NOTE: The game is being broadcast for free at MLB.com.
Let’s welcome Shin-Soo Choo back to the lineup today. The Reds’ lead-off hitter had been held out of a few games due to a sore quadricep muscle. Choo will hit in the DH slot, but not play in the OF. Ryan Hanigan remains sidelined with a sore oblique. Devin Mesoraco continued his solid spring at the plate with a double yesterday.
Johnny Cueto takes the mound today vs. the Diamondbacks for his second start of the season. Mark Sheldon reports that following Cueto will be Sean Marshall, Manny Parra, Jonathan Broxton and Clay Hensley. You can also read Sheldon’s report on Homer Bailey’s deadly performance yesterday. The Lion Killer struck out five over two innings. Per Sheldon:
“I would have liked to have more first-pitch strikes,” Bailey said. “A couple of them missed by a little bit. Overall, it was pretty good. [Cain’s] hit was a slider up a little bit. It was still a good pitch. Probably at 1-1, you want to make a little better pitch than that.”
The game takes place at 3:10 EST at the new Salt River Fields in Scotsdale. It’s supposedly the nicest of all the Cactus League stadiums. Being a road game, several of the regulars (JoeyMVP, Jay Bruce etc.). Here’s the lineup per Mark Sheldon:
Choo DH
Cozart 6
Soto 3
Ludwick 7
Heisey 9
Hannahan 5
Phipps 8
Olivo 2
Izturis 4
Cueto 1
UPDATE: Turns out that Shin-Soo Choo didn’t DH today. Kirk Gibson didn’t want to use a DH, so even though Dusty Baker did, Gibson as the home team manager gets the final say. Apparently it led to “testy exchange” and Dusty Baker refusing to shake Kirk Gibson’s hand. Reporting by Aaron Gleeman at NBC Sports.