Cincinnati Sports News and Commentary
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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona
Hard throwing right hander Luis Mey was optioned to Triple A Louisville after pitching in the Reds split squad loss to the Los Angeles Angels in Tempe, Arizona.
Mey pitched one inning against the Angels on Wednesday. He allowed a hit and a walk in a scoreless inning with one strikeout.
Mey pitched in nine games covering eight innings, allowing nine runs on 11 hits and three walks. He struck out 11.
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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona
Brady Singer was supposed to get up to 75 pitches in the game against the Colorado Rockies but he developed a blister on his right index finger. He left the game with two outs and the bases empty in the fourth inning. Singer threw 51 pitches, 35 for strikes.
The right hander who is scheduled to start the third game of the season against the Boston Red Sox on Sunday March 29.
"It being hot out there, I didn't want to take the chance of it opening up. I was at 50 pitches. I felt pretty good about where I was," Singer said. "I'll be fine. It's almost gone already. I'll take care of it and be back out there for the next one."
Teammate Nick Lodolo has them all the time. This is a first for Singer.
Singer allowed two hits and a walk in 3 2/3 innings. He struck out three and picked a base runner off second base. Catcher Will Banfield threw Brett Sullivan out stealing.
Minor leaguer, Thomas Farr, picked up an inning and a third. He allowed two hits, including a home run by Ryan Ritter.
Pierce Johnson and Connor Phillips pitched scoreless innings.
Hot hitting Matt McLain had three hits in three at bats, including the first of four consecutive doubles in the Reds four-run fourth inning.
Elly De La Cruz, Tyler Stephenson and Spencer Steer double also against Jose Quintana the left handed Rockies starter. Steer stole third and scored when Brett Sullivan threw the ball into left field.
De La Cruz, Stephenson, Steer and Derek Lowe were all 1-for-3 with a double.
Miller and Francisco Urbaez committed errors in the Rockies six-run eighth.
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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona
Brady Singer will pitch to the Colorado Rockies in Goodyear. He is coming off a good outing against the San Francisco Giants on March 13. He pitched four innings of scoreless baseball, allowing three hits and two walks. He struck out two.
The lineup behind him is:
TJ Friedl LF
Matt McLain 2B
Elly De La Cruz SS
Tyler Stephenson DH
Spencer Steer RF
Nathaniel Lowe 1B
Dane Myers CF
Ke'Bryan Hayes 3B
Will Banfield C
Chase Burns will pitch against the Los Angeles Angels in Tempe.
Burns backed off and pitched just two innings against the San Francisco Giants SS on March 13. He allowed one hit and struck out two without a run scoring.
The lineup behind Burns is:
Will Benson CF
Noelvi Marte RF
JJ Bleday LF
Sal Stewart 1B
Jose Trevino C
Rece Hinds DH
Garrett Hampson 2B
PJ Higgins 3B
Edwin Arroyo SS
Arroyo is back from the WBC where he played for Puerto Rico.
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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona
The last non-roster pitcher, Hagen Danner, was reassigned to minor league camp.
Danner was a tough decision and fell out of the running for the last spot in the Reds' bullpen.
The 27-year old from Huntington Beach, California was the second round pick of the Toronto Blue Jays in 2017 as a catcher. He was converted to a pitcher in 2021.
The Reds signed Danner to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training on January 7. He pitched in nine games this spring covering 8 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on six hits and three walks. He struck out 10.
Danner last pitched in the Major Leagues in 2023. He was in one game with Toronto and only pitched 1/3 an inning.
The Seattle Mariners claimed him off waivers last January. He spent the season at Tacoma and put up a 6-4 record with a 5.59 ERA over 56 1/3 innings.
Terry Francona told Danner he was the highlight of the camp. He pitched that well but he was caught up in the numbers game. He was a non-roster and needed to be added to the 40-man for the Reds to bring him to Cincinnati.
The risk was too great for Reds' management.
"I called him in and told him that he wouldn't be added to the roster. I asked if he was ready to listen. Sometimes when players get bad news the aren't ready to listen, so you bring them back. He was great," Francona said. "He's an easy kid to root for."
"If you take a kid like that on opening day, then you run into a problem a week in, he understood," Francona said "He did nothing not to make the team. He was a 5.59 pitcher last year. He looked like he was a better pitcher than that."
The Reds also got Kyle Nicolas back in camp. He was on Team Italy and didn't pitch much.
Nicolas will pitch against the White Sox on Friday night in Goodyear. The Reds are going to option him but leave him in Arizona until he builds up innings.
"He is going to throw a side with DJ
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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona
Nick Lodolo is the first Reds' pitcher to pitch into the fifth inning.
Lodolo threw 77 pitches in 4 2/3 innings. He allowed three runs on three hits and a walk. He struck out seven.
Rhys Hoskins hit a home run off Lodolo and Travis Bazzana doubled after a miscue by Matt McLain put runners on first and second in his final inning.
The Reds scored on a two-run home run by Noelvi Marte off Kolby Allard. His third home run of the spring landed 425 feet from the plate. Elly De La Cruz put the Reds back on top with a two-run single.
Marte's home run off the left hander was significant. His splits showed he was much better against right handers last season. The Reds need a good right handed bat to face lefties this season.
"I sure like what I'm seeing out of Marte against left handers," Terry Francona said. "We tried to get him see as many left handers as we could even on the back fields. His last 10 at bats have been pretty good.
Graham Ashcraft pitched a scoreless inning with three strikeouts. Sam Moll struck out one in a scoreless frame.
Hagen Danner is the last non-roster pitcher standing. There is one bullpen spot left. He got two outs in the ninth and removed.
"Danner had a back-to-back. Danner's been great the whole spring," Francona said.
"Nick (Lodolo) has, the last three or four outings has been more like Sam Moll. That's been good to see," Francona said.
Left hander Brock Burke, allowed three runs in six innings over six appearances but had a rough game against the Cleveland Guardians. He was charged with five runs on three hits and three walks. He did not retire a batter.
Minor leaguer Alfredo Alcantara hit a long home run but the Reds went down in an 8-6 decision.
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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona
Nick Lodolo, who will start the second game of the regular season against the Boston Red Sox on Saturday March 28, will tune up against the Cleveland Guardians in Goodyear.
Lodolo pitched in three games so far this spring. He has a seven ERA over nine innings, allowing seven runs on 14 hits and two walks. He struck out 11.
The linup behind him is:
Matt McLain 2B
Sal Stewart 1B
Elly De La Cruz SS
Tyler Stephenson C
Spencer Steer LF
Noelvi Marte CF
Ke'Bryan Hayes 3B
Rece Hinds RF
Will Banfield DH
It is a key game for Hinds, he is one of four players along with Nathaniel Lowe, JJ Bleday and Dane Myers competing for the final two roster spots. Marte will get another start in center field.
"He's athletic enough to play there," Terry Francona said.
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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona
The two spots in the Reds' starting rotation are filled and it is a hybrid rotation.
Chase Burns, Brandon Williamson and Rhett Lowder will all be in the rotation. It will not be a six-man rotation but none of them have enough time in the big leagues. They will get into a five-day routine but won't start every fifth day.
Some days they will piggy back, other days they will skip a turn.
"To start the season, and I mean like to start the season. We're not going to have a six-man rotation," Francona explained. "We have six for five. The way I can explain it. Lowder didn't pitch last year. Williamson hasn't pitched in 15 months and Burns has 13 minor league starts. We're trying to help those guys along and not sacrifice winning."
How will it work?
"You'll see Willy either come in after Burns or start a game and have Lowder. I don't think we have to say it ahead of time as far as strategy goes but that's kind of where we think. You're going to see them pitch on of those two days. I think the score dictates some things. If we're going to do it we're going to do it so they get as normal a build up as they can. It won't be forever because it won't work. Eventually there will be five," Francona said. "They were all excited."
Francona came up with the idea at a game at Talking Stick last week and bounced it off pitching coach Derek Johnson.
"I told DJ that I was just spit balling and told him to feel free to blow holes in it," Francona said. "Nothing is going to be perfect. He said the more he thought about it, the more he liked it. We talked to Nick (Krall) and Brad (Meador) about it. I wasn't trying to sell it to them. I wasn't sure how I felt about it at the time. It was just an idea. As we got closer it started to make more sense."
All three have pitched well enough to make the team in spots and worked through a little bit of adversity but Williamson has really stood out.
"He's probably pitched better than anybody here," Francona said. "The thing that he hasn't done is go every five days for a whole year. It wasn't his fault. So we're trying to help him through but we never want to sacrifice winning."
Burns and Lowder will start the two exhibition games in Milwaukee on Monday March 23 and Tuesday March 24. Williamson will pitch in a minor league game in Goodyear on Wednesday and fly back to Cincinnati.
Francona and Meador told Connor Phillips that he made the team.
Phillips effectively ate some big innings for the Reds down the stretch that put them in the playoffs.
There is one bullpen spot to be filled and Hagen Danner is in the mix. He is a non-roster player that will cause someone to be taken off the roster. Caleb Ferguson is dealing with a strained right oblique with no fixed date for return.
The Outfield
Will Benson is on the team as the outfield picture becomes clearer. He will join TJ Friedl, and Noelvi Marte with Spencer Steer helping in right and left field.
The choice for the last two bench spots are among these four players. Right handed hitters, Rece Hinds and Dane Myers and left handed hitters JJ Bleday and Nathaniel Lowe, who is also a non-roster invitee, meaning a spot needs to open on the 40-man roster.
"We're not quite there yet," Francona said. "I don't want to get too far because it will be the process of elimination. But it's fair to say that it will be two of those four."
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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona
If manager Terry Francona wasn't ill already, his opening day starter's outing would have made him so.
Andrew Abbott was clearly flustered by the two-inning effort in which he allowed eight runs on eight hits and three walks. He struck out three.
The first inning in which the Diamondbacks scored a run wasn't that bad. Two groundballs found holes in the infield maned by Garrett Hampson, Alexander Vargas and PJ Higgins. Vargas just returned from representing Cuba in the World Baseball Classic. The other two were informed that they would not make the opening day roster. You can't lay the blame on them though Abbott was fighting his mechanics.
Abbott has been working on his mechanics with pitching coach Derek Johnson in side sessions between starts.
"I've been leaking in my delivery, leaving the ball over the plate,"Abbott said. "We worked on driving more towards the plate."
"There were well placed balls. I thought my process was pretty good," Abbott said. "Off speed pitches were pretty sharp except for the one to (James) McCann. You're going to mess up in a game. I know that but I have to do a better job of getting back in the zone and limiting free passes. I am overall frustrated. The results aren't where I want them to be, obviously. I'm still waiting on every thing to click. My process is there, my mechanics are there."
Abbott gave up a home run and a double to McCann. Acting manager Freddie Benevides pulled Abbott out in the second inning, allowing Jimmy Romano to finish it. Abbott returned in the third inning. The Diamondbacks scored five runs in the third inning. Abbott built his pitch count at least. He threw 76 pitches, 43 were strikes.
Hagen Danner gave up a run in one inning. He is the only non-roster pitcher left in camp. Emilio Pagan and Tony Santillan pitched scoreless innings. Luis Mey also pitched a scoreless frame.
On the offensive side, JJ Bleday hit a double and a home run. Nathanial Lowe homered. Hampson hit his second home run of the spring.
Carlos Jorge tripled. He has impressed in camp so far.
"Whenever we take him with us, he's done something," Francona said on Sunday. "He has been fun to watch."
Jorge also tripled on Saturday.
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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona
Terry Francona informed Will Banfield, P.J Higgins and Garrett Hampson that they will not make the Reds team.
They are going to stay in camp and Higgins and Hampson will travel with the Reds to the last two spring training games in Milwaukee.
Banfield will stay in Arizona to get playing time in the minor league games.
"He needs to get the at bats," Francona said. "I told them they are not going to make the team. I told them if they want to go get some at bats (minor league games), I respect that. They are really good workers, good teammates. I told them they are welcome to stay here in big league camp. They all said they would and I am glad. Truth be told its not real glamorous to be up here. They have been on every road trip."
This reduces the number of candidates for the Major League team to 34, including Hagen Danner and Nathaniel Lowe, who are the only non-roster invitees left with a chance to make the team.
Caleb Ferguson will be out at least another week with a strained right oblique. Hunter Greene had surgery to remove bone chips from his right elbow. He will likely be placed on the Reds' 60-day injured list which opens a roster spot for a pitcher like Danner.
The Reds have not seen Kyle Nicolas, who they got in a trade for Tyler Callihan on March 4. He is with the Italian National Team in the World Baseball Classic.
"We haven't seen this kid Nicolas," Francona said. "Not only that he hasn't pitched. He's thrown one inning. That's a big deal for us. You take pride to prepare better than other teams because if you did it would give you an advantage. We're dying to get to know him."
There are four players, who are out of options, they can't be sent to the minor leagues without clearing waivers. Brock Burke, Pierce Johnson, Sam Moll and Tony Santillan either make the team or could be snapped up by other teams on the waiver wire.
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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona
The Reds break camp in a week for two tune up games in Milwaukee.
The camp roster has been pared to 37 with just five non-roster invitees left and one of them is a pitcher, Hagen Danner.
The Reds reassigned non-roster left hander, Anthony Misiewicz to the minor league camp. He is 31-years old with six seasons of big league experience with 136 games with a 4.86 ERA. He has pitched for the Seattle Mariners, Kansas City Royals, Arizona Diamondbacks, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees and last season five games with the Minnesota Twins.
Misiecwicz put up good numbers in the six Cactus League games he pitched with six innings, one run on three hits and two walks. He struck out six.
Blake Dunn was optioned to Triple A Louisville.
Dunn made the opening day roster out of camp last season and struggled. He found his stroke the second half of the season in Louisville and finished with a .291 average, 14 doubles, two triples, seven home runs, 40 RBI and 24 stolen bases.
"He is a good defender no matter where you put him," Terry Francona said earlier in camp.
Dunn hit a snag when he hyperextended his knee on March 6, attempting a diving attempt at a bloop hit that got into the sun. He missed a week.
He played in 12 games with 25 plate appearances during the Cactus League. Dunn hit .136 with a double, a home run and two stolen bases.
The Reds outfielders remaining are, Will Benson, JJ Bleday, TJ Friedl, Rece Hinds, Noelvi Marte and Dane Myers. All have had better camps at the plate. Spencer Steer is listed as an infielder but played left and right field during training.
