The Cincinnati Reds are ready to start the second half of the season tonight after getting four days off for the All-Star break. They will be in Denver this weekend to face off against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. The roster is going to look slightly different when they arrive than when they left Great American Ball Park on Sunday. Outfielder Dane Myers has been activated from the 10-day injured list. He is taking the spot on the roster of utility man Ivan Johnson, who has been optioned back to Triple-A Louisville.
Dane Myers is coming back after spending two-and-a-half weeks on the injured list. In his last game, back on June 29th, he made a catch in Milwaukee against the Brewers but after the completion of the catch he collided with the wall very hard and had to exit the game. The good news was that after getting x-rays and scans at the hospital that generally speaking everything was ok. But the bad news was is that his collisions was a violent one and he was still in plenty of pain and needed to take some time off.
On Monday night he joined the Arizona Complex League Reds to begin a rehab assignment out in Phoenix. That game officially never happened because in the 5th inning a sand storm came through and was then followed up by rain and the game had not yet become official. Myers, though, did play in that one up to that point and walked and had been hit by a pitch. The next night he was back in the lineup and went 0-3 with another walk. And then on Wednesday night he homered – against all teams, the Rockies affiliate.
As for Ivan Johnson, he will now head back to the minor leagues and start to see more regular playing time. In his stint with the Reds he spent 13 days with the team prior to the All-Star break. Cincinnati played on 12 of those days. Johnson, though, only got into four of those games and only had one at-bat in the final 11 days before the break. He went 0-5 with a walk in his opportunities.
Glad to see Myers back. I wonder how that concussion affects his play moving forward. I wouldn’t blame him if he pulls up a little more when running towards the wall. That’d be hard for a player to still be aggressive, but also balance protecting themselves and their health. He’s a solid player especially as a 4th outfielder or so. He may be a player a team is interested for outfield depth at the deadline.
I think he’s under team control till 2029? If this continues to be a kind of lost season he may be a player to just let play more in the final months to gain more at bats as a valuable spot starter 4th outfielder going into the 2027 season.
Unless Myers is ready to hit, which I doubt, I’m not a fan of this move. I’d rather have Steer in CF. Most likely another “hole” in the lineup that is already struggling.
I’d also rather have HRod up with someone else going down (Marte or Friedl) but that’s another story. HRod will need to play most days and so will Marte so it’s probably Marte for me going to AAA.
Friedl can be a backup who can bunt when need be.
Playing in a larger outfield, it’s good to have a good defensive CF. At GABP, I would lean toward Steer.
Good point BK.
As a backup yea. If we don’t score it doesn’t matter.
Yes. Coors field is YUGE. You need someone who can get on their horse and run. I don’t know if Myers is ready to hit, but his outfielder chops will be important in Coors Field.
Followed by Seattle.
OK, this tracks.
And McLain dodges the bullet once again…. Johnson is serviceable at LF, RF, 2B, and gave them some decent plate appearances even if all there is to show is the 1 walk; but, down he goes.
The guess here is that McLain is still around because he is capable of giving the best defensive effort in CF if Myers comes up short or needs to be subbed out.
Well, McLain is on the DL right now. Arroyo could play short if Elly is hurt or something happens to him.
Steer and Stewart can play 2nd.
Synchronicity or Synergy or something like that.
Ooops, I’ve been following more World Cup than baseball. Thanks for reminding me about McLain’s leg issue, which of course happened the Reds way when he was cramming to get up to speed in CF on the job in the middle of the season. 😉
Looking at the Rock line up, they can hit thus could be a long week end unless the hitters decide to show up.
If it were anyone but Bowden, I’d expect the Reds were really trading Greene. And if they were to trade him, they’d better ML or ML ready hitters that are controlled or they are throwing out the rest of this decade. And Sheldon seems convinced that Suarez up is gone too. In other words, if more than click bait, we fans are in for another rebuild and a couple of lousy years. I suspect they may be correct. Krall dumps these guys for prospects and rebuilds the prospect pipeline. No winning in the near future
We’re facing righty starters in 8 of the next 9 games. Lowe can improve his trade value as he should be in the lineup for all those games. Does Friedl get all the starts in CF with Myers starting just that 1 game? I’m thinking Marte will be the one losing PT in favor of Lowe. Steer in RF. Trevino, Hayes, Marte and Myers my guess as the bench tonight.
Well Lowe nor Marte are in the line up tonight, however Hayes is playing. If this is going to be the line up vs right handed pitching Friedl and Suarez had better hit and Hayes as well. Marte should be traded because Tito will never play him as much as needs to be to give him a fair chance. The sad thing is Colorado may be a place where he could thrive and Lowe might hit a few out as well.
Wrong. Lowe in the bench which is freaking crazy. Hayes is playing. Must be trying to get his trade value up. Like any team is dumb enough to trade for him.
I agree with you Lowe not playing tonight is freaking crazy.
No doubt Lowe should be playing. And I don’t get the Friedl bit either except for the big ballpark. Friedl is a minor leaguer awaiting the return of the unhealthy.