The Cincinnati Reds have activated right-handed pitcher Luke Weaver from the 15-day injured list. To make room for him on the roster the team optioned Levi Stoudt back to Triple-A Louisville.
These moves don’t come as a surprise, as we were informed that they would be coming earlier this week. Levi Stoudt was called up to make a spot start, pushing back everyone in the rotation one day that would allow Hunter Greene to get an additional day of rest after he exited his previous start when he took a grounder off of his shin. That came right before news broke that Greene had signed an extension and contract that was worth $53,000,000 guaranteed and could be worth over $90,000,000 if the deal maxes out.
Luke Weaver is scheduled to start tonight against the Pittsburgh Pirates. It’ll be his first start of the year and his first start at all since June 18th of last season when he got lit up for nine runs on 10 hits in 3.2 innings against the Minnesota Twins. That was the only start he made in 2022. He had started for the majority of his career prior to last season. Weaver and the Reds will both be hoping for a better outcome than his only start made last season.
While hes on rehabbing with the Triple-A Louisville Bats (forearm tightness) he made two starts, throwing 4.0 and 5.0 innings. Between the two games he allowed three runs and allowed just three hits, while walking four batters and picking up nine strikeouts.
For Levi Stoudt, he’ll head back to the minor leagues and probably with a bit of a sour taste in his mouth. The 25-year-old allowed six runs in the 1st inning against Tampa Bay yesterday afternoon and would give up another run later as he tossed 4.0 innings in his big league debut. He came out the other side healthy, but aside from that there wasn’t a lot of good to take away for him in the outing.
Levi’s first inning was awful, but he rebounded somewhat and saved the bullpen 3 innings of work. Hard to account for nerves. I think he will be OK.
Kind of an optimistic view. My view was that I didn’t see anything that would warrant another opportunity. Now rip off 5-1 in Louisville, let’s check the bus schedule.
Agreed. Levi has all of 200 pro innings, so he’s still inexperienced and looking for consistency. BA says this about him:
“He has a year or two more to help the Reds figure out if he’s going to be a power reliever or back-of-the-rotation starter. He needs to gain consistency if he’s going to avoid a future move to the pen, but his varied pitch mix and control seem to point to him being able to handle the challenge”
I suspect he’ll be just fine.
The Reds did everything they could to set Stoudt up to fail. They brought him in for one start only, putting extra pressure on him. They had him face the best team in baseball so far this season…a team loaded with contact hitters and hotter than blue blazes. And by the way, you are gonna face them them in the most prolific ballpark in baseball!
Why not have the veteran Weaver pitch against the Rays and start Stoudt on the road the next day against the Pirates (also a somewhat hot team, but no where near the Rays). Under the circumstances this would have given the team the best chance to win one or both games. But will never know…
For those concerned new ownership would move us to Las Vegas, it appears the Ace-theletics are closing in on a deal.
I could be wrong about this, but I have a really hard time believing that the other MLB owners could get enough votes to allow the Reds to move from Cincinnati. They would probably embrace new ownership, but not a move.
I’m thinking the same thing, especially given the recent news about the A’s and Vegas. The entire ownership group wants MLB in Vegas and moving Oakland makes a lot of sense without disrupting division alignment.
IMO your not wrong. I think theReds have a very strong fan base it’s just we are tired of the decades of losing and ownership that for the most part can’t or won’t spend enough money to seriously contend. Ownership wealth and large market teams vs small, that financial disparity is well documented and a real thing. Here is hoping for the Reds sake they can get a wealthy owner or baseball figures out a way to make teams more competitive or the generation that lives off the fumes of the big red machine and 1990 will die off and not sure where that will leave this team.
Agreed. Moving the Reds from Cincinnati would be like moving the Packers from Green Bay. MLB and the NFL love their history. Baseball is not going to give up their mid-American long established river towns, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and St. Louis.
Plus, the Reds have a lease with the City of Cincinnati until 2037. The Reds are going no where.
MLB wants baseball in more markets, not fewer.
*not
Those type leases have been broken before, just check the history of the Las Vegas Raiders. Atlanta Braves, Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams and Baltimore Ravens.
I think nashville would be a more likely option than Las Vegas. Just my opinion.
A’s are going to Vegas. Stadium deal about to be finalized.
Very much looking forward to the Pirates after that NL/AL East gauntlet. Weaver is probably stoked to get them instead of the Rays.
Time to find the bats.
As for Reds future:
Lodolo has had extension talks. Ashcraft wouldn’t comment. India has had none. These three plus Stephenson should be the priority, no?
With the influx of middle infielder in the pipeline I would be surprised if Jonathon India is a priority. I like Jonathon but that money can be used for more pitching. Also, India would likely bring back a nice prospect or two.
Whether Tyler Stephenson is to be targeted for an extension is up for debate.
If the Reds intend to use Stephenson behind the plate, then by all means extend him.
If the Reds insist on moving Stephenson to first base, I would rather those funds be allocated elsewhere.
Good info Grand, I hadn’t seen that Lodolo had extension talks, or any info about the rest of them. I’m disappointed that India hasn’t had discussions. India has the most talent coming up behind him, but he should still pursued as an extension candidate.
Why is India a priority, in your opinion? As multiple others have noted, the Reds are flush with middle infielders coming up through the system. Supply and demand would not currently support India.
Stephenson would be a priority if as a catcher, perhaps, but first basemen are a lot more plentiful, and the Reds might actually have better profile fits at 1B coming up through the system.
Clearly pitching is harder to replace and Lodolo and Ashcraft would certainly seem like good candidates, at the right price.
India should be a priority for the following reason:
Leadership among young core (including work ethic)
He can always bump to corner OF if the glut of IF prospects continue to develop.
He has a top of the order profile at the moment while none of the talented prospects have proven that yet ( a bird in the hand)
Also, I can’t imagine he’s going to break the bank
@Doc, I’m guessing you’re asking me “ Why is India a priority”. If I were to create a hierarchy of who to extend it would be.
1 Lodolo, best floor of our pitchers
2 Stephenson, C is the shallowest depth we have
3 Fraley, OF is also shallow depth, and we have a lack of quality LHB’s that are MLB quality.
4 DIaz, Bullpen arms are notoriously erratic year after year
5 Greene, I though he would be the hardest to sign
6 India, last because of the girth of talent behind him.
Just because India is last on the list doesn’t mean that the Reds shouldn’t see if there is an advantageous deal to be made.
Ashcraft is someone I’d look at in the offseason. We have more years of control on him that the rest.
By the way super glad we did sign Greene, He signed way under what I thought it would take, and that’s why you have discussions with your best players. You never know unless you ask.
India is a Scott Boras client. It would probably be difficult to extend him.
What is it with the Reds pitchers, especially the younger ones, issuing so many walks?
In Doug’s summary above of Luke Weaver’s 2 starts for the AAA Bats, he noted that Weaver has made 2 starts totaling 9 innings with a total of 4 walks! That’s roughly one (1) walk every other inning assuming they are not all issued in the same inning. Unfortunately, as we have all witnessed, walks by Reds pitcher usually result in runs. Doesn’t give me a lot of confidence in Weaver against the Pie-Rats tonight! Hope he proves me wrong! Go Reds!
But he also allowed just three hits, for a total of 7 baserunners in 9 innings, a WHIP roughly less than one, is it not? If a pitcher gave up no walks in 9 innings but allowed 8 hits would you be happier having allowed 8 baserunners instead of 7 across nine innings? It is hard for me to understand a narrow focus on walks to the exclusion of what else is going on. Best I can figure, none of those walks were two base walks, but what percentage of hits are for more than one base?
Sooprize, Sooprize, Sooprize (NOT).
If Weaver doesn’t do markedly better than Stoudt, the Reds are in a heap of trouble.
I’ve reached my limit of 2 tired old TV cliches in one comment. The time is gone. This song is over. Thought I had something more to say 😉
Gomer Pyle would be proud!
Nice Floyd reference Jim! ” And then one day you find ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun”
+1000
Madison Bumgartner just got DFA’d by the Diamondbacks, leaving them on the hook for $32 million this year and next. Reds took on a complex guy who underperformed but was once good as a reclamation project a few years back when they were desperate for SP- Matt harvey
Could the Reds plug in Bumgartner as SP4 at the minimum salary and move Cessa back to the pen?
That would be an interesting, very low cost option. You have to figure others are thinking the same thing.
Bum has been terrible. Rather let the young guys figure it out.
Agreed JB. Rather see the young guys give up 8 runs than someone like Bum. Reds need young guys to learn and the Reds to learn what they have in these young guys since the whole point of this recent purge is to rebuild.
Young guys like Barrero?
The young guys like Weaver, Cessa, and Overton? The team needs an inning eater. They’ll still have an open spot for a young starter to grab if one develops.
Chris Holbert- Barrero Pitches?
Get MadBum to DH
Lol he would be better than Newman
I would think our pitching coach would know what’s best with Bumgarner. Has DJ seen something that Bumgarner has been doing wrong to help him be more effective? Not exactly sure what the Red’s plans are for filling their major league roster with competent pitching. So far they’ve went the cheap route. If DJ can help Bumgarner why would this move be any different. If he is picked up, would love to see the influence he might have on the Red’s young pitchers.
I also hope that Stoudt learned and gets a little fire in his ass from his outing yesterday. Hopefully he pitches better in AAA and will be considered to be the first pitcher called up because of his learning curve
I really hope Williamson can find his command and put together a solid first half of the season, as well as Stoudt: but both players arent near ready to be MLB starters. Abbott looks phenomenal but he still is a half season away as well. Cessa has been terrible and Overton as well. Weaver fills Sp4 for now and then its Chase Anderson?
No surprise to anyone SP 4/5 has been awful but Reds literally dont have any legit prospects ready to take the ball right now and they are running out quickly of vets trying to prove they can start when they cant.
Wasn’t Minor supposed to be an innings eater, and did DJ fix him? Yes to the first, No to the second. How did the Minor signing work out? People are still complaining about it.
Bumgardner has been DFA’d despite the fact that they will have to pay him a fortune to not pitch for them. I believe they have pitching coaches in their system, with no clear evidence they were helpful.
Lineup is out. Actually not a bad order. Although rather see Stephenson 4th not Fraley. Steer is back and batting 3rd. Now let’s hope Bell keeps this lineup for a few games.
Yeah, not a bad lineup at all. Just about the only thing I’d change is the bottom of the order, where I’d go Barrero/Vosler/Senzel.
But other than that, no major complaints.
I wonder if Barrero was protected in the lineup if he would get more pitches to hit? I agree Volser should be down in order and Senzel bats last? Why not…
Alot of people are fans of Fairchild, myself a fan of Senzel, however man is he ever gonna hit?
No. He is never gonna hit. It’s not like we don’t have a track record to go by.
@Redsvol. Keep in mind Justin Turner was a late bloomer.
Never say never
I agree.
EDLC is back playing SS and hitting in the 2 hole in AAA
Wonder if there will be more Reds fans tuned into MiLB watching Bats than watching the Reds?
I know one wo will be …
I’ll be flipping back and forth for sure
Weaver looking pretty good outside of those two back to back homers.