The Cincinnati Reds have made some roster moves before their games on Wednesday afternoon in Kansas City. Outfielder Nick Senzel was placed on the injured list without any designation (read into that what you will). Taking his spot on the active 28-man roster is infielder Mike Moustakas, who has been on the injured list with a quad injury for the last two weeks. Moustakas is in the starting lineup for game 1 of the Reds vs Royals doubleheader as the teams designated hitter.
As is the case with doubleheaders in Major League Baseball, teams can have an additional player on their roster and for today in Kansas City that player is Robel García. He was picked up on waivers from the Chicago Cubs in July and has been at the Prasco Park facility working out as a member of the alternate site roster ever since. The switch-hitter played in 31 games last season for the Cubs and slugged .500 with nine extra-base hits in just 72 at-bats. But he also struck out 35 times in that stretch. Between Double-A and Triple-A last season he hit .284/.369/.586.
The Reds Taxi Squad for the road trip
Cincinnati will play two games today in Kansas City before heading to St. Louis to play the Cardinals in four straight games Thursday through Sunday. Beginning on Monday they will begin a 4-game series in Milwaukee. Their taxi squad of players is currently four guys, though that doesn’t include Robel García. Catcher Tyler Stephenson, infielders Alex Blandino and Christian Colón, as well as outfielder Mark Payton are on the trip as the taxi squad.
The Reds rotation the rest of the week
With the doubleheader today, and no off days for the next two+ weeks, the rotation needs someone beyond their normal five starting pitchers to step in at some point. Yesterday manager David Bell wasn’t ready to unveil the rotation beyond the starters for Wednesday, but today it was announced that Sonny Gray, Anthony DeSclafani, Wade Miley, and Tyler Mahle would start the four games, in that order, in St. Louis to follow the series in Kansas City. It’s not surprising that Mahle gets the nod as the “other starter”. It essentially had to come down to either him or Tejay Antone. Still on the roster, it seems that Antone will remain in the bullpen for the time being.
Joey batting in leadoff spot.
1 Votto
2 Castellanos
3 Winker
4 Suarez
5 Moustakas
6 Akiyama
7 VanMeter
8 Galvis
9 Barnhart
Good to see that OF as none of those are being held out due to contact tracing from Senzel.
Was hoping to see Garcia on the active roster this year but not THAT Garcia…
No. But it also doesn’t matter because he’s not on the 10-day injured list.
I assume he will be eligible to play after 2 (or is it 3?) negative tests.
I hope Moose is well enough to play one of the two and then be available off the bench for the other. No real surprise with Nick S. I hope he’s able to get through whatever it is and come back. I really like his approach to the game in general.
He said he’s ready to play both games, even in the field.
I don’t understand being 2 players not on 40 man roster on the taxi squad.
The lineup looks good, LH heavy with a righty going for KC. And we get Matt Harvey in game 2. Put the heavy hitters in the game 2 lineup whether LH or RH like Davidson and Farmer. Casali is probably the C for game 2 anyway.
I hope they are able to get Tejay Antone in one of the games today to get at least an inning of work. He is definitely going to be needed for 1 game during that 3 game stretch of DeSclafani-Miley-Mahle in STL. He hasn’t pitched since Aug. 12 and needs to be sharp against STL. DeSclafani should rebound from his last outing, then again he might not. Who knows how many innings Miley will last? And Mahle should at least be good for 5 innings, but you just never know.
Moose ought to get a good reception from the KC fans this evening. I hope he is able to start both games. A sweep tonight would establish a little momentum going into STL and that would certainly be welcome.
I agree Antone along with others probably do need to see some game action. Problem is if both starters go 6 as they have been. You only have two innings to cover. With the three batter rule—If a reliever comes in retires 3. You may only get two other guys on the mound tonight.
Best part of your post—fans giving Moose a warm welcome. That was great. I can’t wait to see those cut-out cardboard fans clap!!!
What in the world did Aquino do that appears to keep him stuck in the doghouse? I’m shocked at seeing the way he’s been handled.
Aquino and Alonso of the Mets were one/two for a period of time in the homerun race last year. His situation is puzzling in this unsettled short season.
It is puzzling. You would think they would want his bat/arm on the bench at least for late innings. It may have to do with options. Is he out of them?
He’s not out of options or he’d not be on the Prasco Park roster.
I don’t expect we’ll hear about that for a while. The team hasn’t announced he was the guy who tested positive, which means that he hasn’t given them consent to do so.
There are more than a few players around the league who have been on the “injured list” but not the “10-day injured list” who haven’t been announced. Everyone has their own reasons to keep their medical information private.
I hope Nick is asymptomatic and is feeling great.
He must have been asymptomatic up until the last out of the last game played because he was still on the field. Hopefully he still is. He was obviously frustrated at the news, chucked his glove into the stands. Can’t say I blame him.
Did they pick the taxi squad out of a hat? No relief pitchers, an infielder who is 30+, hitting .100+ and “thank God” snuck through waivers, and a Rule 5 return. Is there any accountability in this organization. They are clearly hoping that the SP s are going deep every day- which they may, but have some arms with you in case they don’t go deep, or if we start hitting they don’t have to go deep.
Thom Brennaman should not be on any broadcasts in the future for his anti-gay slur. I personally didn’t like him and would rather hear George Grande or Jim Day doing play by play. Nonsense like that cannot be tolerated. Fox Sports needs to do the right thing and give him his walking papers