Spiers (0-1) allowed a run on three hits and two walks over six innings Tuesday, striking out five and taking a loss against Texas.
Spiers delivered a quality start in his season debut, but the Reds were victims of a complete game shutout by Nathan Eovaldi. The only damage against Spiers was a solo shot from Wyatt Langford in the first inning. Spiers generated 11 whiffs on 85 total pitches (48 strikes). The 27-year-old righty is currently in line for a start in Milwaukee this weekend.
Diaz (hamstring) threw a live batting practice session Tuesday, Charlie Goldsmith of the Dayton Daily News reports.
Diaz continues to work on his mechanics after they were thrown off following a hamstring injury. The reliever is eligible for activation from the 15-day injured list April 8, but there has not been an established timetable for his return yet. Reds manager Terry Francona has indicated he would like Diaz to get his closer job back when he's healthy and his mechanics are in order. Emilio Pagan has recorded the Reds' lone save so far, while Ian Gibaut has a blown save.
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Reds' Jose Trevino: Getting breather Tuesday
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Trevino is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Rangers.
Austin Wynns will do the catching while Trevino gets some rest. Trevino has started three of the first five tilts this season, going 2-for-9 at the plate.
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Reds' Spencer Steer: Taking seat Tuesday
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Steer is absent from the lineup for Tuesday's contest against the Rangers.
Steer has now started three of the first five games this season, as the Reds don't want to overload him as he comes back from his right shoulder injury. All three of Steer's starts have been at designated hitter, and it's not clear when he might be ready to play the field. Gavin Lux is at DH on Tuesday while Blake Dunn covers left field.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Sitting Tuesday
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Encarnacion-Strand (hand) is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Rangers.
The 25-year-old departed Monday's series opener after being hit by a pitch on the right hand and will be absent from the starting nine for at least one game. Encarnacion-Strand already had X-rays come back negative and could be available off the bench, per Reds manager Terry Francona, Charlie Goldsmith of the Dayton Daily News reports. Jeimer Candelario is shifting to first base Tuesday while Santiago Espinal receives a start at the hot corner.
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Reds' TJ Friedl: Logs first steal
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Friedl went 2-for-4 with a walk, two runs scored and a stolen base in Monday's 14-3 win over the Rangers.
Friedl returned to the lineup after getting Sunday off. He was back at leadoff, which was a good place to be Monday. The two batters behind him, Matt McLain and Elly De La Cruz, went a combined 6-for-8 with three home runs, a double and 10 RBI. In addition to scoring twice, Friedl swiped his first bag of the season. He's looking to put an injury-marred 2024 behind him and should register double-digit thefts if given good health. He stole 27 bases in 138 games in 2023 before falling back to nine over 85 games in 2024.
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Reds' Jeimer Candelario: Slides to 1B mid-game
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Candelario started at third base and went 1-for-5 Monday's 14-3 win over Texas.
Candelario, who has started all four games thus far, was moved mid-game to first base when Christian Encarnacion-Strand (hand) was removed after being hit by a pitch. Imaging came back negative, but Encarnacion-Strand may not be ready to go Tuesday. If so, it's likely Candelario starts at first base Tuesday, with Santiago Espinal entering the lineup at third.
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Reds' Spencer Steer: Plays back-to-back days
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Steer went 1-for-5 with two RBI in Monday's 14-3 win over the Rangers.
Steer, who served as the designated hitter, was in the starting lineup for a second straight day, which indicates his lingering shoulder discomfort presents no limitations other than when it comes to playing the field. Monday's hit was his first of the season. Steer had gone 0-for-10 before a two-run single in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Singer (1-0) yielded a hit and two walks over seven scoreless innings Monday, striking out eight and earning a win over Texas.
Singer was terrific in his Reds debut, tossing 57 of his 92 pitches for strikes and generating 15 whiffs despite averaging just 91 mph on his fastball. He allowed just one Ranger to reach scoring position and never faced much of a threat in the dominant outing. Singer has delivered mixed results in his MLB career, but he turned in a solid 3.71 ERA over 179.2 regular-season frames in 2024. He followed that up with a 2.55 ERA and a 21:7 K:BB through 17.2 innings this spring. Singer's next start is projected to be in Milwaukee this weekend.
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Reds' Matt McLain: Stays hot Monday
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McLain went 2-for-3 with a home run, three RBI, four runs scored and a walk in Monday's win over the Rangers.
McLain knocked a two-run homer in the first inning, wasting no time going deep for a third consecutive game. He's now 5-for-16 with four extra-base hits and seven runs scored through four games. McLain posted an impressive .864 OPS as a rookie in 2023 but missed the entire 2024 campaign due to shoulder and rib injuries. It's worth noting that all four of his starts have been at second base after he spent some time in the outfield during the Arizona Fall League in 2024.
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Reds' Elly De La Cruz: Delivers monster performance
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De La Cruz went 4-for-5 with two home runs, a double, seven RBI, four runs scored and a stolen base in Monday's 14-3 win over the Rangers.
Using the much-discussed torpedo bat for the first time, De La Cruz got started early Monday with a single, a stolen base and a run scored in the first inning. He then drilled a three-run shot in the second and a two-run double in the sixth before capping off his ridiculous night with a two-run blast in the seventh. De La Cruz had one hit in each of his first three games this season before Monday's big breakout performance. It was the second time in his MLB career that he knocked multiple home runs and swiped a bag in the same game.
Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Avoids significant injury
Rotowire
The Reds announced that X-rays on Encarnacion-Strand's right hand came back negative after he exited Monday's game against the Rangers in the top of the seventh inning, Charlie Goldsmith of the Dayton Daily News reports.
Encarnacion-Strand was pulled from the contest after being hit by a pitch on the hand in the bottom of the sixth inning, but he checked out OK after undergoing further testing. The club will presumably check on the first baseman early Tuesday before determining whether he can be penciled into the starting lineup for the second game of the series.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Exits following HBP
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Encarnacion-Strand left Monday's game against the Rangers after being hit by a pitch on his right hand, Charlie Goldsmith of the Dayton Daily News reports.
Encarnacion-Strand is presumably headed for further testing to determine the extent of his injury, though this move could also be precautionary considering the Reds were out to a comfortable 12-0 lead. He went 0-for-2 with one walk, one run scored and one hit-by-pitch before being lifted. Jeimer Candelario will shift to first base and Santiago Espinal will enter the game at the hot corner following Encarnacion-Strand's removal.
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Reds' Tony Santillan: Serving in fireman role
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Reds manager Terry Francona indicated recently that he prefers to use Santillan "when we need to put the fire out" earlier in games, Charlie Goldsmith of the Dayton Daily News reports.
Santillan pitched a scoreless eighth inning on Opening Day versus the Giants and a scoreless seventh inning Saturday, protecting a one-run lead on both occasions. While the 27-year-old looks to be Francona's most trusted reliever right now, Santillan looks like a better bet for holds than saves. Emilio Pagan appears to be the top closer option while Alexis Diaz (hamstring) is shelved.
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Reds' Emilio Pagan: Looking like top closer option
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Pagan was warming up in the bullpen in the bottom of the eighth inning of Sunday's loss to the Giants and appeared poised for a save chance had the Reds taken the lead, Charlie Goldsmith of the Dayton Daily News reports.
The Reds did not take the lead and Pagan did not make an appearance. However, the fact that Pagan recorded a save Saturday and was warming for a potential save Sunday suggests he is currently at the top of the team's closer hierarchy while Alexis Diaz (hamstring) is out. Tony Santillan looks to be manager Terry Francona's most trusted reliever, but Francona prefers to use Santillan "when we need to put the fire out" earlier in games.
