came against Dinelson Lamet.  Farmer's fourth double scored Pham again.  Pham walked following Drury's home run.

Reds Add Moeller HS Grad Phillip Diehl To Staff

 

 

 

The Reds replaced LHP Justin Wilson on the roster today with some local talent.

Wilson felt some pain in his left elbow on Sunday but thought the day off Monday would take care of it.

It didn't.

The Reds placed its only left hander in the bullpen with left handed pitcher Phillip Diehl.

Diehl grew up in Pleasant Ridge and pitched at Moeller High School before heading to pitch at Louisiana Tech and the University of Evansbille.  The New York Yankees called his name in the 27th round of the 2016 draft.  The Yankees traded Diehl to Colorado in March 2019 and he made his major league debut in June that season.

The former Crusader has worked in 16 games for the Rockies in 2019 and 2020.  The Reds plucked him off the waiver wire in 2021 and Diehl spent the season at Triple A Louisville where he had a 2-3 record in 58 games with 2.47 ERA.  He notched three saves.

The 27-year old pitched 5 1/3 innings with the Reds in Goodyear this spring but didn't make the opening day roster, a spot that went to the veteran Wilson.

As exciting as it is to earn a trip back to the big leagues, it is special to be on the roster of the hometown team.

"I was told in Columbus last night after the game.  I was having dinner with some friends after the game when i got a strange group text," Diehl said.  The text was from Pat Kelly the Louisville manager.

Diehl was told that he was called up.  He decided to sleep in his own bed.  He called his mother and told her he'd see her in an hour and a half.  When he got home at 1;30 AM they ware asleep.  The are coming to the game tonight along with friends, his fiance and her familty.

"I feel real well.  I thought I had a great off season.  I threw the ball well in spring.  I didn't make the team but that's whatever.  I'm here now," Diehl said.  "Being called to the Reds is different, a little bit.  I didn't get to play in the big leagues last year. They say its a lot harder to get back than to get in.  A lot of hard work went into this.  I'm excited to pitch in Great American Ball Park."

"When he was sent down out of camp, he wasn't accepting, obviously he accepted it but he feels like he's a big l eague pitcher," David Bell said.  "The way he's been pitching last year in Triple A, this year in spring training, he's very confident in what he's doing.  The only thing he could do was go to Triple A and show that.  That's exactly what he did. A couple weeks into the season and he's getting the opportunity.  This is a big day for him being from Cincinnati."

It is now up to Diehl to prove that he can stay.

Wilson's elbow will not require surgery but only a period of rest.

"I think he's pretty relieved about that," Bell said.  "It may just be a couple weeks."

That leaves until May 1 for at least two pitchers on the roster to stick.  Due to the short spring training, each team was allowed to carry two extra players.  After the first of May teams are limited to 13 pitchers and the DL will be extended from 10 days to 15 days for pitchers and two way players.

The Reds currently have 15 pitchers.  Two will have to be sent down and two if the team wants to carry five bench players instead of four, three will have to be sent packing.

Mike Moustakas is eligible to come off the Injured List on Thursday.  He is working out on the field and Bell said he may just be activated to DH for a couple of days.

One Bad Inning Cost Reds The Game Against The Padres

 

 

Reiver Sanmartin retired the first eight batters he faced in the game but the streak turned 180 degrees after that.  Ha-Seong Kim hit his second home run of the season to put the San Diego Padres on track for a 9-6 win.  It was the 10th time in the last 11 meetings that the Padres defeated the Reds.

The first seven Padres had hits in the fourth inning.  Kim drew a bases loaded walk and Sanmartin was finished.  All eight scored. Jake Cronenworth hit a bloop single.  Manny Machado singled off the wall in right field to put runners at first and third.  Jurickson Profar doubled down the line in right to score Cronenworth.  Eric Hosmier lined a three-run home run to the right field stands.  The next three batters didn't exactly crush the ball after that. Will Myers had a bloop single. Luis Campusano had in infield hit. As did Trent Grisham to load the bases in front of Kim's walk.  

"The big hit was Hosmer's home run," David Bell said.  "Really Reiver located his pitches pretty well.  He got a lot of soft contact. Those balls were going for hits. That made it tough on him.  All in all he was really making pitches." 

Jeff Hoffman took the ball from David Bell and he got Austin Nola to fly out to short right.  Cronenworth promptly cleaned the bases with a triple down the right field line.

The Reds scored first for what it's worth off Joe Musgrove. 

Nick Senzel hit a two-out single.  He advanced to second when Nola, the catch mer hit Colin Moran's bat trying to return the ball to the pitcher.  Nola was charged with an error, the third of the season for the Padres, who started the season with 16 errorless games.  They made two on Sunday against the Dodgers. 

Moran followed with an RBI single to plate the unearned run.

The Reds got two more unearned runs in the bottom of the fourth to close to within a half dozen runs.

Joey Votto walked and Kyle Farmer singled to open the inning.  Nick Senzel reached on catcher's interference.  Nola was charged with his second error. Moran hit a ground ball to second that looked like a double play but Kim's return throw to first skipped past Hosmer.  The Padres second error of the inning allowed Farmer to score.  Moran was credited with his second RBI because the r scorer, can not assume a double play by rule.  After 16 games without an error, the Padres made five in the last two games.

The Reds caught a break to end the Padres fifth without a run.  Hosmer and Myers singled.  A slow ground ball by Campusano put runners at second and third.  Hoffman struck out Grisham. Hoffman's pitch to Kim bounced off the base of the backstop.  Aramis Garcia rebounded the ball and beat Hosmer to the plate for the out tag.

The Red inched closer with two earned runs in the fifth.  Jonathan India in his first game back from a strained hamstring opened the inning with a double.  Tyler Naquin doubled for one run.  Naquin got to third when Tommy Pham fouled out to right.  Votto's ground out scored Naquin.

"We got down 9-1 and were able to get their closer up in the bullpen.  We didn't win the game and that's kind of the point.  I get it but over the course of a long season those things really do matter," Bell said.

Musgrove pitched six innings. He allowed seven hits and a walk.  Only two of the five runs Musgrove allowed were earned.

Musgrove and relievers Steven Wilson and Luis Garcia retired the last 12 batters they faced

The Reds had gone four games without a home run until Senzel led off the ninth with a home run off.Robert Suarez. It was Senzel's first of the year.

Sanmartin is now 0-3 on the season but the Reds still want him to keep doing what he's doing.

"We will continue to encourage him," Bell said.  "He has a great way about him.  He will continue to work. He has nice movement on a few different pitches.  Locating them are what are going to make him successful. He was doing that.  He just has to continue to do it.  Don't get away from it now.  The results were not what he wanted.  Reiver has to trust what he does.  When he does it, he is going to have a lot of success here."

"We will continue to encourage him.  He has a great way about him.  He will continue to work."

"We got down 9-1 we just continued to play.  We lost the game which is kind of the point but coming back like that over the long season, those things really do matter."

Jonathan India and Jake Fraley Return To Reds' Lineup Luis Castillo Has First Rehab Start

 

 

 

Jonathan India nursed his aching hamstring for 12 days but returned to the lineup on Tuesday.  Jake Fraley had some soreness in his right knee but avoided the Injured List.  He returned to be the designated hitter from the ninth slot in the lineup against the San Diego Padres.

"It's great to have Jonathan back.  It was a quick recovery," David Bell said.  "Whenever you have a hamstring strain, you never know how long it's going to take.  It shows how hard he worked to get back and how he takes care of himself.  Good conditioning.  He's young and in the big picture we certainly missed him."

The Reds send Alejo Lopez to Louisville and designated JT Riddle for assignment.  If he passes waivers, he will most certainly be assigned to Louisville.  The Reds added Matt Reynolds, who was claimed off waivers from the New York Mets on Sunday.

Reynolds played 68 games for the Mets in 2017 after they drafted him in the second round of the 2012 draft.

"He's going to play," David Bell said. "I got just a few minutes with him. He's an experienced infielder, a good defender.  He can play shortstop. Farm (Kyle Farmer) is playing every day.  It is great to have somebody who has the ability to play that position.  We heard great things about him as a person and a teammate."

Luis Castillo pitched for Dayton in a rehab start on Sunday.  Castillo missed the entire spring training month. Castillo pitched 2 1/3 innings against Western Michigan.  He allowed one earned run on two hits. He walked three and struck out four, throwing 48 pitches.

"It was a good day, typical of Luis.  He had some strikeouts and got his pitch count to what it needed to be,
" Bell said.  "He's on track to get another rehab start.  I anticipate another two more before we see him here."

Reds Break The Spell Nick Lodolo Beats Adam Wainwright To Break 11-Game Losing Streak

 

 

The rookie did it.

Nick Lodola stopped the Reds 11-game losing streak by limiting the St. Louis Cardinals to one run over 5 2/3 innings while his teammates scored enough to make him the victor in a 4-1 decision.

For some odd reason, the Reds have had more than its fair share of success against one of the most successful pitchers in Cardinal history, Adam Wainwright.

Wainwright is in his 18th season, all with the Cardinals and has earned 186 wins, third on the team's all-time list behind Bob Gibson's 251 wins and Jess "Pop" Haines 210.  The Reds however hold a 16-10 advantage over him. 

Lodolo blanked the Cards for five innings until back-to-back doubles by Paul Goldschmidt and Tyler O'Neill the spell.  Lodolo got Nolan Arenado to fly out to center field but David Bell went to Tony Santillan to face Albert Pujols.  Pujols fouled out to Joey Votto at first base.

He picked up his first major league win which sparked a celebration that was welcome after a long losing streak.There was a lot of celebration going on today," David Bell said.  

Lodolo wouldn't go into detail about the ritual the team went through to honor his first win but the smile on his face indicated it was good. "The first major league win was good. It was especially good with the skid we've been on.  It was a good celebration. I won't speak on it but it was a lot of fun," He said.

The win came at the right time.  Bell admitted that he was starting to become concerned about the team's mental state caused by losses piling up.

"Every day you lose it gets harder to turn it around," Bell said.  "Looking back on yesterday, everyone's been battling.  You could kind of see it weighing on guys, really for the first time.  I was concerned that it might be affecting us.  Then we bounce back today.  Right from the beginning of the game against Wainwright.  When we needed it most, Nick got his first win. He had all his pitches working.  It is something we can take into the off day and build on."

Tyler Naquin got the Reds started with a double to lead off the bottom of the first.  Former Cardinal Tommy Pham walked followed by a walk to Joey Votto.  Colin Moran flied out deep to center to score Naquin.  Nick Senzel's single, the first of two he had, scored Pham but Senzel was caught by the cutoff man, rounding first base.

"Wainwright is really good," Naquin said.  "He has a lot of tools and can pretty much put the ball where he wants it.  My hat is always off to him.  We were able to get after him a little bit to start the game and it got contagious. It is nice to score in any inning but scoring in the first at home is a big plus."

Alejo Lopez and JT Riddle singled to open the second inning. Naquin's ground out put the Reds up 3-0.

After the Cardinals scored their run off Lodolo in the sixth the Reds offense took it back.

Pham doubled.  Votto walked.  Moran drove in his second run of the game with a single before  T.J. McFarland came on to coax a double play ground ball from Senzel.

Art Warren took over for Santillan to hold the Cardinals scoreless in the eighth inning. 

Lucas Sims pitched a perfect ninth for his first save.

Reds Try To Get Healthy And Right The Ship Frankfort KY Native Gets A Start

 

"There is nothing good about it," David Bell said of the Reds' 11-game losing streak on Saturday.

The Reds haven't lost 12 games in a row since the last 13 games ended in defeat during the 2015 season.

The wound goes deeper than pride.  In the first 15 games of the season, 14 Reds populate the Injured List, including reigning Rookie of the Year, Jonathan India.  Donovan Solano, Max Schrock, Jose Barrero and Mike Moustakas all infielders are injured.

The Reds signed Frankfort, Kentucky and UK grad, JT Riddle to a minor league contract on March 14.  He participated in the Reds' minor league camp in Goodyear this spring.

Today Riddle will make his 11th career start at third base.  It will be his second appearance for the Reds.

Riddle grew up watching the Atlanta Braves on WTBS while attending Western Hills High School in Frankfort.  He was a big fan of Chipper Jones.  Riddle has played at Great American Ball Park, a place he visited with his family.  He broke in with the Miami Marlins in 2017, starting 61 games at shortstop.

"It is good to get in there and get back into it," Riddle said.  "I will do whatever it takes to get it rolling and moving in the right direction.  I've played here a few times in my career when I was a visitor.  Now putting a Reds' uniform on. It's nice to play for the hometown squad."

Riddle will have his fiance, daughter and parents in the stands.

The gig maybe short lived as India goes through a pre-game routine of hitting and taking ground balls to test his aching hamstring.  

"He looked free and easy yesterday," Bell said.  "If it goes well today he will be able to start on Tuesday.

Tyler Stephenson remains in concussion protocol after his collision at home plate on Tuesday with Luke Voigt of the San Diego Padres.  "He;s not going to be ready.  He is trending in the right direction but we're being extremely cautious.  He might not even go on the road trip (to Colorado and Milwaukee)," Bell said. "We would determine if he was going to play but it would be immediately after that.  If that's the case we want to avoid having him travel."

It isn't just the infield that's been afflicted with the injury bug.

Jake Fraley has been dealing with a knee problem.

"He is fully ready today," Bell said.  "We can get him back in the lineup on Tuesday."

Rookie Nick Lodolo will try to be the stopper in his third big league start against the Cardinals on Sunday.

Meanwhile Luis Castillo will be making a rehab start for the Dayton Dragons.

 

Reds Fall To The Cardinals For Their 11th Straight Loss

 

 

Not even Tyler Mahle could break the spell that sent the Reds to its 11th straight loss. The Reds also dropped its fourth straight home game with a 5-0 defeat.  The Reds last lost the first four home games of the season in 1955.

The Reds won the last six times Mahle started against the St. Louis Cardinals.

On Saturday Mahle wasn't sharp but wasn't horrible either.  Mahle allowed singles in the first inning to Paul Goldschmidt and Dylan Carlson but pitched out of it. He allowed two one out walks in the second and Andrew Knizner singled to score Harrison Bader, who stole second base.  Mahle left in the fifth inning with one out and runners on first and third.  Art Warren struck out Nolan Arenado but Corey Dickerson singled to left bring home the second run of the game.  

"It wasn't good," said Mahle.  "I threw too many pitches early.  I kept pitching behind guys.  Maybe I wasn't throwing the right pitches but falling behind got my pitch count up."

The Reds were frustrated by Dakota Hudson.  They had at least a runner on in every inning but a caught stealing, two double play balls off the bat of Tommy Pham and had Alejo Lopez thrown out at third in the first four innings.  The only hit was a single by Aramis Garcia on which Lopez was gunned down. 

"We've seen Dakota Hudson before.  He had a really good sinker today.  We couldn't get underneath it," David Bell said.  "We hit a lot of ground balls.  Aramis Garcia got a hit on a sinker but that was about it.  We did try to hit and run today.  We knew it would be tough to get the ball in the air." 

Nick Senzel doubled to right in the fifth for the first extra base hit of the game.

The Cardinals added on with two runs off Lucas Simms fresh off the Injured List.  Simms got the first two batters of the sixth inning out but Knizner doubled.  Simms hit Tommy Edman with a pitch and Goldschmidt delivered both with a double.  They scored their final run against Hunter Strickland in the eighth.

Hudson allowed two hits in 6 2/3 innings btu walked four and hit a batter.  The Reds runners erased on the base paths allowed him to leave unscored upon.

The Reds are taking a day-to-day approach to put the losing streak behind them.

"We have a lot of competitive guys who care a lot," Bell said.  "We got beat today.  There is nothing good about it. We continue to be tested.  We have to come out tomorrow and focus.  It is a beautiful thing that we get to do that."

The injury list is beginning to shrink

"We're gett good news there.  Jonathan India and Tyler Stephenson are getting better.  It is always a combination of factors to break through.  We have some key guys to get back as quick as we can.  We have a lot to look forward to."

Ten Is Enough Reds Get Tyler Naquin Back

 

 

The Reds try to avoid an 11-game losing streak like they suffered in May of 2016 which was the las time they lost as many as 10 in a row.

Also the Reds are trying to avoid its first four-game home losing streak since the start of the 1955 season.  

The Reds are slowly getting players back.  RHP Lucas Simms was activated yesterday for bullpen duty.  Tyler Naquin came back from the Injured list today.  The Reds sent TJ Friedl to Louisville and placed RHP Daniel Duarte on the 60-day IL with inflammation in his right elbow.

Tyler Mahle gets the start for the Reds.  They have beaten the Cardinals in each of his last six starts with his record being 2-0 with a 3.86 ERA.  Overall, Mahle is 3-3 in his career with the Cardinals and a 4.50 ERA with four quality starts.  

The Reds are last in the Major Leagues with an 8.07 ERA.

Reds' hitters are last in on-base-percentage and slugging percentage.  They are 29th in batting average for a slash line of .159/.229/.241.

The Reds remain confident that things will turn around if for no other reason they law of averages are with them.  Perhaps a well pitched game by Mahle could start them rolling.

The Reds Hit Four Homers Hunter Greene Pitches Four Good Innings To Break Camp With Momentum

 

 

The Reds scored in double digits for the third straight day in a 12-9 win over the Seattle Mariners for their 10th win.

eThe wind was blowing out so home runs were plentiful as the Reds squared off against former mates Jesse Winker and Eugenio Suarez.  Suarez hit one of two home runs off Hunter Greene who will make his major league debut on Sunday against the Atlanta Braves. Jarred Kelenic followed Suarez with one of his own.

Jonathan India hit one of the four hit by the Reds, leading off the game against Chris Flexin.

Nick Senzel, Tyler Naquin and Brandon Drury hit the others.

Greene pitched four innings, allowing just the two runs on three hits.  He walked two and struck out four.  The only real damage was the two home runs and they may have been tainted by a strong wind out to right field.

"I made some good adjustments going into that third inning with instant feedback from the hitters," Greene said. "I'm really happy with how I was able to turn it around that's what it's about.  The home runs weren't really home runs in my eyes.  It is just how it is.  You've got to read the flags."

David Bell was pleased with Greene's final tune up.

"The last two innings were probably the best I've ever seen him," Bell said.  "He had the couple home runs that got up in the air a little bit.  The wind, they might have been home runs anyway but after that he settled in his tempo changed a little bit.  Whatever he threw, he was keeping them off balance.  I think something clicked for him that he can take into the season."

The regulars left after two at bats and the game turned weird with minor leaguers in the game.

Ten runs were scored in the eighth inning, five by each team.  There was a steal of home by Allen Cordoba of the Reds when a pick off attempt was wide and even thought the first baseman caught it his momentum away from the plate allowed Cordoba to race home.  Leonardo Balcazar stole second and third with Ilvin Fernandez taking second on the back end.  Both scored when Austin Calahan struck out on a checked swing as the ball went to the backstop.  Balcazar scored on the wild pitch and Fernandez scored the go ahead run when the catcher's throw to the pitcher covering got away and rolled in the infield.  Drury homer plated the last two runs of the spring.

"We got the starters out early feeling good," Bell said.  "It's good to have a little momentum going into the season."

The Reds Bats Are Alive Vladimir Gutierrez Gets Final Tune Up

 

 

The Reds continued hitting the baseball hard.

Coming off a 15-run performance on Sunday, the Reds plastered Brad Keller from the Kansas City Royals with a five-run first frame.  The Reds picked up a 10-6 win.

Mike Moustakas has become a doubles machine the last week in the Cactus League.  He drove in Jonathan India who walked to score the first run.  Singles by Tyler Stephenson and Kyle Farmer preceded Nick Senzel's first home run of the spring.  

Jake Fraley hit his first three innings later, a two-run blast. Aristedes Aquino hit a long, long, long home run with a man on base off Gabe Speier.  It was his second in two days.

"He's worked so hard.  He's been really open minded to adjustments<" David Bell said.  "We're just trying to get him back on track. It's been a lead up to today.  I feel like each day it's gotten better.  There's no way of knowing how far it was.  That was one of the longest one I've seen him hit.  It's good timing too.  I will be great to him going.  Not necessarily to see a hot streak nt a to get where he feels he can be consistent and taking good at bats."

Vladimir Gutierrez finished his spring with four innings of work.  He allowed three home runs to Cam Gallagher, Bobby Witt Jr. and Hunter Dozier, a two-run shot.

Gutierrez, 26, made his debut on May 21 of last season.  The Cuban born right hander, put together a 9-6 record and 4,74 ERA in 22 starts.tt

This year was the third of three weird springs that the hurler, who barely cleared rookie status has endured.

In 2020 Covid cost him a minor league season.  Last year there were no fans in the Cactus League stands and every thing was done on zoom.  This season the lockout reduced the spring to three weeks.

"I think I'm definitely ready," Gutierrez said.  "I feel I'm set to go.  I can't wait until the season starts."

"I'm glad to be part of the team.  I'm glad Cincinnati has decided to keep me in the rotation.  I'm ready to move forward with that."

Gutierrez learned a lot from last season.

"I learned that these guys are really professional out here," Gutierrez said.  "If you leave a ball over the plate it is going to be smoked.  I practiced locating my balls where it needs to go in the off season.  If I throw something that's not good, it's got to be off the plate. There were a couple balls that stayed in zone and I paid the price for it. Those are the things I have to work on."

"The sun was hot and bright and the wind was blowing," Bell said.  "That hurt Gutty a little bit.  He made a few mistakes.  I actually, liked the way he threw the ball though. He was a little more crisp.  He was landing a lot of his pitches, throwing strikes. The home runs hurt him."

Reds Roster Is Set For 2022

 

 

The Reds are ready to fly to Atlanta on Tuesday with the roster set.

There are 28 players for the month of April because of the late start of spring training which cut short the time for pitchers to get ready.

The Reds will leave camp with four starting pitchers and 11 relievers.

The starters are:

RHP Tyler Mahle

LHP Reiver Sanmartin

RHP Vladimir Gutierrez

RHP Hunter Greene

The Reds will need a fifth starter on April 13 against the Cleveland Guardians.  It is thought to be rookie LHP, Nick Lodolo.

In the bullpen the Reds will have 11 pitchers.

RHP Luis Cessa

RHP Alexis Diaz

RHP Daniel Duarte

RHP Ryan Hendrix

RHP Jeff Hoffman

RHP Dauri Moreta

RHP Tony Santillan

RHP Hunter Strickland

RHP Art Warren

RHP Buck Farmer

LHP Justin Wilson

The Reds will start the year with the following pitchers on the injured list.

RHP Lucas Simms

RHP Luis Castillo

LHP MIke Minor

RHP Justin Dunn (60 day)

The Reds catchers are Tyler Stephenson and Aramis Garcia.

The infield is filled with starters;

SS Kyle Farmer

2B Jonathan India

3B Mike Moustakas

1B Joey Votto

Backing them up is Brandon Drury and Colin Moran.

Max Schrock, Donovan Solano and Jose Barrero (60 day) will be on the disabled list.

In the outfield are starters, CF Nick Senzel, RF Tyler Naquin, LF Tommie Pham.

Jake Fraley (who may platoon with Pham) and Aristedes Aquino.

Votto Determined To Get A Good Start Shogo Akiyama Told He Won't Make The Team

 

 

The Reds told 33-year old Shogo Akiyama on Sunday that he won't make the team.  The official roster movement will be made by Tuesday but Akiyama can either accept a demotion to Louisville or become a free agent.

"We felt we have better options," Reds general manager Nick Krall said.  With Jake Fraley and Tyler Mahle another left handed bat would be redundant."

Akiyama played 142 games for the Reds.  He hit .224, had a .320 on-base-percentage and had a slugging percentage of .274.  He failed to hit a home run in 317 at bats.

If he accepts the assignment to Louisville, the Reds will pay him $8 million.  He could sign with another team for the major league minimum and the Reds have to pay him the difference.

Joey Votto hit a 464' home run and two doubles.

The Reds scored eight runs in the second inning to exterminate the Arizona Diamondbacks, 15-4.

Joey Votto homered off Corbin Martin and doubled off Mack Lamieux.  Brandon Drury hit two singles. Colin Moran and Max Schrock singled and Jake Fraley walked to load the bases for Aristedes Aquino's grand slam.  Tommy Pham doubled and scored.

Joey's got it timed up perfect," Bell said.  "He's looked good all spring.  Today, it kind of all came together for him.  Probably more than anything it's been the process this spring and how he's timed things up.  He got a lot of at bats early. Now he's fine tuning things.  He is really committed to get off to a good start."

Nick Lodolo started for the Reds on the mound.  He is likely to pitch for the Reds early in the season, when they find a roster spot for him.   Lodol pitched four innings and pitched out of a bases loaded, no out jam after weak fielding filled the bases.  He allowed four hits and two runs, striking out three.

"Lodolo is throwing the ball with a lot of confidence," Bell said.  "A couple of pop ups that dropped got him in trouble but he go out of it."

The Reds scored five more runs in the sixth inning. Pham hit a two-run home run.  Votto doubled again, his third extra base hit.  Christian Santana homered for the Reds.

Aramis Garcia, who hit five home runs the spring, made the team as the backup catcher.

"He earned the job," Bell said.  "He could always hit.  He hits the ball hard. His catching is better than his reputation.  Tyler (Stephenson) will play a lot.  We have to keep him strong and healthy.  We could DH either of them.  I'm not afraid to put both in the lineup."

Catcher Andrew Knapp was re-assigned.  He has an out in his contract and could be a free agent on Monday or he can accept assignment.

Max Schrock left the game with a calf strain.  He hit .609 this spring.

"It didn't look good at all," Bell said.  "He will get an MRI.  He had it last year.

Brandon Drury was hit by a pitch on his front leg.

"He just got hit in a bad spot," Bell said.  "He wanted to stay in but we got him out to get treatment."

Tyler Mahle Ready To Open The Season Twice

 

 

 

Tyler Mahle is looking forward to two opening days, the season opener against the Atlanta Braves on April 7 and the home opener against the Cleveland Guardians on April 12.

Mahle gave up five hits and two runs in his planned four innings.

"I feel good where I'm at.  I'm ready to go," Mahle said.

It was a shortened spring training but it felt longer to Mahle.

"It's kind of felt like a long time.  It feels normal," Mahle said.

He wanted his outing to last longer but David Bell put Jeff Hoffman to start the fifth instead.

"I felt good like I could go another one. I kinda wanted to go out for the fifth," Mahle said.

Now his next appearance will be after the bell rings.

"I was hoping that would happen. It's going to be pretty cool," Mahle said.

Offensively, Joey Votto had an RBI double and a single that scored a run.  He left the game for a pinch runner after that.  Tommy Pham got his first hit.  Mike Moustakas hit two doubles.  Nick Senzel had two hits in three plate appearances.  He is hitting .357 this spring.  Kyle Farmer hit his second home run of the spring. Tyler Stephenson is hitting .350 for the spring after clubbing a double in three at bats.

The Reds prevailed with a 6-3 win.

Aramis Garcia and Brandon Drury Make Their Case For Roster Spots

 

 

 

 

David Bell's past experience with players are coming into play as the Reds try to fill out their opening day roster.

Bell was with San Francisco when Aramis Garcia was a top prospect for the Giants.  Garcia was brought in to compete with Andrew Knapp for the job of backing up Tyler Stephenson at the catching position..

Brandon Drury was signed on March 21 after camp started.  He has seven years of major league experience.

"I feel like I know him," Bell said.  "He had a relationship with my brother, Mike, with the Diamonbacks."

Both homered on Friday against the Los Angeles Angels with Garcia putting up his second two-home run game which increased his total to five for the spring.

Kyle Farmer will start as the every day shortstop but the Reds brought in Donovan Solano from the Giants tow back him up.  Solono has a hamstring injury that will prevent him from starting the season.  Jose Barrero was to be the backup but he needed surgery to repair the hook of the hamate on his left hand.  He will be out four more weeks at least.

Matt McClain was sent to the minors and is very talented but is not quite ready for the big leagues especially in a backup role.  He needs to play full time.

That leaves Drury who has only nine games at shortstop on his seven-year resume. He last played the position in 2020, logging two games.

"He is a hard nosed player," Bell said.  "He is really determined to make the team."

To that end, Drury homered in the game against the Angels on Friday and sits with a .333 average for the spring.

The catching position is critical too.  The Reds will have as many as three rookies with a total of two big league starts both of them by Reiver Sanmartin.   A veteran catcher like Knapp will be important at handling a young pitching staff.  Knapp had five seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, catching 309 games but his offense is lacking with a .214 career average.

Garcia has 48 games under his belt in three seasons behind the plate.  He is working with J.R. House to improve his defensive skills.

Bell plans to make his decision by Sunday.

Both feel like they have a good opportunity to make the Reds and familiarity with Bell and the Reds' staff are advantages.

"It has been good getting all my work in at second, third and short.  I'm putting in extra work at short," Drury said.  "Short is different with different responsibilities.  The Reds seamed pretty interested in me."

"Mike Bell is one of the most important people besides my dad to get me to the big leagues," Drury said.  "He was my farm director when I got traded over there.  We had a pretty special bond.  He gave me every opportunity."

"Coming into this spring I felt really prepared," Garcia said.  "I went to the DR (Dominican Republic) to play.  I started my progressions early. It was going to be hard to make this team.  I tried to come in as prepared as possible. I feel like performance so far is the result of that."

Garcia came to the minor league camp in mid February.

"This is something I wanted for awhile," Garcia said.  "David Bell was the farm director for the Giants.  A lot of the staff he had there is here.  They were in the minor leagues when I was with San Francisco.  When the opportunity to possibly play for them again came, I didn't pass it up. I played a lot against JR (House) and the teams he managed.  I could tell the players just loved him. I loved the staff but I truly believe they could make me a better baseball player.  I only had around 200 at bats last year and I just needed to play."

Hunter Greene Handles Adversity In His Last Tuneup

 

 

 

 

When Hunter Greene was holding court with writers after being named to the starting lineup.  He mentioned that there was going to go through adversity and he had to learn to grow from it.

Greene has that opportunity after the Chicago White Sox hit him pretty hard on Thursday night in a 8-2 win over the Reds.

Yasmani Grandal after Jonathan India misplayed a ball hit by Yoan Moncada with two outs in the first inning.  That was bad luck but the second inning was not good for Greene.

Gavin Sheets blasted a home run leading off the inning.  Greene struck out former Princeton High and UC start Josh Harrison.  Loveland High and U of L grad walked and trouble followed.  Adam Haseley singled. Tim Anderson singled.  Luis Robert doubled.  Moncada delivered a sac fly and the Sox scored five more runs. 

"A little different outcome," Greene said.  "It is definitely not the first time it's happened. It won't be the last.  It's the game, like everybody says, it's a failing sport.  There's positives that I took out of tonight.  DJ and I talked about it.  I feel like I'm in a good place.  Obviously, they have a solid lineup.  It will be a different outcome next time."

When David Bell and the coaching staff deemed him ready on Tuesday night, handling failure is one of the criteria for being ready to pitch in the big leagues.  This was an example.

The 22-year old seemed to take the pounding in stride.

"In my mind a player is ready when they can handle the game, not so much the successes but the failures," Bell said.  "He has a lot of confidence."

Jonathan India was checked by trainers after the botched grounder but recovered to hit his third spring homer off Michael Kopech. 

MIke Moustakas doubled.  Tyler Stephenson continues to swing the bat well with a single in three trips, hitting .364.  Max Schrock came off the bench to single twice and score a run.  He is hitting a red hot .611.

"Hunter was throwing the ball great.  This is a tough league," Bell said.  "This team can really hit.  If anything he just doubled up on the fastball a little bit too much.  At the same time when you're throwing 100, you tend to do that. I think it's good to get it out of the way.  He's got another start before the season.  He threw some good sliders.  There were times he pitched really good they just got to some of the fastballs."

"Max Schrock can really hit.  He's doing every thing he can to show he could be a big part of this team," Bell said.