Reds' Will Benson: Returns, extends hitless streak
Rotowire
Benson started in left field and went 0-for-4 in Tuesday's 9-5 loss to the Pirates.
Benson, who was back on the field after dealing with an elbow ailment, continued to slump this month. He's gone 25 at-bats without a hit, and his batting average dropped to .188 following the loss.
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Reds' Spencer Steer: May remain at first base
Rotowire
Steer started at first base and went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored in Tuesday's 9-5 loss to Pittsburgh.
Steer's been locked in of late, going 11-for-35 with eight RBI over the last nine contests. He began the season as the team's primary left fielder but has played a lot at first base since Christian Encarnacion-Strand (wrist) landed on the injured list in May. With news the Encarnacion-Strand opted for surgery that likely spells the end of his season, Steer is in line to become the club's primary first baseman. That could change when Noelvi Marte (suspension) returns. At that point, with Marte slotted in at third base, Jeimer Candelario could move from third to first.
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Reds' Jonathan India: Makes impact at leadoff
Rotowire
India batted leadoff and went 2-for-2 with two walks, two doubles, two steals and three runs scored in Tuesday's 9-5 loss to the Pirates.
India batted leadoff for a second straight game, filling in at the spot normally handled by TJ Friedl, who was added to the 10-day injured list Monday with a hamstring injury. In two games atop the order, India is 5-for-6 with three walks, four doubles, two steals and six runs scored. The two steals lifted him to eight for the season. He's hit safely in seven straight, going 13-for-25 with seven extra-base hits during the streak.
The Reds will recall Ashcraft from Triple-A Louisville to start against the Pirates on Wednesday, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Ashcraft had been one of the candidates to replace Nick Lodolo (finger) in the Reds' rotation, and it now appears the spot is officially his. Ashcraft was optioned to Triple-A earlier in the month after putting up a 5.05 ERA and 1.46 WHIP in 62.1 innings over 12 starts, and he's bounced back nicely with Louisville, giving up four earned runs in 12 innings while striking out 12 batters and walking two. The 26-year-old righty will almost certainly make multiple starts during his stint with the Reds, but he'll likely be pushed back to Triple-A once Lodolo returns from the IL.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Set for season-ending wrist surgery
Rotowire
Encarnacion-Strand will undergo surgery on his right wrist July 11, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.
The recovery is expected to take three months, effectively ending Encarnacion-Strand's 2024 season. He initially went on the injured list back in early May with a right ulnar styloid fracture, but subsequent testing revealed ligament damage, which he'll need surgery to address. Encarnacion-Strand's season will conclude with him having slashed only .190/.220/.293 with two home runs in 29 games.
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Reds' Will Benson: Back in action Tuesday
Rotowire
Benson (elbow) is starting in left field and batting eighth Tuesday against the Pirates.
The 26-year-old sat out Monday after being hit by a pitch in the left elbow Sunday, but X-rays came back negative and he's back in the lineup Tuesday. Benson has slumped hard in June with a .442 OPS, and he's 0-for-21 over his past nine contests.
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Reds' Austin Wynns: Remains in organization
Rotowire
Wynns cleared waivers and accepted his outright assignment to Triple-A Louisville on Tuesday, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirerreports.
Wynns was designated for assignment by the Reds over the weekend but will stick in the organization after passing through waivers unclaimed. The 33-year-old spent just two days on the big-league roster and didn't see game action. He has a .253/.312/.414 slash line with four homers in 29 contests for Louisville this year.
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Reds' Graham Ashcraft: Could take Lodolo's spot
Rotowire
Ashcraft is a candidate to be called up from Triple-A Louisville to start in place of Nick Lodolo (blister), who was placed on the 15-day injured list Tuesday, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Ashcraft has turned in consecutive quality starts since his demotion to Louisville, yielding a total of four runs with a 12:2 K:BB over 12 innings. He's currently slated to start Wednesday for Louisville, but the Reds don't have a starter listed for that day. Lodolo isn't eligible to return until July 9, so Ashcraft would likely be needed for multiple starts if he's indeed the choice.
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Reds' Yosver Zulueta: Summoned to majors
Rotowire
The Reds recalled Zulueta from Triple-A Louisville on Tuesday.
It's the first major-league promotion for Zulueta, who holds a 2.84 ERA with 40 strikeouts over 31.2 innings this season at Louisville. The 26-year-old also posted a 14.5 percent walk rate at Louisville, so he'll have to show he can consistently find the strike zone before the Reds trust him in high-leverage situations.
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Reds' Nick Lodolo: Forced to IL with blister issue
Rotowire
The Reds placed Lodolo on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with a left finger blister.
Lodolo battled the blister issue during his start this past Sunday against the Red Sox, and the Reds have opted to give the left-hander some down time in order to let the finger heal. He had been slated to start Friday in St. Louis, but the Reds will now need a substitute. Graham Ashcraft has pitched well in two starts since being demoted to Triple-A Louisville, so he's a candidate to take Lodolo's spot.
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Reds' Yosver Zulueta: Ready for MLB debut
Rotowire
The Reds are expected to recall Zulueta from Triple-A Louisville prior to Tuesday's game against the Pirates, sources tell Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com.
Once a top pitching prospect in the Blue Jays system, Zulueta's development was sidetracked by Tommy John surgery in 2019 and a right knee injury that kept him out for most of the 2021 season. He was cast off the Blue Jays' 40-man roster in March and was scooped up by the Reds, who optioned him to Louisville coming out of spring training. The 26-year-old righty has thrived out of the Triple-A bullpen this season, riding an upper-90s fastball and plus slider to a 2.84 ERA and 40 punchouts over 31.2 innings. Zulueta has exhibited some control problems both this season (14.5 percent walk rate) and throughout his minor-league career, so the Reds may be inclined to deploy him in lower-leverage spots initially.
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Reds' Spencer Steer: Drives in three in win
Rotowire
Steer went 2-for-4 with a double, three RBI and a run scored in Monday's 11-5 win over Pittsburgh.
Steer sparked the Reds' offense with a two-run double in the fourth inning, then singled in a run as part of the team's four-run sixth. Following a 13-game stretch in which he had just three RBI, Steer has knocked in five over the last three games. He leads Cincinnati with 48 RBI, which ranks 20th overall in MLB.
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Reds' Levi Jordan: Makes MLB debut
Rotowire
Jordan started in right field went 1-for-3 with a double, an RBI and a run scored in Monday's 11-5 win over the Pirates.
Jordan made his MLB debut after having his contract selected from Triple-A Louisville earlier in the day. He took the open roster spot created when the Reds placed TJ Friedl (hamstring) on the 10-day injured list. The 28-year-old Jordan played multiple positions in the minors, but Monday's start in right field was his first ever at that position. It's likely he sees most of his at-bats against left-handers.
Reds' Jonathan India: Doubles twice, scores three runs
Rotowire
India batted leadoff and went 3-for-5 with two doubles, an RBI, three runs scored and a walk in Monday's win over Pittsburgh.
India, who replaced the injured TJ Friedl (hamstring) atop Cincinnati's batting order, picked up a hit and scored a run in each of the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. It was his third straight multi-hit game, boosting his season OPS from .696 to .732 in the process. He's gone 11-for-23 (.478) with five extra-base hits over his last six games. India is now slashing .258/.363/.369 with 16 extra-base this and 33 runs scored through 71 games.
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Reds' Elly De La Cruz: Homers, drives in three
Rotowire
De La Cruz went 3-for-5 with a home run, a double, three RBI and three runs scored in Monday's win over Pittsburgh.
De La Cruz scored a run after singling in the fourth inning before knocking an RBI double and scoring again in the fifth. He capped off his day with a two-run shot in the sixth. It was his 14th home run of the year and fifth of the month. De La Cruz is slashing .249/.342/.464 with 31 extra-base hits, 35 RBI and 52 runs scored this season.
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Reds' Carson Spiers: Earns first career win
Rotowire
Spiers (1-1) yielded three runs on seven hits and a walk over six innings Monday, striking out five and earning a win over the Pirates.
Spiers coughed up a run in the third inning and two more in the fifth. He's given up seven runs in 12 innings during his two starts this season, both of which came against Pittsburgh. He's sporting a 3.45 ERA with a 25:6 K:BB through 31.1 frames this season. Spiers is currently in line for a start in St. Louis this weekend.
