The Reds announced Friday that they’ve placed righty Tejay Antone on the 10-day injured list due to inflammation in his right forearm. The team is hopeful that it’ll be a minimum stint for Antone, tweets C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic. Even a 10-day absence for Antone is a blow to the Reds, however, given how excellent he’s been out of the ’pen this season. Antone looked to have put together a breakout year in 2020, but he’s taken things even further in his age-27 campaign this year. The right-hander has tallied 32 innings out of the bullpen and recorded a brilliant 1.41 ERA to go along with a 34.5 percent strikeout rate and a 9.5 percent walk rate. Antone regularly works multiple innings and has picked up three saves to go along with seven holds.
After non-tendering Archie Bradley and dumping Raisel Iglesias’ salary in a deal with the Angels, the Reds have seen their bullpen pitch to an MLB-worst 5.88 ERA. That sky-high mark comes in spite of Antone’s dominance; the Reds’ other relievers have combined for a disastrous 6.58 ERA in 203 2/3 innings so far.
A few more notable injury situations around the league…
- The Athletics are still hopeful that Trevor Rosenthal will be able to pitch for the team this season, writes Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. Oakland currently has a mid-August target for Rosenthal, who developed thoracic outlet symptoms this spring after signing a surprising one-year, $11MM deal with the A’s. He underwent surgery prior to Opening Day, and while he’s not yet throwing, Rosenthal is progressing through a strength program. The Oakland bullpen has been a middle-of-the-pack unit so far in 2021, pitching to a 3.87 ERA with a 3.79 FIP. A’s relievers have the game’s lowest collective strikeout rate (20.5 percent) but also have one of the best walk rates (8.6 percent). Prior to their deal with Rosenthal, the A’s seemed to target relievers who were underpriced due to sub-par strikeout rates but also thrived in terms of limiting hard contact. To this point, the bullpen’s 34.5 percent hard-hit rate is the third-lowest in MLB.
- Marlins starter Sixto Sánchez has resumed his rehab program, as he’s now throwing from 60 feet, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com was among those to pass along. Sánchez, who went down with shoulder inflammation in early April, had his throwing program paused last week on account of bursitis. He’s yet to pitch this season after tossing 39 innings of 3.46 ERA/4.18 SIERA ball in 2020.
- Rockies utilityman Chris Owings is expected to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Albuquerque this weekend, manager Bud Black told reporters (including Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post). He’s already progressed to taking batting practice. Owings, who signed a minor league deal over the winter, made the Opening Day roster and got off to a scorching start over his first seven games. Unfortunately, he suffered a left thumb injury that required surgery in mid-April, keeping him out of action for more than two months.
Tough news about Antone. He looked outstanding in a couple of April appearances I saw against the Giants and Dodgers, pitching 3.2 and 3.0 innings of scoreless ball. Take away a four-run outing versus the Cubs on May 2, and he’s given up just one earned run and 10 hits in 30.2 innings. He’s worked on back-to-back days four times, with 13 of his 20 outings being more than one inning. The Reds have worked him hard. Maybe too hard?
If you listen to most Reds fans he hasn’t been used enough.
I love Antone and have him on my team all year and feel same way that he hasn’t been used enough. When I was a kid I remember asking my dad why the Sox didn’t pitch Peters Horlen and John three innings each every game. He just laughed and said it doesn’t work that way.
PeteWard8, It’s funny you mention those pitching-heavy White Sox teams. Today is the 54th anniversary of the first big-league game I attended. Two games, actually, a bat-day doubleheader at Yankee Stadium between the Yankees and White Sox. It was a Cub Scouts outing. I had never paid attention to baseball before that Sunday. My bat had Joe Pepitone’s signature. After we walked through the turnstiles, my dad took me off to the side and had me take a few swings and I was hooked. The Sox won both games. The two opposing catchers, Jerry McNertney and Jake Gibbs belted the first two homers I ever saw. Since I was born in L.A., I wound up choosing the Dodgers as the team I would root for.
WHITE SOX TRIVIA: The cleanup hitter in both games was a brilliant defender who at the time was going through the best offensive stretch of his career. Can you guess who it was? Hint: It wasn’t Pete Ward.
I will run out to pick up food and check for your response when I get home. Btw, something special occurred in the Cubs’ doubleheader against the Mets that day. A career day for a player. I’ll reveal that when I get back as well.
Ken Berry
Ken Berry is correct. Such a tremendous centerfielder. He wasn’t considered a speed guy but covered a heckuva lot of ground. A priceless memory was watching him rob Bobby Murcer of a home run. I believe he robbed Murcer another time as well.
If you’re a Red Sox fan (my dad was), you might remember Berry making the final out at that plate in the first game of an August doubleheader at Comiskey. He tried to score on a line drive caught by Jose Tartabull. The throw home was a bit high but Elston Howard leaped to catch it and applied a sweep tag on Berry for the out. Yaz homered twice in the game.
The White Sox literally walked off a 1-0 win in the second game when Darrell Brandon walked Rocky Colavito with the bases loaded,
Getting back to June 11, the Cubs beat the Mets twice at Wrigley, 5-3 and 18-10. Adolfo Phillips hit three HR and knocked in n seven runs in the nightcap after hitting a solo HR in the first game. Dick Radatz got credit for a save in the second game despite entering the game with a nine-run lead. He allowed one run in one inning.
Thanks for your patience in enduring these 1967 baseball memories. A good year to get started as a fan.
Cey Hey- 1967 was and is still my favorite Sox season memory.
I was at that doubleheader with my dad brother and uncle.
Nothing like a bat day double header against the Yankees.
My first game anniversary was 57 years ago 06-06-64 Tigers and Kaline. Ward hit a homer off McLain and became my favorite player.
Loich the save. Saw Minoso pinch hit in the 9th for McGraw.
Did you ever read Pepitones book? Very detailed. He liked himself.
good stuff Cey Hey
PeteWard8, How great that you were at that doubleheader. I had no idea baseball was about to become the love of my life. As a little kid in California, I was a Disney addict. I went o Disneyland six times before age 7, and was still clinging to my SoCal roots. So it was natural for me to become a Dodger fan. My dad was from Worcester, Massachusetts, and is a Red Sox fan. A special summer for him and he hoped I would become a Bosox fan as well. But I was a California kid. My sister is a Red Sox fan.
Joel Horlen should have won the Cy Young Award that year, but the writers refused to vote for a 19-game winner. They’d all been 20-game winners up until then.
The first Dodger game I have vivid memories of was Mike Kekich’s one-hitter against the Mets in 1968. Ron Swoboda’s two-out single in the seventh was the only Mets hit. My favorite player, Willie Davis, stole two bases.
Joe Pepitone: the first player to bring a blow dryer into the clubhouse.
Here’s another anniversary game of mine that I attended on June 10, 1973. Dodgers-Mets at Shea Stadium. A fascinating game, the likes of which we may never see again. Take a look at the box score and see if you can figure out why. Hint: It’s all about one of the starting pitchers. That should make it easy 🙂
baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYN/NYN197306100.shtm…
Cey Hey – I enjoyed the details of your early baseball memories. Wild that you and Pete Ward were at the same doubleheader all those years ago. Grew up in Northern Jersey and Yankee stadium was my intro as well. I have a bunch of Yankee and Red Sox autographs from my first game, including Elston Howard. Thurman hit a sure triple but stumbled between 2nd and 3rd and had to retreat with a sheepish grin. Thanks for your memories.
Stumbled and fell
Cey Hey- I see a shutout and zero strikeouts.
Great start to the weekend thanks to you.
Koosman was nails with Sox and I think Osteen pitched with Sox also
Yep, a three-hit shutout with zero strikeouts. Hard to believe these days.
One of my biggest baseball thrills occurred in that game: Willie Davis leading off the sixth with a triple to CF. Incredible speed, the helmet coming off as he flew around second to reveal that crop of hair. The whole time, my dad was jabbing me in the ribs with his elbow saying, “Look at him go. Look at him go.”
Btw, that was the final game Jim Fregosi played for the Mets, who sold him to the Rangers the next day. Six weeks earlier, Nolan Ryan pitched a no-hitter. Six weeks after Fregosi’s departure from the Mets, he pitched another.
Something I looked up yesterday: In four years with the Rangers, Fregosi batted against Ryan once. It was in the second inning of a game in Anaheim on April 9, 1974. Fregosi started the game in his old home ballpark. He was the third man up and walked to load the bases. Ryan faced seven batters that inning and retired none, walking four and allowing three hits.
Sigh. Jim Fregosi. Though I was a Dodger fan, I used to follow the Angels a bit because they were also from my hometown area. Great player for a while. My favorite Angel was Paul Schaal, who was later replaced as Royals 3B by my all-time favorite player, George Brett. I hated Brett at first…until I saw him play.
earmbrister, Carlstadt Little League was my intro. Every year, we’d see my dad’s Red Sox at Yankee Stadium and my Dodgers at Shea. We would otherwise pick a bunch of Sunday doubleheaders. I only got two autographs at the ballpark: Yankees 2B Horace Clarke after a Yankees-Sox game in 1968 and John McNamara when he was 3B coach for the A’s. It freaked me out last year when the two of them died a week apart.
Yes, Osteen pitched his final season for the White Sox. Career w/l of 196-195 doesn’t tell the story because he was a better pitcher than that.
They haven’t worked him to hard. He’s all they got and he sits nearly every night; especially when they trail.
It’s reds last season w castellanos. No way broke reds resign him when he opts out. They need to go for it now. Greene and lodolo are better than 70% of major league pitchers right now. Bring up your talent and show your fans you want to compete
Put something up about New York Mets GM Scott’s reaction to Alonsos comments. That would get some clicks……
Too bad the Reds don’t have 3 stud pitching prospects they could bring up and completely change the shape of this staff and of the teams playoff chances… oh, wait…
The Rockies need to let Hampson and Rodgers play everyday. They seem to want to play old washed up guys instead of developing their players. You are in last place. Owings will not fix that.
GriffeyJrFan, and make their trades asap so they’ll have more new players to assess and break in. They should move Marquez now ahead of the deadline. Teams everywhere need starting pitching and he will bring a healthy return. Work the phones and get the best deal possible. The way things are going in baseball, why risk the guy getting hurt? It’s not as if they’ll be contending for the remainder of his contract. Jays, Red Sox, Yankees, Cubs, Cards, Braves, Angels, etc. They can get something really good. The more 2021 starts he has left, the more attractive he’ll be.
Next-to-last, btw. It just feels like last. They and the Dbacks have much work to do. Moribund franchises in the wrong division.
Antone should go directly into Reds rotation when he comes off the IL..
Great to know that Sixto is working his way back again. Marlins need more than 3 reliable and (hopefully) healthy pitchers.
Of course, it doesn’t address the problem of taking leads into the 8th and 9th innings and our bullpen blowing them…but any progress is welcomed, even in bits and pieces.