The Cincinnati Reds are sending two players to Louisville this week to begin rehab assignments. Jonathan India will be joined by Donovan Solano on Tuesday as they join the Triple-A Bats and attempt to get back to Cincinnati after getting back to game readiness.
Jonathan India has only played in 11 games this season. He missed nearly two weeks in the middle of April before returning for four games at the end of the month. He last played on April 29th when he went 3-5 against the Colorado Rockies. At the time he was hitting .295/.311/.341 and was riding a 5-game hitting streak. It’s been a slow-go for his hamstring,though as he’s missed the last five weeks. He’s been working out with the team – taking batting practice and doing some other drills – but he had an MRI over the weekend and it came back clean, and now he’s ready to get into some games.
Donovan Solano will likely need most of the 20 days that position players get on a rehab assignment. Unlike India, Solano has not played at all this season. After signing with the Reds in the offseason, Solano played in four games during spring training, going 4-10 with two doubles, three runs, an RBI, and a strikeout. But he last played on March 29th.
At first the injury didn’t seem to be all that significant. During the first week of the season he was hitting in a simulated game. On April 19th Bobby Nightengale reported that David Bell noted it was possible that Solano could begin a rehab assignment within a week…. but nine days later Solano was instead getting a PRP injection in his hamstring and that shut him down for a week. There was some progress made after that, but things were still improving slowly. Now, 10 weeks after he was injured, he’s ready to begin a rehab assignment.
Jose Barrero optioned to Triple-A
The Reds also activated shortstop Jose Barrero from the injured list today and optioned him to Triple-A Louisville. Barrero had not yet reached the 20-day threshold allowed for his rehab time to be over, though it was set to happen in two days. Why the Reds opted to make the move before they had to is up in the air.
What isn’t up in the air is that ultimately it was the right move. While you probably won’t find a bigger Jose Barrero supporter than this author, he simply isn’t ready right now. Whether it’s the lack of spring training and him still finding his timing, or the recovery from his hamate injury – or both things – he’s hitting just .204/.316/.449 in his 14 games with the Bats. The power is there when he makes contact. Of his 10 hits he’s smacked three doubles and three home runs. The issue for Barrero in this stretch is that he’s simply not making contact. He’s struck out in 42% of his plate appearances so far with Louisville, fanning 24 times in 57 plate appearances.
We know that Jose Barrero is much better than that. In 2021 he hit .306/.392/.594 in Louisville with a 22% strikeout rate. When he gets back into the swing of things (no pun intended) and starts hitting, that’s when the front office needs to make the move to call him up and insert him into the lineup 5-6 times per week. Right now, though, he simply isn’t ready to do that.
Now THAT is excellent news!!
Makes me glad I have the MiLB.tv subscription so I can see a little of his performance.
Unfortunately, the result will be Bell will jerk him around again when he is ready.
Will do that to RoY India? Based on what evidence or past performance?
Think he meant Barrero
Not overly interested in Solano’s return but they need India ASAP. Another mid-30s player just doesn’t improve the team’s future competitveness.
I tend to agree, but Solano will just replace another only player, my guess is they trade Reynolds. He had a nice year so far, the Reds should at least be able to get some cash for him.
I would give Solano a chance. He was very good in SanFrancisco and known for giving a professional at bat and one that can hit lefties. We still need an awful lot of help versus lefties.
All 3 of these players are IF. If Bobby and Phil actually live by words they preach then when 2 or all 3 of these players are ready to go..
DFA Moose
Hoping Louisville has this lineup tomorrow.
Okey, Santana, India, Barrero, Solano, Schrock, Cedrola, Dawson with Motter or Querecuto DH. During the rehab assignments of India and Solano, this should be the starting lineup the majority of the time. Best lineup for wins! Bring up Williamson and Abbott soon to join the rotation with Lively, Sanmartin and Lodolo, who should be optioned to Louisville in the near future. All other pitchers who were starting, move to the pen, released, or sent to Chattanooga. India and Solano up to the Reds when they are ready and Lopez and Friedl take their spots in the lineup for Louisville. Schrock will be optioned at the end of his assignment because he has options, unless the Reds make some trades.
When I implied on 6/5 that Barrero wasn’t ready, I got derogatory comments from two posters about it still being Barrero’s ST, and my being too dense to understand small sample size.
When Doug writes the same thing today, that Barrero is not ready yet, where are the critical comments about ST, understanding of small sample size? Barrero has exactly the same line on the day Doug wrote that he had on the day that I wrote.
+1,000
I’m in complete agreement with that position. He’s not ready and there is absolutely no need to rush him. Even if we decide Farmer is a trade candidate, it isn’t like bringing him up now will be a miracle cure to our 2022 ills.
For me it’s not when Barrero comes up it’s what happens when he does.Doug is right he isn’t ready yet but when he is it forces the issue as to where he plays.Keeping him in the minors kicks the can down the road.Personally I feel Barrero will have to walk on water before they bring him up and even less of a chance they give him the keys to short.Stay tuned.