1:05 pm: In yet another injury blow for the Reds, second baseman Jonathan India is going on the injured list due to an injury to his right hamstring. The move is retroactive to April 30. Alejo Lopez has been recalled to take his place.
Last year’s National League Rookie of the Year, India has been off a bit of a slow start to the year, perhaps because of this hamstring issue, which first put him on the shelf April 16. His .295/.311/.341 line amounts to a wRC+ of 85, which is 37 points below last year’s mark. Matt Reynolds, playing second base today, could see more time with India out. Mike Moustakas could also play more third base, with Brandon Drury sliding over to the keystone.
Of course, Lopez could also figure into that mix, as he’s capable of both playing second and third base, as well as shortstop and left field. He’s off to a slow start in Triple-A this year, but hit .303/.386/.446 there last year, walking more than he struck out and putting up a 126 wRC+.
12:56 pm: The Reds announced to members of the media, including Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer, that outfielder Jake Fraley is headed to the injured list with right knee inflammation. Fellow outfielder TJ Friedl has been recalled to take his place.
This is yet another domino in what has been a very frustrating series of events for the fans of the Reds. In the offseason, a number of the club’s better players were shipped out as the club attempted to lower payroll. One such move was the deal that sent Jesse Winker and Eugenio Suarez to the Mariners, with four players coming back the other way, one of those being Fraley. Once the season began, a rash of injuries took a toll on the players who remained, with the club limping out to a 3-18 start to the season, easily the worst in the league.
Fraley had a solid season in Seattle last year but hasn’t played well since moving to Cincy, perhaps because of this knee issue. This isn’t something that just popped up suddenly, as he also missed a few games earlier in the season because of it. On the year, he’s hitting .116/.208/.233, but will now take some time to heal up and hopefully come back healthier and more productive.
The club’s outfield depth has also taken a hit with a couple of notable cuts, as both Shogo Akiyama and Aristides Aquino have been released this season. Friedl will slot into the outfield mix alongside Tommy Pham, Tyler Naquin, Nick Senzel and Matt Reynolds. Friedl hasn’t hit much in his MLB action thus far, though in a small sample of just 17 games. In 128 Triple-A games, however, he’s hit a decent .256/.356/.412.
Curly Was The Smart Stooge
Cincy, here’s your chance to grab Holland! You snooze, you lose.
Oh wait, the Reds have been snoozing & losing…
Time for a wake up call
mbauza25
They also should go after Ronald Torreyes
48-team MLB
Relocate them to Columbus immediately.
LarsAnderson
Would that help?
48-team MLB
Sometimes players just need a change of scenery. Maybe some franchises do too…
Cincyfan85
That’s a dumb idea. No offense.
48-team MLB
@Cincyfan85
Your team is 3-19. No offense.
DarkSide830
and now they’re starting Matt Reynolds. amazing.
Curly Was The Smart Stooge
India out, Pakistan in, Holland waiting in the wings
4thefences
Plus Votto is totally lost at the plate. It’s not that he’s hitting right at the fielders, his timing is way off and looks horrible with his ABs.
davidewhitt
Watch out. The Reds fans that have fought the rebuild to get us where we are now get mad if you say anything negative about Votto!
4thefences
Votto has always been a favorite of mine. Just stating the obvious and I hope he finds his groove.
mbauza25
Is time for him to hang it up
Cincyfan85
He just had a fantastic year. A little quick to suggest retirement over not even 100 AB’s lol.
FromTheCheapSeats
The rebuild?
Rebuilds can happen a couple of ways…
1. Trade vets for prospects;
2. Clear payroll, and use the savings to bring in free agents; or
3. Some combination of 1 and 2.
This isn’t a “rebuild.” It’s a tear down.
Or maybe “the plan” is to use the #1 overall pick on a generational talent that will save the franchise.
A couple problems with that strategy… The Reds pick 18th this year. The 2023 #1 overall pick – even on the off chance that he is that guy – will be MLB ready about the same time as Greene and Lodolo hit free agency.
This team was soooo close.
TradeAcuna
Just sickening how the Braves are responsible for 2 of the 3 Reds wins this season so far. The Braves are still struggling against bad teams to this day.
Curly Was The Smart Stooge
I’m with you Not Woke, Swanson & Duvall are striking out way too much. Both are streak hitters, let’s start streaking fellas!
TradeAcuna
That won’t happen until they make significant changes in the summer. The core is what they are…bad.
Curly Was The Smart Stooge
Too soon for that, the core is good but they’re cold. Give them a chance. If AA needs to make changes, he will.
Curly Was The Smart Stooge
Braves leave starting pitcher Muller in after he walks 6 & has 5 hits in 3 innings…..WTF? You trying to lose?
Keep watching, it’s pathetic
TradeAcuna
C’mon, what is the difference between the Braves now and in the first half last season? They are the same team. It is no coincidence either. They can’t beat anybody. At least Acuna is back..striking out again numerous times.
48-team MLB
Swanson and Duvall will probably be gone after this year. The same likely goes for Morton. They’re going to have to retool a bit. It won’t be a full rebuild but there will be significant roster turnover.
Curly Was The Smart Stooge
Why do you leave a young starting pitcher, in his home town w/family watching, do you leave him in to get his clock cleaned? This is one of the worst managed games I’ve seen. from the Braves. Again, thet’re losing to a sub par team.
48-team MLB
It’s because they have four games in three days against the Mets. I don’t blame them for not wanting to wear down the bullpen. However, I do blame them for starting Muller in the first place.
Curly Was The Smart Stooge
The really good teams never throw away a game, always try to win. This was a throw away game & it pisses me off.
TradeAcuna
Good teams don’t lose the Reds, Rangers, Nationals, and Marlins. The Braves have done all that. At least they beat (barely) the Cubs. Again, this is last season’s first half again except the Braves don’t have Freeman. Long season ahead!
Changes begin when they stop sending Elder and Muller. Too bad Touki is worse that the previous two. Strider is the only chance here but he walks a ton too so I don’t think he is the answer.
48-team MLB
@Not Woke
You must be forgetting that the Braves had a lot of these same players (obviously Freeman is gone) in 2018, 2019 and 2020 (fake season) and won the division all of those years. They won 97 games in 2019. I would actually say that they’re deeper at the catcher position now than they were in any of those years.
bucketbrew35
I feel for Reds fans.
b00giem@n
There is no solace this year. I hear we get Drury and Moran the optimist in me thinks “well, they were at one point productive.” Same with Pham etc.. only to have the reality that they are done settle in.
I also don’t get why Fraley wasn’t used more up to this point he gets in base..
But where ya gonna go?
raulp
Only replacement level players, that’s all
Curly Was The Smart Stooge
Reds fans have their own hands, let them feel for themselves
Armaments216
The Reds stink so much it overwhelms the other senses.
mbauza25
Hard to be a reds fan
FromTheCheapSeats
Impossible.
50 years as a Reds fan… this off-season was too much for me.
I will not buy a ticket. I will not watch on TV. I will not but a single piece of merch until the Castellinis sell the team.
GarryHarris
It can only get better.
letmeclearmythroat74
Someone said that at 3 and 15
48-team MLB
Here is my final prediction…
21-141
Alan Horn
The problem with the Reds is at the top. So much collateral damage has been done, it will take at least 3-5 years to recover. And that includes a change in ownership..
ekrog
Where the hell are they going to find 21 wins?!?
ekrog
Sell your son, Bob.
FromTheCheapSeats
“Fraley . . . hasn’t played well since moving to Cincy, perhaps because of this knee issue.”
…or perhaps because he’s just not very good.
Fraley was the worst part of a ridiculous trade and was only included because he was an extremely cheap roster option. Why would anybody be surprised that he’s not hitting?
TradeBait
Can any reasonable baseball fan look at the line-up, overall roster, coaching staff, etc. and honestly believe there is a bright future ahead?
Nope.
So what is left to do besides sell the team? Nothing. The fans feel abandoned and disrespected by ownership. They don’t have to spend money on the Reds, They can save it and spend it on the Bengals, the Bearcats or other entertainment.