The Cincinnati Reds are still fighting for their playoff lives – currently tied for the 8th and final spot in the playoffs with the Brewers and the Giants – but they have gone ahead an announced their 40-man player pool, first reported by Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer, that will be eligible to be on the active 28-man roster for the playoffs if and when the team does make it.
The 28-Man Roster
| 28-Man Roster | |||
| Pitcher | Position | Hitter | Position |
| Tejay Antone | RHP | Tucker Barnhart | C |
| Trevor Bauer | RHP | Curt Casali | C |
| Archie Bradley | RHP | Tyler Stephenson | C |
| Luis Castillo | RHP | Kyle Farmer | INF/C |
| Anthony DeSclafani | RHP | Freddy Galvis | INF |
| Amir Garrett | LHP | Jose Garcia | INF |
| Raisel Iglesias | RHP | Mike Moustakas | INF |
| Nate Jones | RHP | Eugenio Suárez | INF |
| Michael Lorenzen | RHP | Joey Votto | INF |
| Tyler Mahle | RHP | Shogo Akiyama | OF |
| Sal Romano | RHP | Aristides Aquino | OF |
| Lucas Sims | RHP | Nick Castellanos | OF |
| Robert Stephenson | RHP | Brian Goodwin | OF |
| Nick Senzel | OF | ||
| Jesse Winker | OF | ||
| Injured List | |||
| Pitcher | Position | Hitter | Position |
| Jesse Biddle | LHP | ||
| José De León | RHP | ||
| Sonny Gray | RHP | ||
| Wade Miley | LHP | ||
There’s no real surprises here – it’s the current active roster. The one thing to note here is that Sonny Gray is still on the injured list, but is the scheduled starter for Tuesday. That’s going to mean he’s getting activated and someone on the pitching staff will be moved to the alternate roster at Prasco Park – and they will be added to the additional playoff roster player pool (listed below). Wade Miley, too, could be activated before the playoffs, and another such roster move would need to be made – but this one isn’t quite as certain as the one for Gray at this point. Also worth noting that the 28-man roster as it stands today does not have to be the same one when the playoffs begin – it just has to include 28 players from this 40-man player pool.
The Additional Playoff Pool Roster
| Additional Player Pool | |||
| Pitcher | Position | Hitter | Position |
| RJ Alaniz | RHP | Francisco Peña | C |
| Justin Miller | RHP | Alex Blandino | INF |
| Tony Santillan | RHP | Matt Davidson | INF |
| Travis Jankowski | OF | ||
| Mark Payton | OF | ||
Among the players on the 40-man roster that aren’t in the 40-man player pool, we’ve got two relievers and an infielder. Ryan Hendrix and Joel Kuhnel are both missing here, as is utility man Robel García. Justin Miller, Francisco Peña, and Matt Davidson are non-40-man roster players that are taking the spots on the 40-man player pool for the playoffs.
Kind of a mixed bag. Hard to reason/understand. As this season has been. Colon is missing. Maybe I missed it. Not that it matters.
Give em props. .500 with six games to go. The three everyone claymores for are on the 28. Garcia/Stephenson/Aquino. Surprised to finally see Blandino listed.
The move for Gray and Miley (maybe) will be interesting and tough calls.
Romano, Jones and Stephenson have no options left and they are the end of the bullpen. Disco has no options and he is the 7th starter?
Mahle and Antone have options but they are the better pitchers.
They could options a position player but that choice is Akiyama, Aquino, Stephenson, Garcia, Farmer, Senzel or Winker.
Not going to be an easy decision but we will find out tomorrow.
Big Sal doesn’t have any options? Did he pass through waivers to get to Prasco? Seems he’s the most likely odd man out, but what do I know? I’m actually hoping Miley is on the shelf for the year. Let him rehab completely in the offseason and go from there.
With the season that Stephenson has had, I cannot imagine they will protect him this winter and are probably afraid to put him in a game for the rest of this year. Might be the odd man out.
Yes, he passed through waivers.
Will Aquino be sent out for Gray tomorrow? Or will we go 15 hitters and 13 pitchers and send out big Sal?