Nick Senzel left the Cincinnati Reds game on Wednesday afternoon after his first at-bat. He singled, but as he got to the bag at first base it was Delino Deshields that called for the trainer. Manager David Bell and trainer Steve Baumann went out to check on Senzel and after a very brief conversation, Senzel left the game.
During the game the Reds announced that he had left the game with “illness”. After the game manager David Bell said something similar, noting that he felt ill but they weren’t aware of it until they were called to the base.
The media was also able to speak with Nick Senzel after the game. Mark Sheldon of Reds.com had this:
“I’m just ill. I don’t feel very good,” Senzel said. “First pitch I swung at, I just got dizzy. I had to take my time and it didn’t get any better.”
Feeling dizzy is no small matter for Senzel, who missed a month last season with Triple-A Louisville because of vertigo, an inner-ear condition that can cause a loss of balance and dizzy spells.
Senzel was asked if he was dealing with a similar problem Wednesday.
“I don’t know,” he replied.
The Reds have Thursday off before returning home to take on the Colorado Rockies on Friday night. Cincinnati likely won’t provide an update on an off day, so we probably won’t get any sort of update until Friday.
Tucker Barnhart to begin rehab on Thursday with Louisville
Catcher Tucker Barnhart, who last played just over a month ago. He’s missed that time while dealing with an oblique injury. His rehab stint is supposed to start on Thursday with the Louisville Bats. Alex Wood is slated to start, likely his final rehab start, on Saturday.
With Juan Graterol leaving the game early on Wednesday after taking two straight foul balls to the mask, plans could change for Tucker Barnhart. With the Reds being out of catchers, it would seem, if he’s healthy enough to catch for Louisville and Graterol needs to head to the injured or concussion list, the Reds may not exactly have another choice but to just activate Barnhart for Friday.
They need to put Senzel on the IL and get to the bottom of this. It is likely something that can be managed, or maybe he just has a virus, but healthy 24-year-olds don’t go off like that for no reason. Taking 10 games off now is no big deal at this stage of his career.
Bring up Aquino and play him in center.
@biged
Aquino is not on the 40 man and not a center fielder.
Aquino has recently played several games in CF hit Louisville. They can put him on the 40-man easy enough, by (for example) designating Blake Trahan.
I doubt they do know exactly what causes his symptoms, because many brain or sensory-related maladies remain hard to pinpoint. Medicine, particularly in diagnoses, can still be as much an art as a science.
It may not be vertigo; Senzel said he did not know, which probably means “I hope not.” It could be a virus; it could be a reaction to his medication; it could be a lot of things.
But what is the downside to being cautious with it, given his history?
It sounds like BPPV which is a condition I suffer from. More common in older adults but not out of the question for younger folks to have it. I posed the link in response to another poster but here it is again.
https://www.webmd.com/brain/benign-paroxysmal-positional-vertigo
Not sure this is what Senzel suffers from but based on what has been reported I’m betting this is it and the Reds have a treatment plan.
Nick Senzel has been a bright light for the Reds this season. I wish him well.
Please stop comparing Esasky’s vertigo and Senzel’s. Other than they both have vertigo there is no comparison as to the type of vertigo if I understand correctly. Senzel would seem to have BPPV, which is a type of vertigo that has to do with the fluid in the inner-ear. I have the exact same condition since 2010. It is very treatable now that they know what it is and is unlikely to hang on for months at a time if symptoms manifest. Esasky had a brain-based vertigo that is chronic and doesn’t go away in a few days or couple weeks with treatment.
I could be wrong on Senzel’s condition as they haven’t disclosed the exact diagnosis for his vertigo (nor do they have to) but the mention of the inner-ear makes BPPV likely.
Here’s more info on it:
https://www.webmd.com/brain/benign-paroxysmal-positional-vertigo