The Reds announced they’ve placed infielders Jonathan India and Mike Moustakas on the 10-day injured list. India has a right hamstring strain, while Moustakas has a right biceps strain. In corresponding moves, Cincinnati recalled outfielder TJ Friedl and selected infielder JT Riddle from Triple-A Louisville. The Reds had a vacancy on the 40-man roster after placing outfielder Tyler Naquin on the COVID-19 IL last night.
India’s IL placement is retroactive to April 16, meaning he could first return a week from today. The 25-year-old hasn’t played since last Thursday, but the Reds have held off on placing him on the IL until this evening. That’d seemingly indicate Cincinnati doesn’t anticipate there being a lengthy absence, but India will require a bit more recovery time. The defending NL Rookie of the Year has just seven hits — six singles and a double — through his first 30 plate appearances.
Moustakas was scratched from last night’s starting lineup because of the biceps issue. After the game, manager David Bell told reporters (link via C. Trent Rosecrans of the Athletic) he anticipated the veteran would return to the lineup tonight. That obviously won’t be the case, as Moustakas is now out until the middle of next week. He’s off to a rough start to the year, going 4-31 with 13 strikeouts.
The Reds were already without shortstop José Barrero and offseason signee Donovan Solano. The infield mix is very thin at this point, with Brandon Drury, Colin Moran and Alejo López the top options for playing time. Moran and López are getting the nods at third and second base, respectively, for tonight’s game against the Padres.
Riddle adds some extra infield depth behind that group. Signed to a minor league deal over the offseason, the left-handed hitter cracks the majors for the sixth consecutive season. Riddle was a fairly frequently-used role player with the 2017-19 Marlins, but he’s picked up just brief cups of coffee with the Pirates and Twins over the past two seasons. Over 793 big league plate appearances, he owns a .223/.261/.355 slash line. Riddle has gotten out to a strong start in Louisville, hitting a pair of homers and doubles apiece en route to a .258/.333/.516 mark in nine games.
In more fortunate Reds injury news, starter Luis Castillo threw 35 pitches during a live batting practice session today, tweets Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer. The All-Star righty is set to begin a minor league rehab assignment this weekend.
dhud
Moose is addition by subtraction
Excited to see Friedl
kscheer
I had to read the names twice. JT and TJ made me do a double take
StPeteStingRays
I strained my eyes doing the same.
TJ JT TJ JT TJ JT
Steinbrenner2728
What’s funnier is that “Friedl” is pronounced “Free-Duhl”. Nice one, Reds, TJ Friedl and JT Riddle
mike156
Moose has some of the best timing anywhere…..this is a player who is guaranteed to earn almost $100M , 13.3 lifetime BWAR to date. 98 OPS+ lifetime…
Cosmo2
He was always an outrageously overrated player. I never understood all the buzz around him back then.
DarkSide830
that Royals team that won the WS was a very good team, but was a product of a lot of really good players rather than mostly great ones. Moose is in the same boat as Hosmer.
rct
I’ve always felt the same but was not sure if I was being unfairly biased because I quickly grew to hate him in the 2015 WS.
Yankee Clipper
Speaking of moose, man, Dan Vogelbach is huge. But I realized something looking at him. He looks like Luke Voit, just aged 10 years on his bad knees.
BeansforJesus
Luke about looks like a fat state trooper that takes his job way too seriously.
Voit wishes he looked as good as the babe.
Yankee Clipper
Lol, I could see that.
Pete'sView
If not for that contract he’d be DFA’d. And no one else wants that contract.
Evan Stanleyson
I saw the words ‘injured list’ in the headline 1st and didn’t see the rest of the headline initially and immediately figured it must be about Mike Trout.
Smelly_Cobb
Your other iterations are more succinct than this offering. 0/10
Evan Stanleyson
Didn’t see your entire comment initially and just saw the ’10’ so figured you were giving the comment a 10 out of 10.
BeansforJesus
Smart move. Turning your terrible joke into an ongoing terrible troll attempt. “Lmao, I’m not stupid and unfunny. I can’t believe you thought that, I got you so good”
Evan Stanleyson
Didn’t see your entire comment initially and just saw the ‘so good’ at first, so figured you were giving a compliment. PS your insults have no effect whatsoever and it should be known that mike trout (a pathetic shell of the player he used to be, in addition to not being a true team player) is fragile and weak.
Evan Stanleyson
Trout publicly sided strongly with pujols against the team, despite pujols being a terrible presence- including screaming at the manager in front of the entire team (unbelievable)- in addition to being a terrible player for years and years. Trout refused to move from CF for the good of the team this year, even though it has been nearly half a decade since he was a good CF and even though Marsh really needs to be playing CF. Used to be the favorite player, not anymore- the guy sucks. He was likeable pre-2021 when he was keeping his mouth shut (and when he was still in the early stages of his skills/durability falling off a cliff- a process that began in 2019).
sportsarerigged
Hey take this Trout nonsense elsewhere. This wall is for depressed Reds fans!
Yankee Clipper
I imagine Trout is probably basing some of his animosity off of the way in which the team has been handled during his tenure. I understand Trout chose to stay with the Angels, but if his disposition has changed that much, it may very well be because he understands the team is no more in contention now than when Pujols was relevant.
Evan Stanleyson
He should just be extremely grateful to be a mega millionaire for playing a game for a living- the Angles owe him absolutely nothing other than the staggering salary he is paid. And you’re exactly right about how he chose to stay with the team in exchange for hundreds of millions of dollars- he could have gone to another team but he chose to take the money and stay. He doesn’t deserve the slightest sympathy, especially when the publicly siding against the team and refusing to do what’s best for the team are factored. He’s no longer cool- he sucks.
Evan Stanleyson
The only thing trout does well now is batting (when he’s actually on the field)- that’s it. He used to be a great base stealer (through 2018)- now he’s a terrible base stealer. He used to be a good (not great, but good) fielder at a premium position through 2018, now he’s a below average (at best) fielder at a premium spot (really bad for the team since CF is so important and really bad for the team since they have Marsh who needs to be playing there- which is why they wanted him to move for the good of the team, yet he refused). He used to be durable, now he’s constantly injured or sick and he runs the bases with a protective glove and now after the hit by pitch, he says that he’s going to also wear a protective device for his arm or hand (or whatever). He’s soft, he’s fragile, he’s weak, he’s in major decline, and he will never win a World Series- deservedly so. And even if he does ‘win’ 1, it will be some time years and years from now when he’s no longer a contributing player (in other words, even if the team wins 1 with him on the roster, he will have basically nothing to do with it).
He will average 3-5 WAR of actual production for the next 3 years. That’s it.
BeansforJesus
Didn’t see all of your comment initially and just saw “….i….e….at…po….o…p” which I believe.
Cosmo2
“Batting” is….important
Evan Stanleyson
Yes, it’s important- and that’s the only reason he will average around 3-5 WAR for the next 3 years. He would be a bad player at this point if he weren’t for the great hitting. But even with the hitting, he is only roughly half the player he used to be in terms of value when the decline in fielding, durability, and base stealing are factored. He’s already a pathetic shell. And if/when his hitting declines significantly (could happen at any time at this point- about to be 31 years old), he will no longer even be good.
Cosmo2
At the very least a very good hitter? You’re saying that as if hitting isn’t by far the most important thing a position player can do. Who cares about stolen bases if he’s a top 3 OPS guy?
Evan Stanleyson
Being a bad CF hurts his value significantly- it would be a different story if he sucked as a corner OF instead of sucking as a CF. CF is one of the 2 or 3 most important positions on the field. Look at 2020- he had an OPS of .990, yet he only played at a pace of around 5 WAR because of his fielding and to a lesser extent because of the ending to his running game. He would have more value at this point as a DH.
Remember this (and I was saying this before the season as well): He will average around 3-5 WAR of actual production for the next 3 years. His dramatic decline in overall skillset and his fragility/weakness will limit him to 3-5 WAR average. Half the player he was in his prime in terms of overall value, at best. That’s it. It is insane that most still believe that he’s in his prime- he is already years removed from his prime. His time as a well rounded superstar lasted through 2018 and his time as a superstar at all lasted through 2019. He’s at least 3 years removed from his prime- arguably 4.
Cosmo2
He should be moved to a corner OF position, I agree on that. He will almost certainly begin to decline as of now, I agree on that also. But until I see otherwise I still consider him one of the most valuable players in the game, expected decline (and injuries) aside.
Bigball11
It’s gotta be hard going through life such an utterly hopeless, fkn moron.
gbs42
Thank you, mute button. Buh-bye, Evan.
titanic struggle
Fer the luva..sad
VegasSDfan
Reds are in trouble, they are terrible
DarkSide830
and make it double!
Gwynning
And that super thin bench just took a major hit. Riever has to bat 5th after the Red Legs lose their DH spot, I just hope Stephenson is ok! Luke didn’t mean any harm in that slide, from my angle.
Smelly_Cobb
Agreed, he had nothing to do with those meat hooks
Yankee Clipper
Yeah India is a big loss, obviously, which sucks because he’s such a fun player to watch. Hopefully it’s a minor injury & not one for which his whole season is adversely affected.
GarryHarris
I feel for you Reds fans.
Dustyslambchops23
35 comments and no is going to make a Jonathan Guardian joke?
bravesfan
That’s like their entire lineup lol