Nick Lodolo Extends Into The Fifth Inning Noelvi Marte Hits A Long Home Run

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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.

Nick Lodolo Starts Against The Cleveland Guardians On St. Patrick's Day

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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.

The Picture Becomes Clearer Brandon Williamson, Chase Burns And Rhett Lowder Are Coming To Cincinnati

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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."

Andrew Abbott Frustrated By Fifth Start As Arizona Diamondbacks Bit Him

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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.

Three More Players Told They Won't Make The Reds Team

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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.

Roster Reduced As Reds Goodyear Camp Winds Down Blake Dunn Optioned

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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. 

Brandon Williamson Continues To Make His Case

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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona

Brandon Williamson walked out the gate to the clubhouse in left field after his outing against the team that drafted him and greeted some of the pitchers he competed with in the minor leagues.

George Kirby the Seattle Mariners opposing pitcher on the day. Emerson (Hancock), Reeves (Martin).

"It was pretty much our whole rotation, when we were coming up," Williamson said.

What are the Mariners missing now? 

Williamson continued a successful spring. He pitched four strong innings, giving up two hits, coming off the bat of former St. Louis Cardinal, Brendan Donovan. The Mariners third baseman singled to open the game and Williamson issued his lone walk to Randy Arozarena. The big lefty retired seven in a row in front of Donovan's second hit. He retired the last five, the last two by strikeout.

"I filled it up. Early I was trying to figure out the change up and the slider too. As the game went on I got a little crisper. I just tried to fill up the zone and not worry about the results. That pretty much worked today," Williamson said. "I'm feeling stronger. I throw a lot of pitches, right? I feel like if I can get those five, six pitches over the plate, even if I'm not totally juiced up throwing as hard as I possibly can that day. I feel like I can get the job done."

"I worked quite a bit on my stretch. It is harder to go into the stretch, right away you're in it," Williamson said.

Terry Francona is having fun watching Williamson pitch.

"The first two guys got on, then he kind of locked it in," Francona said. "He really pitched well. That was fun to watch. It's been 15 months and he's crossing hurdles and there's going to be a lot of them. He's bouncing back. DJ (pitching coach Derek Johnson) said his side (sessions) have been good. He's doing a good job."

Matt McLain continued to sizzle in the Arizona sun. He singled on a slow roller up the third base line. He hit his sixth home run of the spring. He left the game hitting .553

Asked this morning what more he wanted to see from McLain. Terry Francona chuckled, "If he wants to hit .600 instead of .500. With the whole group you want them to feel as good as they can about themselves. There's never a perfect, normally there are a couple guys swinging the bat good, a couple guys really not and a few guys in the middle. By design nobody is playing nine (innings) but they've been playing back-to-back-to back. That's so they get some timing and some rhythm."

Sal Stewart must be feeling good. He is hitting .555 with an OPS of 1.100. Stewart was 1-for-2 with a walk against Seattle. Elly De La Cruz doubled in three at bats. He is at .294 with an OPS of 1.027.

The home run by McLain caused Francona's eyes to widen.

"I can't believe that ball went out. I have the worst view of the plate but it looked like. He hit a ball down and away. He's a strong shit, man."

Williamson left with a 2-0 lead but the Mariners tallied five runs against Pierce Johnson.

"The first hitter was really good. He ended up going full count and lost a guy on a breaking ball. Then it just got away. His stuff has been as consistent as anyone we've had all spring," Francona said.

Connor Phillips the former Mariner, struck out the three batters he faced.

"I was really happy to see that," Francona said. "He threw some fastballs with life through the zone. I love that."

The Reds Play The Seattle Mariners Brandon Williamson Continues Pursuit Of Starting Rotation

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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona

Brandon Williamson makes his fourth audition for one of the two spots open in the Reds' starting rotation. He is coming off a lost year of injury.

The 27-year old was the second round pick of the Seattle Mariners in the 2019 draft. He came to the Reds along with Connor Phillips, who is also scheduled to pitch against the Mariners today. Other in that trade were Justin Dunn and Jake Fraley for Eugenio Suarez and Jesse Winker in just before the delayed spring training on March 29, 2022.

Williamson is slated to pitch three innings. Should he win a spot in the rotation the earliest he would pitch in the regular season would be March 30 against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

So far Williamson pitched seven innings, allowing two runs on four hits and one walk. He recorded nine strikeouts.

The lineup behind Williamson is:

Matt McLain 2B

Spencer Steer LF

Elly De La Cruz SS

Sal Stewart 1B

Tyler Stephenson C

Noelvi Marte CF

Rece Hinds RF

Ke'Bryan Hayes 3B

Blake Dunn DH

Marte is in center field for no other reason the Reds want to have him experience it.

"We don't want to get into the season and need him to move to center field and say 'dang it I wish we'd have done it in spring training," Terry Francona said. "We aren't trying to re invent the wheel. We're covering our options. It just makes sense to do it here."

Steer has played both corner outfield positions, second base and first base.

The Reds have been using Stewart at second base and third base which are positions he played in the minor leagues. They put him at first base late last season, a position he'd never played.

"We put Sal at first out here as much as possible because that's he's played," Francona said.

Third Time Is No Charm For Tejay Antone Yet

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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona

Tejay Antone's uncooperative elbow is slightly ahead. 

He is recovering from his third surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. His first was in 2017. He lost the entire 2017 season. Antone pitched his way to the Reds in 2020 and pitched in Louisville and Cincinnati in 2021 before his elbow balked again. He missed all of 2022. The third was in 2024. He was able to return late 2025, pitching in 15 games with Dayton, Chattanooga and Louisville. He combined to post a 10.20 ERA in 15 innings.

The 32-year old right hander, who the Reds tabbed in the fifth round in 2014 is on the road to a game winning rally in spite of a setback this morning. 

The Reds reassigned the big right hander with the easy smile but a lion's heart to the minor league camp. 

This game is not over. Antone continues his quest with "house money".

"The want me to look back a realize what I've done and how far I've come. They want to see me continue to do what I've done a little bit longer," the still upbeat, Antone said. "In 2024 I made the team out of camp and got injured pretty quickly. No one wants a repeat of that so, they want me to get out in April, go to Louisville and kind of continue to do what I'm doing now to show strength and that I'm not fragile anymore."

"It is never fun to be told, you're not making the team, that's the hope and the dream," Antone said. "I'm looking forward to an opportunity this year and every pitch I throw now is just playing with house money. It's a blessing just to be able to throw. I'm going to go to Louisville and just be a good teammate, maybe I can provide mentorship to some of the young guys, while I hone my craft and work on myself and be a weapon for the team."

There is no woh-is-me. Antone is looking ahead and not just to pitch.

"I proved myself in spring training this year my philosophy is there. I have weapons to strike out the best hitters in the game," Antone said. "I think there's no doubt that I have the ability to pitch in the big leagues and not just pitch in the big leagues but be a weapon. The biggest concern for the team is health. They want to commit to something that could break. I know I can pitch in the big leagues and when I'm there be one of the best pitchers in the big leagues. It is up to me to be the best pitcher in Triple A so that when the churn does happen, that my names at the top of the list."

A lot of pitchers in there 30's are on the downhill side of their career. Antone isn't buying into that fate.

"I want to pitch for another five years," Antone stated with confidence. "How I feel and how the ball is coming out, I think it is very realistic goal. I don't want to say this was expected but this is the contract that I signed. I signed a minor league contract. I hoped and dreamed for the big leagues but I'm go to pitch to the best of my abilities and work my way back up."

Antone made six appearances this spring in Cactus League play. He pitched three innings in his first three tries allowing a total of one hit and a walk, while he struck out three batters. His next two were not as good, totally an inning and two thirds with five runs on five hits and three walks. He struck out four.

Yet, he finished strong. Antone breezed through the Texas Rangers on eight pitches to four batters, allowing one hit.

"I was happy for being super efficient. That's great for the arm health too. I would trade no strikeouts for the rest of my career if I could get eight pitch innings," Antone said. "I got a lot of mis hits. I threw a lot of cutters and it's working well."

Francona talked earlier in camp about Antone's progress.

"He has plenty of fastball and he can really spin it," Francona said.

These conversations a week from starting the Major League schedule are rarely pleasant and rife with disappointment whether the player battles injury or not. The closer to the end of camp the bigger the disappointment.

"He was so respectful," Francona said of the tough conversation. "He's a terrific young man. It was so intriguing watching him pitch. I don't think it's unfair for us to want him to go to Triple A and get into the groove and the grind, and how he bounces back. I think he understood. There is always going to be some disappointment. I tried to remind him, you know, everything you've been through enjoy competing. He has done a terrific job. I think his better days are ahead of him. I tried to remind him of that."

Reds Minor Leaguers Send Reds Home With A Comeback Win Rhett Lowder Treds Water

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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona

Rhett Lowder lasted 3 2/3 innings just short of his four inning goal. He got his pitch count up to 76 because he walked four batters.

Lowder was charged with an unearned run when he made two errors on pick off attempts. JJ Bleday also committed a base advancement error in the inning.

"He (Lowder) got his pitch count up. That was real good," Terry Francona said. "We had guys up early. People ask me about a six man rotation. That's the best example why we don't do it. If it is in the middle of the season and you don't finish six innings, it just doesn't work. I think he's fine. He just didn't locate, like he needed to."

Lowder allowed four singles and struck out four which contributed to his pitch count. He left the game with a runner on first and one out, striking out the last batter he faced, Jose Herrera. Minor League pitcher Jonah Hurney walked two to load the bases. The second run charged to Lowder scored on a force play.

"It was a grind from the jump. I never got into the flow," Lowder said. "Nothing is easy but it was good to work with traffic. There are things I should have done better. They are not all going to be easy, there will be days when you have to manage traffic. You have to pitch with guys on. Stuff is going to happen. Hits are going to fall. You're going to have to deal with it. It is good to get some traffic, now."

After a year in which he didn't pitch much due to various injuries, Lowder is getting ready for the season.

"I feel good. The pitch count got up there today. I wish I could have got another up but pitch count is probably more important anyway. I feel good. I feel strong," Lowder said.

The 24-year old needs more repetitions with pick offs and more focus to avoid walks.

"The second pick off I should have probably eaten it. The first was just a bad throw," Lowder said. "The walks were a lack of focus to be honest." 

Emilio Pagan pitched a perfect inning. Tony Santillan allowed a run on three hits and struck out one. Sam Moll had a clean inning with two strikeouts. Tejay Antone allowed one hit in a scoreless inning.

Offensively, the Reds lone run scored on Jose Trevino's home run off Austin Gomber leading off the fourth inning. It was his second home run of the spring. He also his a double. TJ Friedl had a bunt single. Rece Hinds and JJ Bleday hit singles.

The Reds trailed 3-1 going into the bottom of the eighth. Alfredo Alcantara hit a double facing Tyler Alexander pitching in his fourth inning. Carlos Jorge tripled off the left hander. Michael Toglia put the Reds in front 4-3 with a home run.

Darren McCaughan finished the game in the 4-3 win with a scoreless ninth.

Carlos Jorge caught the attention of Reds' management this spring. The 22-year old from Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic was signed as a 17-year old on January 15, 2021. He hit .251 in 110 games at Dayton last season.

"He has been a spark plug. We were talking about this this morning. Every time he comes up here. He does something. He's been fun to watch," Francona said.