Cincinnati Reds Press Clippings September 1, 2018 THIS DAY IN REDS HISTORY 1967-The Reds play the longest game in club history and lose to the Giants, 1-0, in 21 innings MLB.COM Bailey's cold streak continues in defeat vs. Cards By Sean Collins MLB.com 1:04 AM EDT ST. LOUIS -- Homer Bailey entered Friday night with an extensive rope, but it wasn't on account of any past domination. Bailey (1-13, 6.13 ERA) had to take the 12-5 loss to the Cardinals in the first game of the series at Busch Stadium on the chin following backto-back extra-inning thrillers against the Brewers that used up a tired bullpen. Four consecutive singles in the first inning from the heart of the Reds' lineup secured a pair of runs off pitcher Austin Gomber, but the Cardinals were quick to strike back. A Eugenio Suarez error and misread by Billy Hamilton on a Gomber double resulted in four unearned Cardinal runs in the second, capped off by a 2-run homer by third baseman Matt Carpenter. "The first thing I thought when I made contact was, 'Wow, I just hit that really hard,'" Gomber said. "And then, my second thought was, 'Whoa, that's probably going to be right at him.' But he was playing pretty shallow, maybe didn't get the best read on it. It fell." Bailey gave up a three-run home run to Paul DeJong in the third and ended up working five innings with seven runs (three earned) allowed on nine hits. "[Bailey]'s getting closer and closer to being what he can be, but as he goes through it, he's not getting away from anything," Reds interim manager Jim Riggleman said. "Hitters are all over his stuff and he's pitching into some bad luck." The Reds bullpen as a whole was already taxed and Jackson Stephens made his third straight appearances when he took the hill against the Cardinals, putting Riggleman, who said before the game he'd have to leave pitchers out there longer than he'd like, in a tough spot. In response to a depleted bullpen, the Reds recalled Matt Wisler on Friday afternoon. He tossed two scoreless innings of relief in his Reds debut, allowing one hit with three strikeouts. Stephens allowed five runs in the eighth, which prompted Riggleman to pitch infielder Brandon Dixon. "We needed Homer to throw a bunch of pitches today and get us to Wisler, and then we're hoping we'd get through it with maybe those two guys and we didn't. But we scored, which put us in a position to pinch-hit and we were back in the game at that point," Riggleman said. "We will take that, of course, but it was the way it went." Scott Schebler, who racked up three hits (and came a triple shy of the cycle), made it interesting with a two-run home run off Cardinals pitcher Brett Cecil in the eighth. The Reds finished with 14 hits. MOMENTS THAT MATTERED The Reds tallied a three-run eighth that was sparked by the two-run homer from Schleber. But the comeback ended abruptly with a monster five-run bottom of the eighth allowed by Stephens. A Patrick Wisdom home run, three base hits, two walks and a hit by pitch fueled the Cardinals' rally. "Jackson Stephens gave us everything he had, but that was the third day in a row for him also, so a tough challenge," Riggleman said. "We are just running into some really good lineups and haven't been up to the task to hold those lineups down." YOU GOTTA SEE THIS Dixon replaced Stephens in the eighth after the reliever gave up five runs. Dixon retired Wisdom on a flyout, throwing a 59-mph slider.
HE SAID IT "He did a nice job. He seemed to throw strikes, composure, work fast, all the things you ask for pitchers, but a little small sample size to make too much of a judgment." -- Riggleman, on Wisler UP NEXT The Reds return to Busch Stadium for the second game of the series against the Cardinals on Saturday night at 6:15 p.m. CT, and both clubs could be seeing reinforcements with the roster expansion. Luis Castillo (7-11, 5.07 ERA) opposes righty Daniel Poncedeleon (0-0, 2.08). The last time Castillo pitched in St. Louis was on July 14 in an 8-2 win. The right-hander pitched five innings, allowing two runs. Wisler called up, Brice optioned to Triple-A By Sean Collins MLB.com 1:30 AM EDT ST. LOUIS -- The Reds recalled right-hander Matt Wisler from Triple-A Louisville and optioned Austin Brice to Louisville on Friday afternoon. The move was necessary following back-to-back extra-inning affairs against the Brewers on Wednesday and Thursday. Five different relievers were used in consecutive games and Jared Hughes tossed three straight nights. Wisler spared the bullpen from another exhausting night in a 12-5 loss to the Cardinals in his Reds debut Friday night with two innings of scoreless relief, allowing a hit and fanning three. Homer Bailey and Wisler combined for seven innings before the Reds rallied in the eighth, prompting interim manager Jim Riggleman to take out Wisler, who otherwise could have gone another inning or two. "We [were] hoping we'd get through it with maybe those two guys and we didn't, but we scored, which put us in a position to pinchhit and we were back in the game at that point. We will take that, of course, but it was the way it went," Riggleman said. Power bats return Joey Votto, Scott Schebler and Eugenio Suarez were all in the lineup Friday after recently missing time. "We hope it means a lot. We are still getting rust off a bit with Joey and Schebler, but you need some left-handed hitting," Riggleman said. "When Winker and Scheb and Scooter [Gennett] and Joey, all of it, we were really tough to pitch against. We are getting them back now, and we'll get going more offensively." Schebler had a productive offensive night against the Cardinals with three hits (finishing a triple shy of the cycle), including a tworun home run in the eighth. "After a bunch of swings and misses the first game or two again Milwaukee, [Schebler] started squaring a couple up, started looking like himself again," Riggleman said. "He really swung the bat well tonight." Arizona Fall League update Outfielder Taylor Trammell and second baseman Shed Long highlight eight Reds prospects selected Tuesday to play in the AFL this October. Trammell is the No. 3 prospect in the organization, according to MLB Pipeline (19 overall), and Long is the Reds' No. 8 prospect. Trammell is one of five top-20 prospects playing in the AFL this fall. Alongside Tramell and Long, the Reds are sending pitchers Tommy Bergjans, Alex Powers, Ty Boyles, and Wyatt Strahan, catcher Mark Kolozsvary (who is on the taxi squad), and shortstop Alfredo Rodriguez (No. 23 in the Reds' system). Tramell was successful in his first season with Class A Advanced Daytona, slashing.277/.374/.406 with 25 stolen bases. Long, who's been in the system since 2013, has a line of.260/.349/.405 with Double-A Pensacola. The AFL season runs from Oct. 9 through Nov. 17. CINCINNATI ENQUIRER Bailey struggles, Cincinnati Reds lose 7th time in 8 games, 12-5 to St. Louis Cardinals John Fay, Cincinnati Enquirer Published 11:53 p.m. ET Aug. 31, 2018 Updated 12:24 a.m. ET Sept. 1, 2018
ST. LOUIS - If ever there was a time to remove Homer Bailey from the rotation, it would be now. Rosters expand Saturday. The Cincinnati Reds could take Bailey out and replace him with Tyler Mahle or Lucas Sims. Both are pitching well in Triple-A. There are many ways to describe the way Bailey is pitching, but "well" is not a word you'd use. Bailey went five innings and allowed seven runs (three earned) in the Reds' 12-5 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals before a crowd of 42,365 at Busch Stadium. It was the Reds' seventh loss in eight games. Bailey is 1-13. He's taken the loss in each of his last six starts. The Reds are 1-18 in games he starts. It's hard to imagine that he'll be part of the rotation when the Reds return to respectability. Mahle is 2-1 with a 2.73 ERA since being sent to Louisville. Sims, obtained in the Adam Duvall trade with Atlanta, is 4-5 with a 3.11 ERA in Triple-A. He has 115 strikeouts and 39 walks in 101 ⅓ innings. It sounds like Bailey is not in danger of losing his spot. "He's come back from injury," Reds manager Jim Riggleman said. "He's getting closer and closer to what he can be. As he goes through it, he's not getting away with anything. Hitters are all over his stuff. He's pitched into bad luck. "He's had a combination of back luck and hitters hitting his mistakes." The Reds took a 2-0 lead in the first. Jose Peraza, Joey Votto, Eugenio Suárez and Scooter Gennett strung together four straight oneout singles. Bailey pitched a scoreless first. He ran into some bad luck in the second and into one batter. Paul DeJong reached on Suárez's error with one out. Harrison Bader hit into a fielder's choice. Two outs, No. 8 and 9 due up. Yaro Munoz singled. Then pitcher Austin Gomber hit one to center field that Billy Hamilton clearly misjudged. But the time he realized it, even his speed was not enough to get to the ball. He made a leap, but the ball got over his glove for a two-run double. That brought up Matt Carpenter, the National League leader in home runs. He went from 34 to 35 when Bailey left a 92-mph fastball belt-high on the inner half. Carpenter hit it well out to right. None of the runs was earned, but it still was a 4-2 game. "I maybe got too passive with my approach there," Bailey said. "I tried to be a little too good. That team's really hot now. They're going to make you pay for your starts." Bailey ran into more trouble in the third. This time, it was all on him. Jose Martinez and Matt Adams led off with singles. An out later, DeJong hit one out to left for his 13th of the year. It was the 23rd home run has allowed in 19 starts. Three pitches ruined Bailey's outing. Were they misses? "The one to the pitcher hit was a spot we hit," Bailey said. "He hit it. Carpenter, a big miss. The other home run we missed by a little bit. We probably have to be more diligent on getting it in on the plate." Gomber, a 24-year-old rookie left-hander, allowed the leadoff man to reach in the second, fourth, fifth and sixth but escaped each time. Matt Wisler, the 25-year-old right-hander, called up earlier in the day, took over for Bailey and threw two scoreless innings. But the Reds made a game of it late ever so briefly. Scott Schebler hit a two-run home run in the eighth off Brett Cecil. The Reds loaded the bases after the homer. Tucker Barnhart walked. The Cardinals brought in Jordan Hicks, he of the 103-mph fastball, at that point. Pinch-hitter Mason Williams and Billy Hamilton singled. Peraza got in one run with a sacrifice fly. Votto walked to reload the bases. But Hicks got Eugenio Suárez to ground out on a 3-2 pitch. The Cardinals got runs back and more when Jackson Stephens gave up five in the Cardinals eighth. Stephens did not finish the inning. Brandon Dixon got the final out in his second mound appearance of the year.
"Jackson Stephens gave us everything he had," Riggleman said. "That was the third day in a row for him. We're running into some really good lineups, and we haven't been up to the task to hold those lineups down." Cincinnati Reds call up Wisler to give bullpen a fresh arm John Fay, Cincinnati Enquirer Published 7:58 p.m. ET Aug. 31, 2018 Updated 8:05 p.m. ET Aug. 31, 2018 ST. LOUIS, Missouri - After back-to-back, extra-inning games in which the starter went fewer than five innings, the Cincinnati Reds needed a fresh arm. Meet Matt Wisler, the 25-year-old right-hander the Reds got in the Adam Duvall trade with Atlanta. Wisler was called up from Triple-A Louisville to take the roster spot of right-hander Austin Brice. Brice was optioned back to Triple-A Louisville. Wisler came to the Reds along with RHP Lucas Sims and outfielder Preston Tucker. "I figured I'd be here Sept. 1 anyway," Wisler said. "So it wasn't too much of a surprise to get the call a few days early." Wisler was optioned to Louisville after the trade. He was 1-1 with a 1.83 ERA in two starts and six relief outings for the Bats. "Right now, I'm out of the bullpen," Wisler said. "I'll take whatever innings I can get." "We want to give him a look," Reds Interim Manager Jim Riggleman said. "We got him and the other fellow, Sims, in the trade. We're hoping they can give us some length in the bullpen. "We've really used our bullpen extensively these last two extra-innings games. We needed to get someone like Wisler here who could go four or five innings." Wisler has big league experience. He was 16-23 with a 5.27 ERA over the last three years with the Braves. He spent almost all of 2016 in Atlanta's rotation. He went 7-13 with a 5.00 ERA over 27 games (26 starts). Sims, 24, will also likely join the Reds. He's made five starts for Louisville. He's 0-2 with a 3.81 ERA. But he's only allowed 20 hits in 28 innings, and he had 34 strikeouts and five walks. "I don't know if he'll start or not," Riggleman said. Rosters expand Saturday, although the Reds will make the bulk of the moves Tuesday after the Bats' season ends. But the Wisler move was necessary because of the immediate need. Five relievers David Hernandez, Jackson Stephens, Jared Hughes, Michael Lorenzen and Sal Romano had pitched two days in a row going into Friday. Hughes had pitched three days in a row. "We might have to leave some guys out there longer than we want," Riggleman said. "If it was (Saturday), we could bring in some reinforcements. (Friday) is not the day we can do it." POWER BACK: The Reds had Joey Votto and Scott Schebler in the lineup together for the first time since July 14. We hope it means a lot," Riggleman said. "We re still shaking the rust off a little bit. You need some left-handed hitting. When we had (Jesse) Winker, Joey, Scooter (Gennett) and Scheb, that s pretty good. We were tough to pitch against. We re getting them back now. Hopefully, we ll get going." BRICE OUT: Brice was optioned back to Louisville. He had to leave Thursday's game after two batters with an elevated heart rate. It was attributed to dehydration. He was called up before Thursday's game to take Robert Stephenson's roster spot. He didn't get word that he was coming up until 1 a.m. Thursday's game started at 12:35. He can't return to the Reds until Louisville's season ends.
Transactions 09/01/18 Minnesota Twins selected the contract of C Chris Gimenez from Rochester Red Wings. Minnesota Twins selected the contract of LHP Andrew Vasquez from Rochester Red Wings. Minnesota Twins recalled RF Johnny Field from Rochester Red Wings. Minnesota Twins recalled RHP Tyler Duffey from Rochester Red Wings. Minnesota Twins activated RHP Matt Belisle from the 10-day disabled list. Minnesota Twins transferred LHP Adalberto Mejia from the 10-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list. Left wrist strain. Los Angeles Dodgers transferred RHP Erik Goeddel from the 10-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list. Right elbow inflammation. St. Louis Cardinals recalled C Carson Kelly from Memphis Redbirds. St. Louis Cardinals recalled RHP Daniel Poncedeleon from Memphis Redbirds. St. Louis Cardinals recalled LHP Tyler Webb from Memphis Redbirds. 08/31/18 Washington Nationals traded Future Considerations and LHP Gio Gonzalez to Milwaukee Brewers for 3B Gilbert Lara and 1B KJ Harrison. Toronto Blue Jays traded LF Curtis Granderson to Milwaukee Brewers for CF Demi Orimoloye. Pittsburgh Pirates traded cash and SS Adeiny Hechavarria to New York Yankees for Future Considerations. Cleveland Indians transferred CF Leonys Martin from the 10-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list. Non-baseball related issue. Toronto Blue Jays traded 3B Josh Donaldson to Cleveland Indians for Player To Be Named Later. Pittsburgh Pirates traded 3B David Freese to Los Angeles Dodgers for SS Jesus Valdez. Cleveland Indians sent RHP Neil Ramirez on a rehab assignment to Columbus Clippers. Arizona Diamondbacks sent CF Jarrod Dyson on a rehab assignment to Reno Aces. Milwaukee Brewers signed free agent 2B Emilio Bonifacio to a minor league contract. San Diego Padres recalled RHP Rowan Wick from El Paso Chihuahuas. San Diego Padres transferred LHP Clayton Richard from the 10-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list. Left knee inflammation. San Diego Padres placed RHP Kirby Yates on the bereavement list. New York Mets recalled RHP Jacob Rhame from Las Vegas 51s. New York Mets placed C Kevin Plawecki on the paternity list. Milwaukee Brewers sent 2B Nate Orf outright to Colorado Springs Sky Sox. Milwaukee Brewers sent RHP Ariel Hernandez outright to Colorado Springs Sky Sox. Los Angeles Dodgers designated 3B Rob Segedin for assignment. Atlanta Braves transferred RHP Peter Moylan from the 10-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list. Right forearm strain. Toronto Blue Jays sent RHP Luis Santos outright to Buffalo Bisons. Cincinnati Reds optioned RHP Austin Brice to Louisville Bats. Cincinnati Reds recalled RHP Matt Wisler from Louisville Bats. Chicago Cubs recalled RHP Dillon Maples from Iowa Cubs. Chicago Cubs placed RF Jason Heyward on the 10-day disabled list. Right hamstring tightness. Detroit Tigers activated LHP Blaine Hardy from the 10-day disabled list. Oakland Athletics recalled CF Dustin Fowler from Nashville Sounds. Oakland Athletics optioned RHP Frankie Montas to Nashville Sounds. Tampa Bay Rays selected the contract of C Adam Moore from Durham Bulls. Tampa Bay Rays placed C Michael Perez on the 10-day disabled list retroactive to August 29, 2018. Left hamstring strain. Baltimore Orioles sent RHP Jhan Marinez outright to Norfolk Tides. RHP Jhan Marinez roster status changed by Baltimore Orioles. Baltimore Orioles recalled CF Joey Rickard from Norfolk Tides. Baltimore Orioles designated RF Craig Gentry for assignment. Chicago White Sox selected the contract of RHP Ian Hamilton from Charlotte Knights. Chicago White Sox traded LHP Xavier Cedeno to Milwaukee Brewers for LF Bryan Connell and RHP Johan Dominguez. Texas Rangers recalled RHP Connor Sadzeck from Round Rock Express. Texas Rangers traded RHP Cory Gearrin to Oakland Athletics for RHP Abdiel Mendoza and RHP Teodoro Ortega. Oakland Athletics transferred RHP Paul Blackburn from the 10-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list. Right elbow lateral epicondylitis. San Francisco Giants selected the contract of LF Chris Shaw from Sacramento River Cats. Washington Nationals recalled LHP Sammy Solis from Syracuse Chiefs. Los Angeles Dodgers designated LHP Adam Liberatore for assignment. Washington Nationals traded RHP Ryan Madson to Los Angeles Dodgers for RHP Andrew Istler. New York Yankees designated LHP Ryan Bollinger for assignment.
Kansas City Royals recalled C Cam Gallagher from Omaha Storm Chasers. Kansas City Royals traded C Drew Butera and cash to Colorado Rockies for LHP Jerry Vasto. San Francisco Giants traded RF Andrew McCutchen and cash to New York Yankees for 2B Abiatal Avelino and RHP Juan De Paula. Detroit Tigers optioned LHP Josh Smoker to Toledo Mud Hens.