The Cincinnati Reds made a bunch of roster moves today, but the biggest ones were that Jonathan India and Joey Votto returned from their rehab assignments in Triple-A Louisville and that Hunter Greene has been activated from the Covid-Injured list. We knew that Greene was returning today as he’d been listed as the probable starter for several days now and was already back in the clubhouse having been cleared as healthy for return.
Joey Votto wasn’t quite in the same boat, though we were told that he could return Sunday if things went right on his rehab in Louisville. His rehab stint with Louisville lasted just two games. After missing just over two weeks on the injured list with a shoulder issues, Votto headed to Louisville and went 2-6 with a double and two RBI in his two games played. Now he’s back in the lineup for Cincinnati on his 40th birthday.
Jonathan India was with Votto in Louisville for his rehab assignment. India, who had missed five weeks with plantar fasciitis, headed to Triple-A on Friday and he went 1-5 with a walk, double, 2 runs, and 2 RBI in his two games. It’s not his birthday, but like Votto, he’s back in the Reds lineup this afternoon.
After missing a little more than two months with a hip injury, Hunter Greene returned to pitch on August 20th. He made three starts, and his best one of the three came on the 30th against San Francisco when he didn’t give up an earned run in 5.1 innings while walking just one batter and striking out six. But following the game he was not feeling well and wound up on the Covid-19 injured list. He missed one start in the process.
To create room for all three of them on the active 28-man roster the Reds optioned Lyon Richardson to Triple-A. Alejo Lopez was returned to Triple-A and returned Carson Spiers back to Double-A. Lopez and Spiers were not on the 40-man roster and were called up as “replacement” players to take over for players on the Covid-19 injured list. As replacement players they get big league time and pay, but don’t need to be on the 40-man or optioned back which would count towards the various ways the rules count player options.
If I’m reading this correctly, we dropped 2 pitchers and 1 position player for 1 pitcher and 2 position players. Given both pitchers were technically starters, I suppose that makes sense. I do wonder what happens on Tuesday or Wednesday when we want to get back to 14 pitchers on the roster.
Oh well … Happy 40th to Joey. Hope he can celebrate in fine fashion. I do believe this is the last birthday he’ll have wearing a Reds uniform.
He’ll have a closet full of Reds uniforms to wear whenever he wants, just not wherever he wants!
+1,000
😀
Hope Joey can get the Jim Day post-game on field interview and drop a Mike gundy “I’m a man, I’m 40!”
Having India back is a good thing. Greene, maybe. Votto, meh. Hopefully, India brings a nice return this off season (I think he and Barrero have already been flagged by the FO). Hopefully, this winter, someone teaches Greene a new pitch and explains that power alone isn’t going to cut it in the majors. And Votto? Please ride into the sunset with some dignity. After the career he’s had, the last couple of years have done nothing to enhance his HoF chances.
Pretty much doesn’t matter at this point. Until mathematically eliminated there is always a chance, but losing two games in the standings while playing the Cardinals at GABP does not portend well.
In response to LDS, I hope the instruction goes well beyond teaching Greene a new pitch. The number of times that Reds pitching has gotten two outs, then with men on the base paths has given up a multi run dinger, is a major problem that needs to be corrected. Hopefully the brain trust is already planning for that.
I’m not worried about the offense, unless Votto is part of it, with all the seasoning these rookies have gotten, conditioning to avoid injuries should be a focus, and then keep on hitting and running. They have gotten an extensive look at MLB pitching and an extensive look at MLB arms at all positions and in all teams. The running game should be every bit as good, but just a bit tighter in 2024.
I also hope that pitching brain trust has dusted off records of 40-50 years ago to see what they can learn from pitchers of old, especially the hard throwers who routinely bumped 300 innings throwing every fourth day. Not saying go back to a four man rotation but look for what might have change that could be having an unfavorable effect on arms.
Any way, this has been a most enjoyable year. Krall should get GM of the year votes and Bell should get Manager of the year votes for what was accomplished with a team for which Bell needed a new program at game time as often as not, it seems, to even know what he had to work with that particular game. Last night they even had to delay the game so he could sort out a lineup.
We lost one of those games because Carson Spiers has no business pitching in the Bigs
I hope these guys are ready because we need help.
This offseason’s plan should be the same hopes that we had during the trade deadline.
1. Get a good starting pitcher. Doesn’t need to be an ace necessarily, sure that would be nice but it’s not a must. Getting someone who has a track record of pitching around 180 to 200 innings or so with an ERA under 4.00 That’s the must.
2. Really would be nice to have another relief pitcher that could close if Diaz has been overworked. I honestly would take Chapman even though he is up in age. I am sure there are a few others free agents that could fit this bill.
Only other thing I would like to say here is, don’t bring back Votto. His time is past. There is only one way I bring him back and that is if he fully understands that he is a bench player and he will have to sign a different deal. Maybe he could be a coach / bench player? Is that even possible in today’s baseball?
Those are the really the only moves we need to make. If our players are healthy next season 2024 could be very magical.
Agree Jay…today’s pitchers throw far less innings than they ever have before with far more time on the injured list, or so it seems to me. I would not go into next season relying on Greene or Lodolo to be starters that can be expected to pitch an entire season. I hope that I am wrong and they can be productive and available but they cannot be counted on as the #1 and #2 options. Abbott, Ashcraft, and Williamson had good seasons with plenty of promise and durability.