The Reds play the Milwaukee Brewers this afternoon in Maryvale. The game starts at 4:05 p.m. and will be broadcast live on the MLB Network, streamed on MLB.tv and broadcast on MLB.com radio. Here is the lineup:
- Billy Hamilton CF
- Jose Peraza 2B
- Joey Votto 1B
- Jay Bruce RF
- Adam Duvall 3B
- Scott Schebler LF
- Ivan De Jesus SS
- Tucker Barnhart C
Anthony DeSclafani will take the mound as the starting pitcher.
Lineup Thoughts
Billy Hamilton starts his first game in center field. Hamilton has seven plate appearances as the designated hitter this spring, with two hits and no walks.
Reminders: Grant Freking makes the case for patience regarding Hamilton. Mike Maffie looked at the comparison of Hamilton to Willy Taveras.
Jose Peraza plays 2B and Adam Duvall gets another start at 3B.
Has anyone won the left field job? The one-word answer from C. Trent Rosecrans:
— C. Trent Rosecrans (@ctrent) March 18, 2016
Devin Mesoraco pounded a home run in his first at bat of spring training yesterday. Jay Bruce and Scott Schebler also hit long balls as the Reds came back to beat Cleveland.
Reminder: Kevin Michell’s “what to expect” column about Mesoraco last spring, before the catcher’s hip became tragic.
The Reds made a series of roster moves. They optioned pitchers Stephen Johnson and Robert Stephenson and outfielder Kyle Waldrop to AAA Louisville. Those players are all on the 40-man roster so the Reds have to use up one of their three options to send them to a minor league team.
Worth noting that pitcher Cody Reed was not demoted and remains with the big league club.
Reminders: Our scouting reports on Reed – Jeremy Conley and Doug Gray
Pitchers Tim Adleman and Zack Weiss along with catcher Joe Hudson and outfielder Jesse Winker were sent to the minor leagues. Pitcher Jonathan Sanchez was released.
Video Moment
Pitcher John Lamb on baseball cards.
News and Reading
• Homer Bailey remains on schedule to start a major league game for the Reds in early May. Bryan Price said Bailey could have been rushed to be the Opening Day starter, but no reason to do that given the rebuild-reboot-recycle. Price said Bailey will be ready to start “right around the first of May.”
Homer Bailey is scheduled to face live hitting on the 23rd.
— Zach Buchanan (@ZachENQ) March 18, 2016
• Bob Nightengale (USA Today) has a nice article about Bronson Arroyo, who suffered a career-threatening shoulder injury this week.
So Arroyo tried. He even pitched three shutout innings last week against the Houston Astros. He put himself into position with a legitimate shot to make the rotation. Then came the pain. The MRI. And now the diagnosis: Significant tear in the rotator cuff.
“I haven’t really been healthy since I had the surgery,’’ Arroyo told reporters Thursday morning at the Nationals’ complex. “I mean, there would be days where I felt good. But it was one of those things where I couldn’t tell if it was just something that would work itself out in camp.”
• Doug Gray reports on Cuban pitcher Vladimir Gutierrez, who had a showcase yesterday that the Reds attended, and his possible signing.
Gutierrez is 6′ 3″ and 185 lbs and profiles as a starting pitcher despite being used as a reliever while he was in Cuba. He last pitched in Cuba at age 18 in the 2014 season. He made huge strides from 2013 as a 17-year-old to when he was an 18-year-old. His control improved drastically in his second season, he struck out more batters in fewer innings, really lowered his ERA and his hits allowed rate.
• The Reds medical staff has prescribed two weeks of rest for Michael Lorenzen to treat his mildly strained UCL. (Mark Sheldon, MLB.com)
Lorenzen, who was diagnosed Tuesday with a mild strain of his ulnar collateral ligament and tendonitis in his right elbow, was examined by Dr. Tim Kremchek on Thursday. Kremchek, the Reds’ medical director, prescribed rest until he sees Lorenzen again in a couple of weeks.
The article contains reaction from Lorenzen, who remains optimistic. This setback – and there is no assurance the rest will address his condition – means he won’t make the Opening Day roster in any role.
• Reds infielder Alex Blandino played hero yesterday for the Nicaraguan team in the World Baseball Classic qualifier.
Reds prospect Alex Blandino hit a walk-off double in the bottom of the 10th inning to score two runs and give Marvin Benard’s Nicaragua club a thrilling 5-4 victory over Germany on Thursday in the opener of the World Baseball Classic qualifier at Estadio B-Air in Mexicali, Mexico. (MLB.com)
Alex Blandino / Photo: Cincinnati Enquirer
• Your daily fix of Cody Reed. Why does he wear goggles?
