This afternoon the Cincinnati Reds will hit the road to face off against the Kansas City Royals at 3:05pm ET. The game will be on Fox Sports Ohio and 700 WLW will have the radio broadcast. The game is scheduled for 9 innings.
Reds (2-6-1) and Royals (7-3) Lineups
| Reds | Royals | |||
| 1 | Nick Senzel | CF | Jarrod Dyson | RF |
| 2 | Jesse Winker | LF | Andrew Benintendi | LF |
| 3 | Tucker Barnhart | DH | Adalberto Mondesi | SS |
| 4 | Kyle Farmer | SS | Jorge Soler | DH |
| 5 | Tyler Naquin | RF | Michael Taylor | CF |
| 6 | Tyler Stephenson | C | Ryan O’Hearn | 1B |
| 7 | Jonathan India | 2B | Hanser Alberto | 3B |
| 8 | Max Schrock | 3B | Sebastian Rivero | C |
| 9 | Scott Heineman | 1B | Nicky Lopez | 2B |
| 10 | Michael Lorenzen | SP | Brad Keller | SP |
Reserve players on today’s Reds roster:
| Pitchers | Infielders |
| Graham Ashcraft | Alex Blandino |
| José De León | Jose Garcia |
| Sean Doolittle | Alejo Lopez |
| Edgar García | Errol Robinson |
| Cionel Pérez | Outfielders |
| Reiver Sanmartin | Aristides Aquino |
| Catchers | Narciso Crook |
| Deivy Grullón | TJ Friedl |
| Mark Kolozsvary | Dwight Smith Jr. |
Where to watch/listen/follow the game
The game will be live on the Reds on Radio Network. The broadcast will be on 700 WLW AM. The game will be televised on MLB Network.
Reds links and news
Joey Votto has COVID-19
The big news of the day is that Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto tested positive for COVID-19 and was placed on the injured list earlier today.
Joey Votto placed on the Cincinnati Reds injured list with COVID-19
Ryan Hendrix to miss a few days
Reliever Ryan Hendrix has an intercostal muscle strain that will keep him sidelined for a few days.
Final: Royals 9 – Reds 3
Kansas City may be the best team in spring training as they picked up their 8th win by hitting five home runs on the day as they beat the Reds.
The Highlights
Jesse Winker and Kyle Farmer both went 1-3 with a double. Tyler Stephenson and Jonathan India went 1-3. Max Schrock got the start at third base and singled in his first at-bat, but then left the game with a calf injury after reaching first base. Aristides Aquino doubled in his long trip to the plate, but he also homered in a B-game earlier in the day. Deivy Grullón homered for the second time in the spring, driving in two runs for the Reds. Errol Robinson added a single and a run scored in his only at-bat.
The pitching on the day was very hit or miss. Michael Lorenzen and Sean Doolittle were on the “miss” side of things. Lorenzen allowed three runs in 2.1 innings on four hits – including a homer to go along with three strikeouts. Doolittle allowed four runs on three hits, two homers, and he walked three batters. Edgar García came on in relief of Lorenzen in the 3rd inning and got through the inning unscathed while picking up a strikeout. Cionel Pérez threw a perfect inning while recording all three outs via the strikeout. José De León looked very good through 2.2 innings when he had racked up eight strikeouts (and three walks) before serving up back-to-back home runs in the 8th before getting a long fly out to center to end the inning.
You can see the entire box score right here.
Tomorrow’s Game
Tyler Mahle is scheduled to take the mound against the Chicago White Sox at 8:05pm ET.
If the Reds were so set on saving money. Why wouldn’t you constantly see eating some money and trading Mouskakas. It would open up 2B for A ndia.
Everyone else is trying to save money, too, so finding a taker, even at a reduced salary, isn’t easy.
Schrock is the best American hitter since Tony Gwynn. Hits bullets to all fields. He is probably gritty, too.
Should we be worried about the drop off of Lorenzen fastball speed or is this usual for him in spring training?
He says he’s doing it on purpose and it’s a part of the plan to get ready for the season. It’s not something he’s done in the past.
We’ll see how it turns out.
Kind of wondering if he’s bulked up too much. I guess we will see. Don’t make any sense to me for him not throw hard. Maybe I’m missing something?
He had knee surgery in the offseason. So he didn’t throw as much as he usually does. If it’s March 25th and he’s throwing 92, I’ll be concerned. Today? Not so much.
It seems like Lorenzen feels he has a starting gig locked up. I hope that is not the case. I see him at #7 in the pecking order at best.
Gray/Castillo/Mahle/Antone/Miley/Hoffman
De Leon and Lorenzen battling out for the 7th spot in a 5 man rotation.
Doolittle throwing BP again. His career maybe about over. I know it is only spring but he has looked terrible and hasn’t been good for a while now in regular season.
Doolittle has done little. He does seem adept at cussing into his glove, having given himself many opportunities this spring.
Doolittle is Dr. Rollover.
Is his contract guaranteed? Or just a Spring invite?
If this is in fact the case, a scout or two needs to get the axe.
Heading into the preseason, I thought Doolittle was a lock to be in our pen. I no longer think he’s a lock. He’s going to have to show something before the season starts. Luckily he still has a couple weeks to do that.
Probably starts season on IL would be my guess. Doubt he throws many innings. I have nothing to back my claim up just eye test. He looks nothing like the Doolittle of a few years ago. Something isn’t right. Maybe just age has caught up to him.
Ask any Nationals fan and they’ll tell ya, due to injuries, he was done last year.
Most of the roster is set.Lorenzen makes it regardless and more then likely Doolitte does as well.As fans we want to see players perform well and for the team to win regardless if its spring training or a pick up game in a parking lot some where.Just not going to happen but I do believe players know how to get ready but as some time before the bell rings they want to start to show some improvement.Right now after 2 outings both guys have been bad.
Barring injuries these players will be on the 26 man roster. Who else have you got?
Pitchers- (8) Castillo, Gray, Mahle, Antone, Miley, Lorenzen, Garrett, Simms,
Position players- (10) Votto, Mouskakas, Farmer, Suerez, Barnhart, Stephenson, Castellanos, Shogo, Senzel and Winker
For me:
Position players- Blandino, Schrock, Heineman
Pitchers- DeLeon, Hoffman, C Perez, Romano and Finnigan.
Cam Bedrosian replaces Romano
Cionel Perez is sent to Louisville only because he has options. Noe Ramirez gets the final spot. I like your other pitchers. Glad you cut Doolittle.
on Offense I am thinking Grullon and either ARod or the ever so strange Gordon over Schrock and Heineman.
So hard to predict this early in the spring, but I’m with you on Bedrosian. He gives a look that is different than other Reds pitchers… and he’s nasty so far. I will be surprised if Strange-Gordon doesn’t make it too. Heineman’s chances just went up with the Votto news, but I think they would be more apt to have Castellanos play there till Votto returns. I think who plays first the next few weeks will say a lot about what the Reds are planning. I hope they continue to stretch out DeLeon because I would rather see him getting innings than Miley…unless Miley returns to form of course… not optimistic about that. Frankly, I wonder what kind of position player a guy like Lorenzen might bring back in trade. Aquino and Lorenzen for Boegarts…
Aquino and Lorenzen for Bogaerts? Boston laughs you right out of the room.
Dee Gordon will make the team.
Barring injury, I think Hoffman, Bedrosian, DoLittle and Ramirez are good shape to make the roster. That leaves one spot and lots of candidates. As good as Finnegan has looked, I think he will have to show some consistency in the minors before he gets another shot in the big leagues–but I am pumped that he is looking like his old self again. I’d send C. Perez and DeLeon to AAA and have them start. We will almost certainly need 2-3 additional starters to make it through the season.
Likewise, the position players you selected as locks are pretty safe bets. If the Reds want a pure SS, Holder will make the team. Strange-Gordan brings speed and versatility. As a vet on a minor league contract, he may have an “opt out” clause which may give him a little edge. I’d like to see Aquino play everyday at AAA–I still like his potential and believe he’s more likely to reach it playing everyday. It’s just spring training, but Heineman and Schrock have looked good. I can definitely see them making the team. As of today, I see Strange-Gordan, Schrock, and Heineman in the utility role.
Lastly, if Votto is out, I expect India to make the team as the starting 2B with Moustakas moving to 1B until Votto is ready.
Want to start the clock for a few weeks?
Even allowing for spring training/experimentation, the Reds are looking shaky. For example, their pitching, while there are some bright spots, seems to be giving up HRs generously.
So much for the dead baseball
Two things: The wind was blowing out on the day (didn’t help the Reds hitters all that much). And two – there seems to be some of the 2020 baseballs still being used in spring training, so we might not be using the new baseball until the real games begin. It’s actually a weird thing right now where some “new baseballs” might be getting used in some places and not others. Lots of confusion happening with the baseball this spring.
It’s pretty dead for the Reds. They’ve hit 7 HRs and given up 22. On a positive note, the pitchers lead in strikeouts by a wide margin. I keep reminding myself it’s ST but a serious hitting would be nice.
2-7 feels like an actual 2-7. This team can’t hit and they’re going to deaden the ball?
Just in the car and Bob Costas was talking about ownership considering banning the shift. That might make this team (and mlb) watchable because last year was the most boring/frustrating .500 team I’ve ever seen. I work graveyard and starting watching Korean baseball last spring. Admittedly I’ve seen high school kids here with more range, but their hitters spray it around and everybody has some .320 hitters. Most don’t have a ton of power so they don’t swing like it. I miss that. Our game is dying imo. In the NBA you have LeBrons cherry picking teams and MLB has the Dodgers signing Bauer….same end result.
Well said, Indy.
It is said that the spring training results don’t mean a lot and most attention is focused on who is going to make up those last few spots on the roster (which is nearly always in flux).
But, is it prudent that five key pitchers of our pitching staff (Castillo, Gray, Mahle, Miley, and Garrett) have gotten a total of 2 innings work between them at this stage? Some other position players have been shortchanged as well. After the 3-18, 1-8, and 15-21 starts of the last 3 years, I can only hope that the really important players are given adequate opportunity for enough preparation (especially after the lack thereof previously).
Garrett hasn’t pitched anywhere yet because he’s been injured. Castillo got a late start because he arrived late to camp. The other three guys have thrown in non-“A” games and gotten more time than the stats indicate.
Guess I missed the news on Garrett. These “other” games, is that something new, just an agreement for a side game with the team they are playing that day, or what? Kind of confusing, am just surprised that our high value pitchers aren’t getting the premier slots to pitch especially with all that talk about the lingering effect of the 2020 “short” season. Maybe it all doesn’t matter. Thanks for the update.
The only one that surprises me is Miley due to his injury history and age. How can they peg him for the 4/5 when seeing so very little in games? Especially with a decent group pushing up from the minor/rookie level.
The secret is out on Tejay. Other fans are noticing him. He deserves a spot.
The pitching staff looks fine, plenty of options available for both, starters and bullpen. As for position players looks like nobody wants to hit the ball!
The don’t want to hit it. It’s dead. No fun.