It was a busy morning for the Cincinnati Reds when it comes to transactions. The team placed left-handed pitcher Nick Lodolo and right-handed pitcher Casey Legumina on the 15-day injured list. They called up right-handed pitchers Kevin Herget, Alan Busenitz, and Silvino Bracho from Triple-A Louisville. And they also optioned Levi Stoudt back to Triple-A. To create room on the 40-man roster for Busenitz and Bracho the team moved both Reiver Sanmartin and Connor Overton to the 60-day injured list.
Nick Lodolo had his start skipped yesterday. The left-handed starter went back to Cincinnati to have his calf checked out after it had been bothering him for a while and wasn’t getting better. He was diagnosed with calf tendinosis. After a quality start to his season, he’d struggled in his last four outing and saw his ERA jump to 6.29 on the year in the process. Manager David Bell told Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer that it’s probably going to be at least four weeks before Nick Lodolo could return.
Casey Legumina pitched in yesterday’s win over the Marlins. But he also threw to just one batter and that batter drilled him in the ankle with a comebacker and Legumina had to be helped limp off of the field following the play – which he made to record the out.
After throwing three innings out of the bullpen yesterday, Levi Stoudt is heading back to the minor leagues. Kevin Herget, who was optioned back to Triple-A yesterday is now back. As a player being called up to replace someone that is injured he doesn’t have to remain in the minor leagues for 10 days after being optioned.
Silvino Bracho has pitched in parts of six big league seasons, most recently with Atlanta in 2022 where he threw 4.1 innings. His best season came with Arizona in 2018 where he posted a 3.19 ERA in 31.0 innings. This season he’s been in Triple-A Louisville. The 30-year-old right-handed reliever has a 3.14 ERA in 14.1 innings. He has walked four batters and picked up 15 strikeouts. You can see his career stats here.
Alan Busenitz has pitched in parts of two big league seasons. In 2017 and 2018 he pitched out of the Minnesota Twins bullpen. The two seasons were as different as they come. In 2017 he threw 31.2 innings with a 1.99 ERA. In 2018 his ERA was 7.82 in 25.1 innings for the Twins. He went to Japan from 2019-2022 before returning to sign with the Reds. He’s been in Triple-A this year and has a 1.80 ERA in 15.0 innings where he’s walked eight batters and struck out 13. You can see his career stats here.
Hopefully the new guys pitch as well as the relievers have so far this year with the Reds. Break out the brooms
Heck I don’t even care if they do pitch “as well”
We just need some serviceable innings right now for a gassed bullpen
No idea who Bracho was until WBC when USA playing Venezuela and USA trailing by 2 in the 8th and they brought in Bracho with no outs to face Trey turner with the bases loaded. I knew the Reds had acquired him so I paid attention to his stuff and he had a nasty 2 seamer that ran in on the hands to righties. Unfortunately for him, he hung a breaking ball and turner hit a grand slam. He then got Betts to fly out and struck out Trout and Goldschmidt back to back. He looked like he had good stuff.
All hands on deck. Still say there’s a chance Abbott could start Friday at GABP.
Go Reds.
Today’s line up says what is wrong with Bell, Fraley is on fire so let’s give him a day off. Wow how stupid is that, at least put him at DH. This team is 18 and 21 and they are winning some in spite of Bell not because of him.
Mark, I will respectfully disagree. I believe if Bell gets hammered when they lose, he deserves some credit when they win. This team, on paper, is not a good team. I loved a lot of things about yesterday’s game, and one of them was that Bell was doing everything he could to win. Some people criticized him for taking out Stoudt after only three innings. My response to that was Stoudt was all over the place with his pitches, and leaving him in would be a good path to a loss. I also love that Bell left Diaz in to experience one of those moments that great players can experience — achieving great things when there is nothing left physically. We learned a lot about Diaz yesterday. Regarding today’s lineup, Newman with his good splits against lefties and Fraley with his bad lefty splits are very reasonable explanations for the lineup. This team is actually in contention at the moment, and I absolutely love that the manager is making decisions with that perspective in mind. I’m probably in the minority. But I think sometimes we forget that winning is the objective, not greasing the wheels for the prospects. The latter is definitely an objective, but not at the expense of winning, IMO.
Good post, Tom. And just because Fraley isn’t starting doesn’t mean he won’t be finishing.
Tom: Sorry but I felt he did a good job Friday but yesterday was not good. He pulled Sims to early and could have left law in a little longer. He doesn’t have several pitchers available today and maybe tomorrow, not the way you want to go into Colorado and you also didn’t mention Fraley not in the line up today. We all have an opinion of Bell and as you can tell mine isn’t that high.
@Mark, so Bell doesn’t start a guy sporting a career 145 average against lefties is a bad move. I disagree by not starting him he maintains the ability to use him in a high leverage situation of his choosing.
Well, the easy “free” moves are burned in terms of using the 60 day IL to open 40 man roster spots.
Votto is within a couple of weeks of being at 60 days but if they made that move, I think the message they’ be sending is he is still (at least) the better part of a month away from MLB.
However, the Bats pen has been such a group of fire starters, there appear to be a couple DFA candidates there that would clear waivers; and, if they didn’t, would it really matter anyway?
I don’t think the reds would have any trouble passing Kuhnel or Karcher through waivers right now. I don’t think many clubs are looking to use a 40 man spot on AAA guys with double digit ERAs at the moment
So maybe then it would be a good time to pass them through, instead of waiting til one them or both possibly getting hot.
My question is will there be anyone left in the Louisville bullpen that can get anyone out? They are just plain bad.
Nutof and Duarte. Also Salazar, Garcia, and Wong when they don’t have to use him starting anymore have all been called up will help.
Well, they certainly couldn’t get anybody out Saturday night. They led 9-2 after 5 innings then 11-5 after 6 innings only to end up getting beat 13-11.
Kunhel was charged with 4ER for his 0.2 IP in the 9th. He faced 8 batters allowing 4 hits and 3 walks to them.
Yeah. They’ve lost several games this year after scoring double digit runs.
Busenitz was a guy the Reds brought in from Japanese baseball. He was not good in Spring Training, but has pitched VERY WELL (as few have) at AAA. So has experience and I think can do well up here.
Silvina Bracho has been, I think, both a starter and reliever. I think he will only relieve up here.
I kind of wished they kept Stoudt up here and started him next week (Friday), but I don’t have a problem with Herget coming back (I didn’t even really know he left!).
Ian Gibaut should not pitch today….at all. He pitched Friday (and has been pitching pretty well), and came in yesterday, and he was tired, and it showed.
Abbott Friday? Well….THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING! Somebody will have to go down, and somebody will have to come off the 40 man to make room for Abbott.
Looking at the Reds 40 man, they have a lot of pitchers now on the 60 day IL. I think they have to stay on that at least 30 day, prior to reactivation; I am not sure if that includes a rehab stint in AAA. Does not sound so good for SanMartin if he went on the 60 day.
I am going to make a guess, and say that Joey Votto will start another rehab stint in AAA this week. He has been working out with the team at home, and there were hints he feels ready to try to play again.
Bringing up three new arms was a very much-needed move. Clearly the bullpen is worn down, and most of them should not be used today — unless there is a chance to win late in the game. If I need Sims, Diaz or Gibault to get one or two outs to close out a win, and if they are physically capable, I’m going to try to get the win.
I wouldn’t even dress Diaz just to make sure I did not give in to the temptation of using him. He’s thrown 55 pitches in the last 2 games, 40 of them on Saturday.
Given the 3 batter rule, Bell needs to be very careful with Gibaut (worked 3 consecutive days total of 35 pitches, 21 on Saturday). Maybe just a bit more leeway with Sims, as he threw 35 on Thurs, 0 on Friday, and just 1 Saturday.
https://www.rotowire.com/baseball/bullpen-usage.php?team=CIN
Yeah. Diaz should not pitch today in any circumstances.
Well, I’m glad that the reds made the moves with the relievers that they did, as the pen was gassed after the seven pitchers that the reds used yesterday. I was a little surprised that they didn’t call up Abbott. I’m also concerned that they didn’t play Farley or Barrero, both instrumental in their last two wins, especially Farley. I know he hasn’t hit lefties in the past, but he is so hot I would have hoped he played, even if he batted ninth.
Fraley. I guess I miss that comedian a lot.
My question for those who support Fraley not starting. How many at bats does he have against left handed pitching?
The answer is 14, not a lot or a fair amount to judge. Newman that you all brag about vs lefties is hitting .242 vs them, I’ll take my chances with Fraley.
Fraley has 148 career PA against LHP with a .141 batting average and .453 OPS.
Well, calf is better than arm.
The usual bold aggressive moves by the Reds FO. Two really never were and aren’t likely to be. Aka, two Bell specials.
This is the injury to one of the “big three” I was concerned about. Now we will see have to rely on unproven youngsters and hope. And to be honest the “big three” have not been all that big so far, anyway. When the calendar turns to June, watch out! I can see an extended losing streak or two coming, unfortunately.
Weaver cant catch a break. Ramos had no chance on that and turns a blood. Single into 2 bases. Senzel and Friedl and Fairchild about the only good defenders on this team. I’ll give Steer more time as he’s just 40 games into his career and has made some good plays.
I asked about SanMartin and Overton yesterday, so there’s the answer about the 40-man roster spot management. Was hoping it would be the start of elevating the prospects, but OTOH sticking with the plan may be wise – bring them up from June thru August.
Reds and Injuries go hand in hand….like a Synonym year after year, are the name Reds and the name Injuries.