The Cincinnati Reds hit the road this afternoon to take on the team with the best record in the Cactus League this season. The San Francisco Giants will be the host today at Scottsdale Stadium. First pitch is set for 3:05pm ET.
Reds (6-4) and Giants (9-2) Lineups
Reserve players on today’s Reds roster
For the third game in a row the Reds have not sent out the gameday roster so we do not have that available for you once again. They also didn’t send out any game notes for the game, but they did yesterday and these were the players listed as expected to pitch in today’s game:
Sam Moll, Yunior Marte, Tejay Antone, and Lyon Richardson.
Where to watch/listen/follow the game
First pitch is set for 3:05pm ET. There is no televised broadcast for this one. If you want to follow along on the radio this game will be carried on 700 WLW in the greater Cincinnati area. If you want to follow along with gameday, here is your link for that.
News and Notes
The 2nd Round of Roster Cuts
This morning the Reds made another round of roster cuts, this time sending six players back to minor league spring training. Five of those players happened to be on the 40-man roster and only one was a non-roster invitee to big league camp. Three of the guys were top 10 prospects in the organization, and another two were ranked between 11 and 20. If you missed that news we’ve got you covered here where we wrote about how everyone that was sent down has performed this spring.
Is Matt McLain back?
Matt McLain has been hitting like he’s taking batting practice this spring. His OPS is over 2.100 through six games and he’s hit four home runs. This morning we took a look at reasons to believe things could be different in 2026, but also some reasons to take a step back and be a little cautious about what his spring means so far.
Ryjeteri Merite makes his WBC debut
Left-handed pitching prospect Ryjeteri Merite pitched this afternoon for Team Netherlands. The 20-year-old gave up a single and had to work around an error but he tossed a shutout inning as he faced big leaguers Salvador Perez, Wilyer Abreu, William Contreras, and Javier Sanoja.
Out of Options
The following players have no options remaining: Brock Burke, Pierce Johnson, Sam Moll, and Tony Santillan.
Last two 26-man roster spots (position players) still very unpredictable after Steve, Treviño, Sal, McLain, KBH, EDLC, Lowe, Geno, Steer, Friedl, Marte: Benson, Bleday, Myers, Hinds?
I’m not sure Lowe is a lock either, but it’s good to have more quality players than the roster can accommodate, especially since multiple players have options.
More and more, I see the opening day roster as less important than the quality and use of the 40-man throughout the ups and downs of the season.
It’s been this way forever, but I think Francona’s efforts to get this group to coalesce also acknowledges that players sent to AAA like Hinds, Dunn, perhaps Benson, will contribute in a meaningful way to the season, with the goal being to go deeper into the playoffs. Something like, You’re going to be needed so be ready.
It seems to me to be the next step of last year’s message to Hinds, Dunn, Benson and Marte when sent to AAA. Go down, work on these things and improve (which each of them did pretty well in 2025). It’s pretty interesting to think about.
@Dave, very, very well stated.
Yes, well stated. The depth is by far the best we’ve had in years. That goes for all positions, including pitching.
Roster construction this year has been superb.
DaveCT’s comment is very on point, but a difference this season is that everyone performed better at AAA last season, so the issue this season may be up to Bleday and Myers – they seemingly, and justifiably, will start the season on the 26 man, but finally there is pressure to perform at almost all roster spots. Barring injury (oh no for Dunn, but may not be serious) or uncharacteristic flopping, there should be 2 or more OFers ready to move up instantly – either for an injury to Bleday/Myers, or if they aren’t working out.
Hat tip to Krall et. al. for finally having a roster that has ready parts available, rather than the issues we’ve seen in years past.
Even better, they should be aggressive buyers at the deadline, with valuable pieces to move to get a better deal.
As I’ve said, odds are if Lowe makes the cut, Benson and Hinds (sounds like a cigarette commercial from the 70s) go to Louisville. It’s hard for me to envision Krall not keeping his two offseason pickups: Myers and Bleday on the opening day roster.
It’s especially hard to see the offseason acquisitions not making the team when they are playing well in Spring Training. Charlie Goldsmith’s informal poll of Reds players had Bleday just below McLain as players who have stood out the most this Spring.
Merite looked good, the kid seems to have pretty good projection. We’ll see him this year how is going…
Former Red minor leaguer, Juan Carlos Sulbaran, also pitching for Netherlands.
Why is it that all of our starters seem to be getting blasted during spring training?
Isn’t still concerning Abbott giving up 4 more runs in just 2.2 IP putting his ERA at 12.27 right now?
No, as Doug has explained several times in regards to factors as to why eras are up. Etc etc
Considering Abbott relies on changing speeds, location, and movement, and Arizona inhibits some of those things, no concerns at all.
Watching Marte with all of this outfield competition although I doubt the Reds see it this way in my mind he doesn’t have a spot locked up. The Cowboy agrees with me.
Hampson is an atrocious hitter… I don’t want him in my team…
Yeah. He’s just there in ST to make sure the other guys don’t have to play too much. He’s not much of an asset and is in no danger of making the team.
With Arroyo off to World Baseball, they do need someone to help fill innings at short.
Yunior Marte will likely be cut soon…He could be good playing for the Bats
I don’t get some things in spring training, JJ Bleday, in theory, is a guy competing for a OF spot so why you replace him for Urbaez who is looking for nothing? Let Bleday to show what he can do…
Hinds. I’ve shouted from the mountain tops and its not with anything close to full confidence that he’ll make it in the end. Its the ceiling! Bleday? This Myers guy? Steer is pretty much always locked in too and I can never understand why? .721 & .723 OPS in the last 2 years. He’s too short and doesn’t hit enough for 1B. C- arm in the OF and isn’t strong there either. He’s ok, but maybe Hinds would be better then ok?
“Make him earn it at Louisville” they say. Ok, but unless Steer and every other scrub they can find is hitting .210 and Hinds is threatening for the AAA Triple Crown then its not happening. He’ll be 26 in September. Trade him and move on. Let the kid have a chance somewhere else. Gather up another arm like they just did for Callahan
He just hit into a force play but hit the ball with a 113.1 EV. K % now at 23.5 this Spring. Moved over to CF after Dunn got hurt.
I agree Indy.Just trade him and move on.Go with the guys you know about like Bledlay and his 1300 career at bats and Steer and his 1700 and Myers at age 30 with an OPS+ of 80.Go with them and you get what you know you will get and that is average to below average offense.Hinds is 2 years younger then the first 2 players and 4 years younger then Myers.Good grief none of these guys have the tools he does.Just trade him as you said for another arm and do the kid a favor.
I just want a fun, winning team to watch all year. The team to make the playoffs & win a game or series!
Go Reds !
I couldn’t have said it better. Like many of us, I miss Red’s baseball in the offseason. It all goes back for me to 1944, when I remember hearing some of the all-St, Louis World Series (Browns vs. Cardinals.) I think Nick Krall has done a good job filling out the Reds, who should be a real competitive team in the NLC and go from there.