July 22: MLB.com’s Jon Morosi suggests Castellanos could be sidelined “for a couple weeks” due to the injury (Twitter link).
July 21: Reds right fielder Nick Castellanos revealed tonight in an Instagram Live appearance with Jomboy Media’s Chris Rose that a CT scan earlier today revealed a microfracture in his ailing right wrist (video link). Castellanos, who was hit by a pitch on the wrist last Friday, said he tried to play through the pain for a few games but will need to “take a couple days and see where I’m at.” He added that he’s unable to swing a bat at the moment.
It’s important to note that Castellanos didn’t provide any sort of outlook beyond taking a couple of days to rest and reevaluate. There’s no sense in speculating how much time he’ll miss beyond that initial down period, but even an absence of a few days is a tough blow for the Reds, given the current state of their roster and the context of the NL Central.
Cincinnati is already without slugger Mike Moustakas and is down three of its top relievers: Tejay Antone, Michael Lorenzen and Lucas Sims. The Reds have also dropped five of their first six games coming out of the All-Star break, including a three-game sweep at the hands of the division-leading Brewers.
The Reds are still very much alive in the postseason hunt, sitting six back of a Wild Card spot and six and a half games back of the Brewers in the division. But they’re also one of many teams whose deadline trajectory could be determined by their play over the next week, which magnifies the importance of even a brief absence from their best hitter.
Castellanos has been an absolute monster this season, batting .329/.383/.582 with 18 home runs, 29 doubles and a triple in 368 plate appearances. He’s vital to the team’s chances in the coming days, and if the club were to ultimately pivot and look to sell some veterans, he’d have been an in-demand player himself, given his ability to opt out of his contract at season’s end. Castellanos is in the second season of a four-year, $64MM contract with Cincinnati but can forgo the final two years and $34MM on that deal and return to the open market this winter.
However long Castellanos is down, the Reds can turn to Aristides Aquino and Shogo Akiyama to help cover in right field. They’re also sending the injured Nick Senzel out on a minor league rehab assignment this week, so he could be an option to help out before long. Manager David Bell told reporters today (Twitter link via Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer) that Senzel will see time both at center field and shortstop during his rehab stint.
The Baseball Fan
Thank god for that Micro
DarkSide830
at least it wasnt a macrofracture
The Baseball Fan
Yes, that would be very bad…
metsie1
He pinch hit against the Mets. If they/he knew he was injured seems like a bad risk to let him play.
earmbrister
Which they apparently did not know about until the following day.
stymeedone
Next headline will read “Every player involved in a trade rumor put on IL”
Rsox
Season ending surgery and not opting out this winter forthcoming?
Joe It All
As a Reds fan I can dream he won’t opt out but I would like to see them do the opposite of a Reds move and lock him up to a multi year contract. It will cost a fortune but he’s worth every penny and quickly has become a fan favorite (that actually produces) in Cincinnati.
BeforeMcCourt
Like weathers in SD, it’s likely a pain tolerance thing. This certainly is the thing that can linger, but doubt it’s season ending by any means unless it’s worse than we know
oldmansteve
Season ending surgery for a micro fracture? He’d opt out either way.
Inside Out
That stinks. I guess he still opts out even if out rest of season.
worthington
Red’s don’t have a prayer.
earmbrister
Just like the Milwaukee Bucks.
nentwigs
The pitcher who hit him, Adrian Houser, should have been suspended immediately and remained so until Castellanos is able to return to the Red’s lineup at full strength.
Just when will MLB stop dancing around the issue of the batter being injured and missing playing time while the pitcher and his team suffer no repercussions. JUSTICE !!
2id
You’re all sorts of stupid aren’t you? Using that logic should we suspend NFL players who injure someone on a tackle? Or better yet, let’s suspend players if their foul balls injure someone in the stands?
schellis 2
I’m not really opposed to this if it’s a clearly intentional head shot. Sometimes pitchers don’t even miss a game if team gets creative.
augold5
It wasn’t intentional smh
Col_chestbridge
See actually while it’s a bad suggestion for baseball (because players lean in, and it’s very clearly not intentional), that’s actually a *good* suggestion for football. If you hit someone illegally and it results in an injury, you’re out as long as they are. If their career or season is finished, so is yours.
That would eliminate a lot of the headhunting.
GabeOfThrones
The helmet to helmet rule has already eliminated the worst hits in the game. Anything vicious nowadays is almost always accidental.
oldmansteve
Most illegal hits are due to happenstance not malice. Suspending a safety because the runner decided to duck at the last second is stupid.
JoeBrady
They need to review some of those plays. I’ve seen quite a few times where the runner simply changed direction or angle. There has to be some intention, or reckless endangerment attached to it.
ChiSox_Fan
Stick to baseball!!
nentwigs
Pro football is a contact sport. Injuries are to be expected.
I’m referring to a defenseless, vulnerable batter who is hit,
(supposedly unintentionally) is injured and misses time and in the mean time neither the pitcher who hit him, nor the team he plays for suffers any repercussions.
Our pitcher hit your batter with a pitch…?
He’s gonna be unable to play for 8 weeks?
He’ll then 2 more weeks of rehab to get up to speed ?
WELL,
SORRY UH UH UH !!
ksoze
It wasn’t an intentional beaning of Castellanos, he was pitching in, which is completely normal. 2 days earlier when Suarez got hit by Hader, that was intentional. You are right that there is no real repercussions for pitchers hitting batters, while there are real physical consequences for the hit batsmen.
Also baseball is dealing with an overly effective pitching game. Maybe there should be a suspension for hit batsmen. If a batter attempted to avoid contact, and a batter was hit, the pitcher is ejected. This would lower or even eliminate the brush back, and give the batter a better chance to put the ball in play. It would also limit injuries, and fights. Seems better than some of the other ideas floating around the league to improve the offensive side of the game.
Rsox
For the most part the days of “head hunting” in Baseball are over. The guys who used to be famous for it were guys that were actual pitchers who knew how to change speeds and had pin point location skills. Now they are just throwers who throw at “max effort” and most can’t control where the ball is going. I doubt Houser hit Castellanos on purpose.
However in a more general stance i would like to see a change in how suspensions are handed out to pitchers. For relievers the current way is fine, missing team games is the same as if they were position players. But for starting pitchers it needs to be changed to starts because teams just manipulate their rotations so the pitcher doesn’t miss an actual start (most recent example being Toronto and Alek Manoah)
Dustyslambchops23
Makes no sense.
When you suspend a player 5 games, they miss approx 3% of their overall games.
Starting pitchers play around 30 games, if you suspend them 5 games (so 25 days in your idea) that’s about 17% of the season.
Do you really think Manoah deserved to lose 17% of his season for what he did?
JimmyTheC
I don’t think he’s suggesting that at all. But if you suspend a starting pitcher 5 games he just gets pushed back a day. If you suspend him long enough where he actually gets one fewer start, there’s your 3 percent.
Rsox
Let me be more detailed: If you base it on actual starts you wouldn’t be suspending them for 5 starts, the suspensions would be lower. So if an average suspension is 5 games for position players/relievers than make the average suspension for a starter 1 to 2 starts depending on why the player was suspended. In the case of PED’s or other drug or domestic violence situations keep suspensions as is
SalaryCapMyth
Calling for heads when someone accidentally got hurt has a pretty bad look.
While that might be true, I do feel wigs pain. Accident or not, it’s still going to cost the Reds somewhere around 10 games of production from their best bat while they pursue a playoff spot. Injuries are a part of this game and you have to accept that but that is very frustrating.
Clif
That would be the worst idea I have ever heard of. There were Brewer players also hit in that series between the Brewers and Reds. Are we going to pass a new rule that only if a player gets hurt when hit that a pitcher losses time. Next thing you know is that players will fake injuries if they get hit by a star pitcher. Imagine it is game 1 of the World Series. In the 7th inning a pinch hitter batting .200 comes in and gets beaned by Kershaw. The player fakes an injury, and Kershaw is out the rest of the World Series. You will have players moving into pitches to get star pitchers out of a game.
chicagofan1978
So, what’s going on with this guy? I like him but is he playing a heel wrestling role? He’s good as hell but he’s doing some questionable things lately. Does he actually have a micro fracture or is he trying to play superhero?
lamars
Huh?♂
ShootyBabbit
Thom Brenneman ruined this guy
oldmansteve
Questionable things = flexed on a guy once
arizan
*After getting purposefully drilled.
Binnington50
*For acting like a complete DB
sfes
*so he gets a baseball thrown at him at 95 MPH? I thought that Bronze Age baseball thinking was dying? That’s insanely stupid and should have serious consequences for the offending pitcher and manager.
If someone insulted you on the street and you retaliated similarly you’d be jailed and possibly even charged with attempted murder if they survived
sfes
Are we talking about when he did that weird roar when he slid into home? Yeah I’ll admit it was kinda D-baggy but still, responding to that with what could amount to assault with a deadly weapon if one finger slips or the wrong idiot is told to bean him is stupid and has no place in the game in 2021. It’s a GAME. The guy was pumped and over the top in his celebration. I’m amazed how all these “tough old school” guys get their feelings hurt so easily when the dumb “unwritten rules” are broken.
SalaryCapMyth
Baseball fans have loooooooong memories and sometimes over the silliest stuff. Their are Braves fans who still HATE Bryce Harper and if you ask them why they will probably bring up the time he dragged his foot across the Atlanta “A” walking to the batters box. That happened so long ago and it wasn’t like the Atlanta fans weren’t antagonizing the situation by booing him loudly before he did it.
Rivalries develop like this but sometimes the sources of those rivalry are just childish.
raulp
The final blow
Dorothy_Mantooth
Don’t confuse a micro-fracture with micro-fracture surgery. They are two separate things entirely. A micro-fracture in the wrist is the same as a hairline fracture. It’s very small and usually repairs itself with rest. Micro-fracture surgery is a method where they try to stimulate cartilage growth by creating tiny fractures in the bones surrounding the injury site. Nick should be fine after a week or two of rest.
DocBB
Reds ownership and management are the biggest morons in baseball..
hooosier64
This is 100% — been saying that for years even when they make the right trade they the bed
redsorbust
Would the Reds get more for Castellanos by trading him before the deadline than the draft pick Reds will get for him once he signs elsewhere? That’s now assuming he can recover before or soon after if he is traded.
I don’t see the Reds winning anything this year. Too many injured Reds players would have to come back healthy and strong and so far that has not happened. Castillo, Gray and Suarez have played well below where they should be even with an average year. Moustakas and Senzel will come back but will they hit above .250 before the next injury?
Castellanos is having a career year, so far. His career BA is .278. Don’t see a team like the Reds paying premium price for multiple years for him.
Getting swept by Brewers after the break and subsequent miserable showing against a depleted Mets team shows just how fragile this team is.
I think we should trade Castellanos to a team that is playing for the playoffs and beyond. Should probably get at least one good above average relief pitcher. As much as i want the Reds to win the world series in four games this year I really think we need to be building for next year with strong pieces around the guys coming up from the minors.
msqboxer
He has 2 years $32MM left if he doesn’t opt out and another $20MM on a mutual option. Why not build around him and extend him into his year 33 and 34 that way you could have him for another 5 years. The guy has some fire and the Reds need someone like that…The only way he opts out is if some ponies up more years, I think the $16-$20MM a year range is right for him,
redsorbust
Hey msqboxer. Thanks for responding. I personally think he would want a large increase for AAV. Right now from what you say he is getting $16m per year? I think he will go for big payday as it will probably last time he might get it. I don’t think a small market team like Reds should give so much to one player just because he is having a career 1/2 year. Most times guys go back to their career averages. Reds strapped themselfs years ago with Votto contract. While I am glad they signed Joey the no trade was the problem. If we are the Yankees we can absorb expensive long term contracts where the last two, three years the player declines. Anyway I would love them to sign him long term but will ownership pony up for other players or cheap out because they pay one player so much and we end up in mediocreville? Hope you have a great day!
ashlandateam
Hey remember when Castellanos got suspended for yelling at a guy who hit him earlier this year? Turns out, batters have every right to be mad when guys throw up and in at them. This effectively ends the Reds season, and it can end anyone’s. Maybe in the future when batters get emotional over being thrown at, the league office can understand they have a point, huh?
sfes
I posted this higher up in the thread but I think that this issue needs more attention:
*so he gets a baseball thrown at him at 95 MPH? I thought that Bronze Age baseball thinking was dying? That’s insanely stupid and should have serious consequences for the offending pitcher and manager.
If someone insulted you on the street and you retaliated similarly you’d be jailed and possibly even charged with attempted murder if they survived
1975Reds
I’m in total agreement. India is the most hit batter in baseball. If the Reds would just decide that they aren’t going to tolerate this crap anymore and maybe charge the mound…raise some kind of a ruckus…anything to draw attention to the issue…intentional or not. Eventually someone will get seriously hurt.
1975Reds
@ashlandateam…please read my post
krockMETS
This sucks. Hate to see any player get injured, let alone a great one like Castellanos, as there’s a high drive into deep left field by Castellanos and that’ll make it a 4-0 ballgame.
retire21
Castellanos is a “great player.”
Hmmm.
sfes
KRock as in 92.3 before they killed that station years ago?
sdfriarfan
Padres should still go for this guy. If he is only out for a couple weeks, we should still be close enough to make a run.
sfes
If they were open to trading him man I was dreaming of the Mets jumping on it but the Reds are technically still in it. He’d be a huge upgrade lever Myers though. Wouldn’t you prefer they try for Gallo first?
sdfriarfan
I would not. I prefer Castellanos to Gallo. He makes more consistent contact. His defense may not be at Gallo’s level but I still prefer Castellanos.
sfes
True, but I was also considering their respective contract situations as well. With Gallo you don’t have to worry about an opt out and you’re set for at least next year as well.
sfes
Gallo isn’t exactly a slouch. Taken from another MLBTR article on the Friars:
Gallo is hitting .233/.391/.510 and pacing MLB in total walks and walk percentage, and he’s been one of the game’s hottest hitters since early June: .282/.444/.748(!!!) in his past 133 plate appearances.
sdfriarfan
True that is absolutely something to consider. If a deal were to be made for Castellanos, I’m pretty sure Preller would address that point before agreeing to acquire him. Also to consider, Gallo doesn’t really want to be traded (or so I’ve read) so he may not be a wise choice either.
jessaumodesto
My top 3 favorite food groups:
3. Fruit (not a huge veggie fan)
2. Dairy (love ice cream)
1. Meat (fan of steaks)
CalcetinesBlancos
This is why you should have an idea of what value you are looking for in a trade, and you do that trade if it presents itself. It’s insane how many players get hurt right around the deadline it seems.
1975Reds
How do you get rid of duplicate comments?
Dorothy_Mantooth
Duplicate comments usually only show up on the App (not via the url: website), but they tend to correct themselves. When you post on the App, you often see it post twice but the duplicate does go away on its own in most cases. You can edit/delete your comments on the website but not on the App.
Dorothy_Mantooth
If he is not back / healthy by the deadline and the Reds still want to trade him, they will most likely have to agree on a PTBNL. The quality of that player or players would depend on how much he is able to play for the rest of the year and if he opts out or not. Not sure if that risk is worth it for the Reds as the compensatory pick might be more attractive to them.
Dorothy_Mantooth
Strike that, I don’t believe they get a compensatory pick for an opt out.
Armaments216
The team does get a comp pick for a declined QO after an opt out. Similar situation with Strasburg after 2919 when he opted out of his contract. Nats extended a QO, Strasburg declined and became a FA. Nats would have gotten a compensatory pick had Strasburg signed with another team, although he eventually agreed to a new contract with the Nationals.
Reds1
This injury all but assures the Reds miss the postseason.