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Reds Sign Walker Lockett To Minor League Deal

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The Reds have signed right-hander Walker Lockett to a minor league contract, Bobby Nightengale Jr. of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports (Twitter link).  After working as a starter and a reliever during his MLB career, Lockett will be built up for rotation work for Cincy.

Lockett has a 7.67 ERA over 54 MLB innings, appearing with the Padres, Mets, and Mariners from 2018-20.  Primarily a groundball pitcher who didn’t generate many whiffs in either the minors or majors, Lockett had trouble keeping the ball on the grass in the big leagues, allowing 12 home runs over his 54 frames of work.

There were signs of improvement for Lockett in 2021, however, after he signed a one-year deal with The Korea Baseball Organization’s Doosan Bears.  The right-hander posted a 2.98 ERA, 20.74% strikeout rate, and only five homers allowed over 124 innings of KBO League action.

Lockett started all 21 of his games for the Bears, and he has worked primarily as a starter throughout his minor league career.  It makes sense that the Reds would keep him stretched out to see what he can provide as possible rotation depth for some point this season.  In what is already looking like a lost year for Cincinnati, some rotation vacancies could open up should the likes of Luis Castillo or Tyler Mahle be traded before the deadline.

Reds To Activate Luis Castillo From 10-Day Injured List

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Luis Castillo will make his season debut on Monday, as the Reds will activate the right-hander from the 10-day injured list to start their game against the Brewers.  Castillo suffered soreness in his throwing shoulder during Spring Training, which required an IL visit and a late start to his 2022 campaign.

The former All-Star has allowed only a single earned run over 10 1/3 innings during his minor league rehab assignment, albeit with a troubling eight walks.  Nevertheless, the focus on rehab assignments is more health and tune-up work rather than results, and after three rehab outings, Castillo appears to be ready to return to the Show.

Counting Castillo since he has yet to be officially activated, the Reds have a whopping 14 players on the injured list, which has been a big factor in the team’s disastrous start.  Even after winning two of three games in their weekend series with the Pirates, Cincinnati has only a 5-23 record.

It is a lot to ask of Castillo to try and turn things around for the Reds by himself, and it remains to be seen if the right-hander will immediately be in good form once he takes the mound.  Castillo has traditionally been something of a slow starter, as April and May are his worst months by ERA.  If it takes him a while to really get going, it will not only impact whatever tiny chance the Reds have of getting on track, but it would also hamper Castillo’s value as a possible trade chip heading into the deadline.  Since Castillo is controlled (via arbitration) through the 2023 season, the Reds should be able to command a nice trade return for Castillo, assuming that he is pitching like his usual self.

Reds Select Joel Kuhnel, Designate Robert Dugger

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The Reds announced that they have selected the contract of right-hander Joel Kuhnel. Fellow righty Robert Dugger has been designated for assignment in a corresponding move.

Kuhnel got small bits of action with the Reds in 2019 and 2020, logging 12 2/3 MLB innings in total. In that small sample, he has a career ERA of 4.97 with a 21.8% strikeout rate and 9.1% walk rate. After the 2020 campaign, he was designated for assignment and outrighted to the minors. Last year, injuries limited him to just eight innings on the year.

This year, however, he appears to be healthy and off to a good start. Now 27 years old, he’s thrown 10 1/3 innings in Triple-A so far this season, with a 2.61 ERA. His 16.7% strikeout rate is a dip from previous seasons, but he’s got a tiny 2.4% walk rate and hefty 57.6% ground ball rate in that small sample.

As for Dugger, it will prove to be a very short stay on the Reds roster, as he was just claimed off waivers from the Rays on Wednesday. The Rays had selected his contract just before active rosters were about to shrink from 28 to 26. They threw him out out on the mound for 87 pitches of mop-up duty over 5 1/3 innings before designating him for assignment. The Reds put in a claim and treated him similarly, giving him a three-inning, 59-pitch appearance in the second game of yesterday’s doubleheader before cutting him from the roster. He’ll now likely head back onto the waiver wire and see if another team in need of arms will give him a chance.

Minor MLB Transactions: 5/7/22

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Today’s minor moves from around baseball…

  • The Reds outrighted Aristides Aquino to Triple-A after the outfielder cleared waivers.  Aquino was designated for assignment last week, a move Cincinnati had to make in order to demote Aquino since he is out of minor league options.  Aquino had only a .215 OPS over his first 43 plate appearances, with two hits in 41 at-bats.

Reds Designate Buck Farmer For Assignment

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The Reds announced a series of transactions this afternoon. Robert Dugger, recently claimed off waivers from the Rays, has reported to the team and joined the active roster. Reliever Buck Farmer has been designated for assignment to open space. Cincinnati also activated outfielder Tyler Naquin from the COVID-19 injured list and returned “substitute player” Ronnie Dawson to Triple-A Louisville.

Cincinnati signed Farmer to a minor league deal over the offseason, and he made the Opening Day roster. The veteran righty has worked 12 innings over ten appearances, allowing ten runs (nine earned) on 15 hits and seven walks. Farmer has struck out a solid 17 batters with a personal-best 13.2% swinging strike rate, but the Reds have elected to go in a different direction based on the poor results.

Before this season, the 31-year-old Farmer had spent his entire career with the Tigers. He often soaked up multiple innings out of the bullpen and posted a sub-4.00 ERA in both seasons from 2019-20, but his final year in Detroit was disappointing. Farmer posted a 6.37 ERA in 35 1/3 innings last year, walking 12.3% of opponents in the process.

The Reds have a week to trade Farmer or place him on waivers. The latter seems likelier given his rough start to the season. He has more than five years of MLB service, meaning he can refuse an outright assignment in favor of free agency while still collecting his $850K salary. In any event, it seems Farmer’s time in the Cincinnati organization is coming to a close.

Dawson’s return to Louisville removes him from the 40-man roster after one appearance. He was selected as a designated COVID replacement when Naquin hit the injured list (alongside Nick Senzel) on Wednesday. Now that Naquin has been cleared to return, Dawson heads back to the minors. Albert Almora Jr. was selected as a substitute at the same time and remains on the MLB roster with Senzel still out of action.

Reds Select Albert Almora, Ronnie Dawson

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The Reds announced this evening that outfielders Nick Senzel and Tyler Naquin have been placed on the COVID-19 injured list. Fellow outfielders Albert Almora Jr. and Ronnie Dawson have been selected to the majors as designated COVID substitutes.

It’s the second time this season that both Senzel and Naquin have gone on the virus list. They join first baseman Joey Votto, who hit the COVID list yesterday. The team didn’t announce whether either player has tested positive, is dealing with symptoms, or has been identified as a close contact.

That the team specified Almora’s and Dawson’s selections as being of the “substitute” variety is notable for their roster status. Under the 2022 health and safety protocols, the commissioner’s office has the sole discretion to determine whether a team has been sufficiently impacted by COVID to call up “substitute” players. If granted permission, the team can then return those substitutes back to Triple-A (and, if he was not previously on the 40-man, off the roster entirely) without utilizing a minor league option or passing the player through waivers.

Neither Almora nor Dawson were previously on the 40-man roster. Almora inked a minor league contract over the offseason, while the Reds plucked Dawson from the Astros in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft. Both players can thus be taken off the 40-man and returned to Triple-A Louisville without clearing waivers as the team gets healthier.

Almora is the more familiar name for most fans. A top ten pick of the Cubs in 2012, he spent a few seasons as Chicago’s primary center fielder. Almora played strong defense and hit at a roughly league average level for his first couple years in the majors, but his offensive output turned downwards beginning in 2019. He played in 47 games but only tallied 54 plate appearances for the Mets last season. He has gotten off to a productive if atypical start at Louisville, hitting .380/.392/.460. Almora has walked just once in 51 plate appearances, but he’s also only punched out twice.

Dawson is an Ohio native who played collegiately at Ohio State. He made a brief debut with Houston last season, tallying six plate appearances in three games. The 26-year-old is hitting .283/.377/.435 over 106 plate appearances with the Bats. He has suited up at all three outfield positions but spent the majority of his time in the corners.

Reds Claim Robert Dugger From Rays

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The Reds have claimed right-hander Robert Dugger off waivers from the Rays.  Tampa Bay designated Dugger for assignment on Monday.

After signing a minor league deal with the Rays during Spring Training, Dugger’s tenure with the club will end after a single game.  The Rays selected Dugger’s contract on May 1 and he tossed 5 1/3 innings of relief work after starter Josh Fleming was hit hard in a 9-3 loss to the Twins.

Dugger has now made at least one appearance in each of the last four MLB seasons, albeit in sparing fashion — he has pitched 76 innings over 24 total games with the Marlins, Mariners, and Rays.  Dugger started 12 of those games and has primarily worked as a starter throughout his minor league career, so he automatically becomes a rotation candidate for a Reds team that has been plagued with injuries.

Luis Castillo, Mike Minor, and Nick Lodolo are all still working their way back from the IL, so in the interim, Dugger could potentially start for Cincinnati as early as Saturday, when the Reds host the Pirates in a doubleheader.  The struggling Reds don’t have another off-day until May 16, so some arms will be needed to eat innings until some of the regular starters return from the injured list.

Reds Place Joey Votto On Injured List, Activate Tyler Stephenson

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5:26pm: Votto has not tested positive; he self-reported symptoms, according to manager David Bell (via Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer). He is day-to-day.

3:37pm: The Reds announced they’ve placed Joey Votto on the COVID-19 injured list. Catcher Tyler Stephenson was reinstated from the IL to take his spot on the active roster. Cincinnati also recalled infielder Alejo López from Triple-A Louisville while optioning backstop Mark Kolozsvary.

The team didn’t specify whether Votto’s IL placement is reflective of a positive COVID test, virus-like symptoms, or exposure to someone who tested positive. Under the league’s 2022 health-and-safety protocols, players who test positive are subject to a 10-day absence from the club, though it’s possible to be reinstated in less time if the player has gone 24 or more hours without a fever, received a pair of negative PCR tests, and been given approval from a team physician and the MLB/MLBPA joint committee (a panel of one league-appointed and one union-appointed physician). If Votto is “merely” dealing with symptoms, he could return in shorter order. Players who test negative can return once their symptoms dissipate, so long as they’re cleared by the joint committee and the team doctor.

Stephenson returns after a two-week absence. The talented young catcher was injured in a collision with Padres first baseman Luke Voit at home plate during a game on April 19. Stephenson suffered a concussion, leaving the Reds to rely on an Aramis Garcia – Kolozsvary pairing behind the dish. It marked another blow to a Reds’ lineup that has been anemic through the season’s first month. Stephenson had been off to an impressive .267/.378/.467 start even as the club languished at or near the bottom of the league in most offensive categories.

Votto has been part of that miserable month, as he’d been off to a terrible start. Through 22 games, the six-time All-Star is hitting just .122/.278/.135 with a lofty 32.2% strikeout rate.

Reds Place Jake Fraley, Jonathan India On Injured List

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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.

Reds Designate Aristides Aquino, Select Connor Overton

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The Reds announced that outfielder Aristides Aquino has been designated for assignment.  The move opens up roster space for right-hander Connor Overton, whose contract was officially selected in time to start tonight’s game.

Aquino was off to a miserable start, with only two hits and a .215 OPS over his first 43 plate appearances.  Since Aquino is out of options, the Reds had no choice but to DFA the outfielder, and they now risk losing him on the waiver wire.  It remains to be seen if Aquino might generate any interest, considering he has batted only .164/.271/.347 over 303 PA since the start of the 2020 season.

Then again, a team might take a flier on Aquino to see if a change of scenery might help him rediscover any of his amazing 2019 form.  Aquino made his big league debut with one game in the 2018 season, and then returned to the majors after being called up by Cincinnati on August 1, 2019.  Aquino then went on one of the more memorable out-of-nowhere tears in recent memory, as he hit 15 homers and slashed .313/.379/.750 over his first 124 PA.  Even after that Ruthian month, however, Aquino significantly cooled off during September.

Playing mostly as a right fielder during his career, Aquino has experience in both left and center, so he at least offers three-position depth even if he isn’t a defensive standout anywhere on the grass.  Nick Senzel, Tommy Pham, Tyler Naquin, and Jake Fraley make up the Reds’ top outfield choices on the current roster, with Matt Reynolds and Brandon Drury able to play some outfield in a pinch.

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