Dateline: Cincinnati
As expected Eugenio Suarez was placed on the 10-day injured list on Saturday morning.
Kyle Nicolas was optioned to Triple A Lousiville.
JJ Bleday will take Suarez' place on the Reds' active roster. Jose Franco will return to add long relief depth to the bullpen.
A 28-year old native of Danville, Pennsylvania, who played high school baseball at A Crawford Mosley High School in Lynn Haven, Florida and then Vanderbilt University, Bleday signed a free agent contract with the Reds in December.
The lefty hitter, who plays the corner outfield positions mainly, also has experience in center field. He had a good spring with the Reds in Goodyear, Arizona, hitting .317 with three doubles and four home runs in 15 games.
At Louisville Bleday played in 24 games with a .341 avergage, seven doubles, a triple and six homer. He drove in 19 and was on base at a .462 clip and a slugging percentage at .659.
"He did a really good job in spring," Terry Francona said. "PK (Louisville manager Pat Kelly) said he's been really good there. It is not for the reason you want (to call him up) but we asked him to go play and he did a really good job of that."
No one wants to be sent to the minor leagues but Bleday worked without sulking.
"It's tough but you have a goal in mind," Bleday said. "It is about keep being consistent. You go to work on some things to get ready for when this moment does come. It is always a bummer not making the team out of camp but right now I feel like I'm in a good spot. I am excited to be here in Cincinnati."
Franco pitched in three games after taking the roster spot of the injured, Nick Lodolo. He allowed two earned runs on seven hits and five walks in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out four.
Suarez was hitting, .231 with three doubles, three home runs and 11 RBI in 25 games.
Nicolas was sent down because the Reds needed a fresh arm. He has been brilliant in spots but had trouble throwing strikes. He struck out seven in his 7 1/3 innings but has walked a whopping 13 batters, nearly two per inning. He has allowed seven earned runs but most of them, four were in one inning against the Tampa Bay Rays. Four of his last four appearances were scoreless but he had to be bailed out.
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