The Cincinnati Reds have made several roster moves today. Justin Dunn, who started the game last night in Milwaukee, has been placed on the injured list. Taking his place on the roster is right-handed pitcher Raynel Espinal. The team also announced that Albert Almora Jr. has been released after being designated for assignment last week.
Justin Dunn is heading to the injured list with no specified injury. Last night he was said to be feeling under the weather but pitched through it while he could. Now he’s seemingly been placed on the COVID injured list. As we always specify here – a player does not have to test positive to be placed on this list. The player merely has to show symptoms that could also be COVID-related to be placed on this list until they are cleared to return.
Raynel Espinal has not been with the Cincinnati organization for very long. He signed as a minor league free agent on August 18th with the Reds and was assigned to Triple-A Louisville. Since joining the Bats he’s made three starts and one relief appearance (he threw 4.0 innings of relief after Hunter Greene started the game as a part of a rehab assignment). Espinal, a 30-year-old right-hander has thrown 15.2 innings and allowed nine runs (5.17 ERA) on 16 hits (three home runs), three walks, has 17 strikeouts, and he’s hit four batters.
He last pitched on September 6th. With Cincinnati having a day/night doubleheader tomorrow it seems very likely that Espinal will be utilized in one of those games either as a starter or as a long reliever as the team’s starting pitching is being held together by some bubblegum found stuck underneath the seats in the bullpen and a lot of hope. If and when he enters a game it will be just his second big league appearance. He allowed two runs in 2.0 innings for the Boston Red Sox on August 30th last season against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Wow! That’s all I have
Wow may be generous
Yep – Only a bit surprised they didn’t go with one or two from AA – at this point why not? Perhaps Doug can summarize the budget/roster/rules aspects of random end-of-season FA signings for >week in MLB.
Interesting. Looks a little convenient at first glance.
I AM thinking about going to the ball park tomorrow night for the second game but now i am not so sure. lol
I think Derek Johnson could open the second game tomorrow…
This season is unique… Practically signing pitchers to open a game the next day while sending player to the IL on a daily basis… The 40-man roster is really a 60-man roster considering the injured guys… It would be very interesting when it should be cleaned and updated…
I like that. A player who doesn’t perform (and has no reason to expect otherwise), gets thrown to the IL for ?reasons? while another guy on the bus gets called in to pitch tomorrow. I think David Bell is not the only manager creatively managing the IL, but to what end?
DJ, show us how it is done. (BTW, they still have Lopez).
OK, now they are just making up names. LOL