Reds Place Brandon Williamson On Injured List
The Reds announced that left-hander Brandon Williamson has been placed on the 15-day injured list due to left shoulder fatigue. Right-hander Zach Maxwell has been recalled in a corresponding move.
Williamson started yesterday’s game against the Rockies at Great American Ball Park. He pitched three innings before being removed with shoulder fatigue. After the game, manager Terry Francona said Williamson would undergo an MRI, per Charlie Goldsmith of Charlie’s Chalkboard. Today, Francona tells Goldsmith that Williamson’s shoulder is fine structurally but he’ll get a cortisone injection. His specific timeline isn’t clear but he’ll spend at least a couple of weeks on the shelf.
Injuries have been a recurring issue for Williamson in recent seasons. He began the 2024 season on the IL due to a strain in his throwing shoulder. His attempts to get healthy that summer hit speed bumps and season-ending surgery seemed possible at one point. He eventually returned in September and made four appearances before he hurt his elbow, requiring Tommy John surgery. That wiped out his 2025 season.
Coming into 2026, Williamson didn’t project to crack the Cincinnati rotation after missing almost two entire seasons but injuries to other hurlers pushed him up the depth chart. Two of Cincinnati’s best starters, Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo, hit the IL to start the year. That left them with a rotation of Andrew Abbott, Brady Singer, Chase Burns, Rhett Lowder and Williamson.
Those five have stayed on turn until now. The results haven’t been great, with the group having a collective 4.57 earned run average, which is better than just five other MLB clubs. Williamson has been a part of the problem, with a 6.11 ERA on the year so far. Despite the struggles from the rotation, and plenty of other weak spots, the Reds have managed an incredible 19-11 record so far.
Though Williamson hasn’t been in great form, it’s not ideal for the rotation to lose another member when they’ve been playing above their heads. Having to reach further into the depth will make it harder for the club to keep winning unless the other parts of the roster step up.
Maxwell gives them another bullpen arm for the time being but the Reds don’t have an off-day until May 11th, so they have games scheduled for the next 11 days. That means they will need a fifth starter or some bullpen games to get through a couple of turns in the rotation. Abbott is taking the ball today, followed by Singer, Lowder and Burns in the next three.
Jose Franco has been working as a long reliever in the big league bullpen and could be part of the solution on Monday, if he’s not needed in the interim. Lodolo just tossed five innings on a rehab start on Sunday. Assuming he makes one more rehab start in the coming days, he could be back in the mix in about a week. Chase Petty is on optional assignment and started yesterday, so he’s on the same schedule Williamson was and could slot in for him. Julian Aguiar is also on optional assignment but has been on the minor league IL for the past three weeks.
Photo courtesy of Albert Cesare, Imagn Images
The Reds’ Confusing April
The Reds are out to an early lead in the NL Central. Their 19-10 record is tied with San Diego's for third-best in the Senior Circuit, narrowly behind the Braves and Dodgers. They're on track for their best record in a month since June 2023.
It doesn't necessarily come as a surprise that the Reds have been competitive. They were a playoff team a year ago, and the division is one of the more wide open in MLB. Yet the way they've gotten to this start is more perplexing. Their two best starters haven't thrown a pitch. The back of their rotation has been knocked around. Their bullpen is walking more hitters than any other in MLB. They've had arguably the NL's least productive catching tandem and outfield.
How have they overcome all of that? The lineup has been carried by two players: one established star and a rookie who already looks like an impact slugger. Let's dig in beyond the scorching starts from Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart to gauge what the front office might prioritize when they start sketching out deadline plans 6-8 weeks from now.
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NL Central Notes: Jones, Lodolo, Trevino, Pages
A little over 11 months after undergoing an internal brace surgery, Jared Jones is slated to begin a minor league rehab assignment on Wednesday with the Pirates‘ low-A affiliate in Bradenton. Pirates GM Ben Cherington made the announcement on his weekly radio show, telling MLB.com’s Jason Mackey that Jones has “passed all the physical checks. He pitched in an extended game last week [and] was up to 100 mph. He has the velocity and has been recovering well. Now he has to get back into that routine of being a pitcher and getting outs.”
While Paul Skenes naturally garnered most of the headlines in 2024, Jones also made his big league debut that season and posted a 4.14 ERA over 121 2/3 innings and 22 starts. He hasn’t been able to follow up on that solid rookie campaign due to elbow problems that surfaced late in Spring Training 2025, though Jones was able to avoid a full Tommy John surgery. The shorter timeline usually associated with an internal brace procedure means that Jones is on track to return to Pittsburgh by late May or early June, if all goes well in his rehab. Interestingly, Mackey floated the idea that Jones could be used as a piggyback starter or even as a reliever if the Buccos want to limit his innings in his return from major surgery, as the Pirates’ rotation is strong enough at the moment that Jones isn’t necessarily needed for starting duty right away.
More from the NL Central…
- Nick Lodolo recorded seven strikeouts and allowed only two hits over five scoreless innings and 51 pitches for high-A Dayton in the first start of the Reds southpaw’s latest rehab assignment. Lodolo has yet to pitch in the majors this season due to blister problems that arose during Spring Training, and more blisters cut short his first rehab start with Dayton back on April 2. A few more weeks of recovery may have finally gotten the problem under control, though the extra time away means Lodolo will need another rehab start or two to build up his arm strength. Despite a lack of hitting and the absence of top starters Lodolo and Hunter Greene, the Reds weathered the storm to post an 18-10 record in their first 28 games.
- The Reds also activated catcher Jose Trevino from the 10-day injured list prior to today’s game with the Tigers, and catcher P.J. Higgins was optioned to Triple-A in the corresponding move. A thoracic spine strain has kept Trevino out of action since April 4. Now in his second season with the Reds, Trevino will resume his duties as a glove-first backup behind starting catcher Tyler Stephenson.
- Cardinals catcher Pedro Pages left Saturday’s game due to left hamstring tightness, but Pages told media (including Daniel Guerrero of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch) that he is day to day after scans revealed no substantive damage. “Everything’s intact from the hamstring. It’s just more swelling in the area, which is fine. I just got to flush it out and be ready to go,” Pages said. The backstop didn’t play today but believed he could be ready Monday when the Cardinals open a series in Pittsburgh. Though the Cards don’t have an off-day until May 11, they have the catching depth to afford Pages extra rest time if necessary since Ivan Herrera and Yohel Pozo are both on the active roster. Known more for his glove than his bat, Pages has a respectable 101 wRC+ (from a .250/.310/.404 slash line) over his first 59 plate appearances.
Reds Place Eugenio Suárez On 10-Day Injured List
TODAY: Cincinnati officially announced Suarez’s IL placement, retroactive to April 24. Right-hander Kyle Nicolas was also optioned to Triple-A, and Bleday and right-hander Jose Franco were called up from Triple-A in corresponding moves.
APRIL 24: The Reds will place Eugenio Suárez on the 10-day injured list with a low-grade oblique strain, manager Terry Francona told reporters (including Charlie Goldsmith). He was scratched from tonight’s game with what the team initially called mid-back discomfort.
Although oblique strains can linger for hitters, this one doesn’t appear to be particularly serious. Goldsmith writes that the team is hopeful Suárez can resume baseball activities after a brief shutdown and reevaluation. The Reds can backdate the placement to April 23, meaning the earliest he could return is May 3.
Outfielder JJ Bleday was removed from tonight’s Triple-A game after two plate appearances. That seemingly points to him being recalled tomorrow as the corresponding move. It would be Bleday’s first look at the MLB level with Cincinnati. He has been on optional assignment all year but is on a tear in the minors, batting .345 with six homers through his first 23 games.
Bleday isn’t a direct positional replacement for Suárez, but the Reds have used the latter mostly as a designated hitter. He has only made six starts at the hot corner compared to 18 appearances as the DH. They’re a much better defensive team with Ke’Bryan Hayes at third base, but the two-time Gold Glove winner is out to a terrible start at the plate.
Hayes is hitting .081 with one home run in his first 68 trips to the dish. Cincinnati has managed to keep winning despite getting nothing offensively from Hayes, catcher Tyler Stephenson, or any of their outfielders. Suárez hasn’t been particularly productive either, batting .231/.300/.363 with just three home runs through his first 100 plate appearances.
The Reds nevertheless pulled out another improbable win on Friday. Nathaniel Lowe, who drew into the lineup at DH with Suárez out, hit a walk-off two-run homer off Kenley Jansen with two outs in the ninth. That was Lowe’s second of the night, his first two longballs in a Cincinnati uniform. They’re up to 17-9 despite entering the night ranked 24th in MLB in scoring.
Lowe figures to pick up most of the extra at-bats while Suárez is sidelined. The bench skews left-handed and will lean even more in that direction if Bleday is the corresponding move. Lowe has a decent career track record against pitchers of either handedness and got the DH assignment tonight against Detroit southpaw Framber Valdez. Hayes seems assured of continued run at third base for the time being.
MLBTR Podcast: Kevin McGonigle, The Padres’ Franchise Valuation, And Edwin Díaz To Miss Time
The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.
This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…
- The Tigers signing Kevin McGonigle to an eight-year extension (1:30)
- José E. Feliciano and Kwanza Jones reportedly having an agreement in place to buy the Padres (13:10)
- Dodgers right-hander Edwin Díaz requiring elbow surgery (27:20)
Plus, we answer your questions, including…
- Are the Braves for real? And what do they do once their injured guys get healthy? (32:20)
- If a salary cap is theoretically implemented, how would it work with the teams currently over the cap? (40:50)
- Can Michael Wacha of the Royals keep up his dominance? (45:50)
- What are the Reds going to do with Matt McLain and TJ Friedl? (48:15)
- Can the Nationals keep up this level of offense? And if so, should they have invested more in this year’s pitching staff? (52:10)
Check out our past episodes!
- Lenyn Sosa Traded, And Injury Concerns For The Astros, Cubs And Orioles – listen here
- Previewing The 2026-27 Free-Agent Class – listen here
- Lots Of Extensions And Big-Picture Topics – listen here
The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff. Check out their Facebook page here!
Photo courtesy of Rick Osentoski, Imagn Images
Orioles Acquire Christian Encarnacion-Strand
The Orioles have acquired first baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand from the Reds, according to announcements from both clubs. Cincinnati, who designated him for assignment last week, gets cash considerations in return. Baltimore optioned him to Triple-A Norfolk. To open a 40-man spot for him, the Orioles transferred right-hander Yaramil Hiraldo to the 60-day injured list. The O’s also selected Weston Wilson and put Ryan Mountcastle on the 60-day injured list, moves that were previously covered in this post.
Encarnacion-Strand, 26, put up big numbers on his way up the minor league ladder and had an exciting big league debut a few years ago. The Reds, who acquired him from the Twins in the 2022 Tyler Mahle trade, called him up in July of 2023. In his first 63 games, he hit 13 home runs and slashed .270/.328/.477 for a 113 wRC+. That was buoyed by a .336 batting average on balls in play but was encouraging nonetheless.
It was hoped that he could be a long-term staple of the lineup in Cincinnati but that didn’t come to pass. He struggled early in 2024 and underwent season-ending wrist surgery in June. He was back on the field in 2025 but struggled badly and got optioned to the minors. His performance on the farm was decent but not overwhelming.
Over the past two years, Encarnacion-Strand got pushed down the depth chart. He has primarily been a first baseman, with a decent amount of time at third as well. The Reds got Ke’Bryan Hayes at last year’s deadline to cover the hot corner and Sal Stewart has taken over at the other corner.
Encarnacion-Strand clearly has power but his stock is down. Over the past two years, he has a combined line of .199/.227/.337 in the majors. In Triple-A last year, he hit 11 home runs in 62 games but his 6.7% walk rate and 24.6% strikeout rate were both worse than average. His .245/.310/.493 line translated to a 107 wRC+, above average offense on the whole but not overpowering, especially for a guy whose main position is first base.
That got him squeezed off the roster in Cincinnati but Baltimore will take a shot on him. He still has options, so he can be kept in the minors for the foreseeable future. Not so long ago, the O’s didn’t have much need for more first base depth. They have Pete Alonso in there and also had Ryan Mountcastle on the roster. The designated hitter spot was often being used for Samuel Basallo, who was sharing catching duties with Adley Rutschman.
Suddenly, the path is clearer. Rutschman, Mountcastle and Tyler O’Neill all hit the IL in the past few days. That subtracts some depth on the offensive side and also means Basallo is catching more regularly, freeing up some at-bats in the DH spot. If another injury pops up, perhaps Encarnacion-Strand will be recalled. For now, he should be slated for regular at-bats with Norfolk.
As for Hiraldo, he hit the 15-day IL just over a week ago due to inflammation in his throwing shoulder. His current status is unknown but this move makes him ineligible to return until early June, so the O’s evidently don’t expect him back before then.
Photo courtesy of Paul Rutherford, Imagn Images
Reds Option Noelvi Marte
The Reds announced Monday that they’ve optioned struggling outfielder Noelvi Marte to Triple-A Louisville. A corresponding move wasn’t announced, but FOX 19’s Charlie Goldsmith reports that Cincinnati is expected to recall outfielder Rece Hinds from Louisville in Marte’s place.
The 24-year-old Marte’s run with the Reds has been filled with peaks and valleys. The former top prospect came to Cincinnati as part of the blockbuster trade sending Luis Castillo to Seattle and burst onto the MLB scene with a .316/.366/.456 batting line in his first 123 plate appearances in 2023 — his age-21 season. He was popped for an 80-game PED ban the following spring and looked lost in his return to the majors later in the season, slashing just .210/.248/.301 in 242 turns at the plate.
Marte’s stock hit a low point after that 2024 campaign, and in 2025 he was moved from third base to right field to accommodate deadline pickup Ke’Bryan Hayes. Marte’s stock was trending down, but he took to right field nicely, posting solid defensive grades while rebounding at the plate. He appeared in 90 games — 56 of them in the outfield — and batted .263/.300/.448 with 14 homers and 10 steals. Defensive Runs Saved credited him as a strong defender on the grass (+4), while Statcast’s Outs Above Average (-2) was more bearish. Still, even a slightly negative mark for an infielder who learned the outfield on the fly — midseason, no less — suggested he had the potential to develop into a solid defender there.
Obscured a bit by that solid rebound effort in 2025, however, was a poor finish to the season. Marte floundered down the stretch with a .184/.214/.276 showing in his final 103 plate appearances of the season. He punched out 33 times (32%) against just four walks (3.9%).
Marte belted four homers in 56 plate appearances this spring, but he also continued on that worrisome K-BB trajectory from the end of the ’25 season. He walked just once this spring while fanning 16 times (28.6%). So far, his regular season output sits at just .138/.194/.138 with 10 strikeouts (32.3%) and two walks (6.5%) in 31 plate appearances. Marte has lacked any semblance of pitch recognition, chasing a staggering 47.4% of pitches he’s seen outside the strike zone this year. That’s sixth-worst among the 290 MLB hitters who’ve stepped into the batter’s box at least 30 times this year. His 71.5 mph average bat speed is down nearly two miles per hour from last year’s 73.3 mph.
If there’s a silver lining to Marte’s struggles, it’s that he won’t turn 25 until after the season ends and is still in the second of his three minor league option years. There’s ample time for him to right the ship and get back on track. Even combining his end-of-season slump, his rocky spring and his woeful start to 2026, we’re looking at a sample of fewer than 200 plate appearances. He made tons of hard contact during Cactus League play, and he’s still sporting a contact rate north of 90% on pitches within the strike zone. It stands to reason that if Marte can scale back his chase rate closer to the 33.7% he averaged from 2023-25, he could yet re-emerge as a quality hitter. That’d still be north of this year’s 29.5% league average, but not by an especially alarming measure.
From a service time vantage point, the demotion isn’t likely to impact Marte’s potential path to free agency. He entered the season needing only 33 days on the big league roster/injured list to reach two years of service. He’s already more than halfway there. He’ll very likely be back up this season, which would keep him on pace to hit the open market following the 2030 season (assuming he gets back on track and plays well enough to merit accruing six years of service, of course). It could cost him in arbitration, however. Marte was on a clear path to Super Two status, which would make him arbitration-eligible four times rather than the standard three, but if he spends a notable portion of time in the minors, he won’t reach Super Two designation after all.
In place of Marte, the Reds will apparently turn to the 25-year-old Hinds. He’s a career .191/.245/.506 hitter in 95 big league plate appearances. He’s been even more strikeout-prone in the majors (38.9%) than Marte has during his slump, but Hinds has enormous raw power and has gotten out to a big start in Louisville. He’s slashing .354/.475/.771 with five round-trippers in his first 61 cracks at the plate. More encouragingly, he’s walked a dozen times (19.7%) with a manageable 15 strikeouts (24.6%). Hinds chased more than 37% of pitches off the plate in Triple-A last year and nearly 40% in the majors. This year, he’s sitting on an improved 31.3% chase rate in Louisville.
Hinds wrecked Triple-A pitching last year, too (.302/.359/.563) and flashed potential 30-30 upside with 24 big flies and 21 steals in only 107 games. It seems unlikely that he’ll make enough contact to reach that ceiling, but his power is readily apparent and Statcast credited him with 98th percentile sprint speed in 2025. The power-speed combination is understandably alluring, and he’ll get another opportunity to show he can stick in the majors while Marte looks to get back on track down in Louisville.
Astros Outright Roddery Muñoz
April 11th: Muñoz was outrighted to Triple-A Sugar Land and pitched for them today. That seems to indicate he cleared waivers and then the Reds declined to take him back.
April 6th, 4:00pm: Muñoz has been designated for assignment, the team announced. Reliever Enyel De Los Santos was activated from the IL to take Muñoz’s spot on the roster. Infielder Isaac Paredes is also back from the bereavement list. Shay Whitcomb was optioned to Triple-A.
1:45pm: The Astros have placed Rule 5 pick Roddery Muñoz on outright waivers, reports Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Players can be placed on waivers while remaining on the 40-man roster but it seems likely that the Astros plan to cut the right-hander. If any club claims him, they would also be bound by the Rule 5 parameters. If he clears waivers, he would have to be offered back to the Reds, who could assign him to the minors without putting him on the 40-man roster.
Muñoz was an unusual Rule 5 selection. Most guys taken in that draft have been in the minors for a few years without getting a big league shot. Muñoz had already seen a notable amount of time in the majors, having tossed 93 2/3 for the Marlins and Cardinals. He didn’t have much success, however, with a 6.73 earned run average in that time. He exhausted his option years over the 2023 to 2025 seasons.
The Cards put him on waivers in November. The Reds claimed him, non-tendered him and re-signed him to a minor league deal. Shortly thereafter, the Astros grabbed him in the Rule 5. He had a good spring, striking out 16 opponents in ten innings. He did allow five earned runs but the punchouts were enough to get him an Opening Day roster spot. Unfortunately, he has been lit up to start the season. Through four innings, he has allowed seven earned runs. He racked up six strikeouts but also gave out six walks and threw two wild pitches.
Even if Muñoz weren’t out of options, he couldn’t be sent to the minors as a Rule 5 guy. It seems the Astros have run out of patience and will make a move. As mentioned, teams are allowed to place players on waivers while keeping them on the active roster, so it’s possible Muñoz could still be with the club tonight. However, it’s also possible he gets designated for assignment before game time to make way for someone else.
Rule 5 guys can be traded or claimed off waivers. If any other team takes a shot on Muñoz, they would be bound by the same Rule 5 parameters. If he clears waivers, he’ll be offered back to the Reds. That club could send him to the minors as non-roster depth.
Photo courtesy of Troy Taormina, Imagn Images
Reds Designate Christian Encarnacion-Strand For Assignment
Reds first baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand has been designated for assignment, the team announced. Catcher P.J. Higgins is taking his spot on the 40-man roster. Higgins was recalled after catcher Jose Trevino went to the IL due to a thoracic spine strain.
Encarnacion-Strand was the heir apparent at first base as Joey Votto‘s legendary career wound down. He delivered a 113 wRC+ across 63 games as a rookie in 2023. With Votto moving on at the end of that season, Encarnacion-Strand opened 2024 as Cincinnati’s everyday first baseman. He hit just .190 over the first six weeks of the year. A broken wrist ended his campaign in early May.
It was more of the same for Encarnacion-Strand last year. He had the first base job to begin the season, but posted a .482 OPS through three weeks, then hit the IL with back inflammation. Encarnacion-Strand spent most of June with the big-league club, slashing .230/.262/.410 over 17 games. He was sent back to Triple-A in early July.
The Reds landed Encarnacion-Strand in an August 2022 trade that sent right-hander Tyler Mahle to Minnesota. Cincinnati also acquired infielder Spencer Steer and left-hander Steve Hajjar in the deal. The swap seemed like a good piece of business for Cincinnati after 2023, with Mahle limited to nine starts in his Twins tenure and the infielders looking like key cogs for the Reds. Outside of Steer’s league-average contributions the past couple of seasons, it’s largely ended up as a wash for both sides.
Higgins hasn’t appeared in the big leagues since 2022 with the Cubs. He was decent in part-time work with Chicago, delivering a 99 wRC+ with six home runs across 74 games. After bouncing to the Diamondbacks and then back to the Cubs, Higgins landed with the Reds on a minor league deal ahead of the 2024 season. He’s provided subpar offensive numbers over the past two years at Triple-A. The 32-year-old will serve as the backup to Tyler Stephenson while Trevino is sidelined.
Photo courtesy of Paul Rutherford, Imagn Images
Reds Notes: Lodolo, Outfield, Friedl
Reds lefty Nick Lodolo left tonight’s rehab start with Low-A Daytona in the third inning due to more blister issues on his left index finger, relays Manny Randhawa of MLB.com. Lodolo cruised through the first eight hitters with four strikeouts before coming out of the game.
It’s an all too familiar problem for the former seventh overall pick. Lodolo developed his most recent blister in his final start of Spring Training, leading to a season-opening injured list stint. It’s the third straight season in which blisters have shelved him. He missed most of August last year and a couple weeks between June and July in 2024.
The index finger has bothered him off and on dating back to his time in the minor leagues. He has also had major league injured list stints with back, calf and groin injuries — plus a sprain of his middle finger that ended his ’24 season. He’s a mid-rotation starter when healthy and coming off a career season. Lodolo tossed 156 2/3 innings of 3.33 ERA ball while striking out 24% of opponents a year ago.
This flareup should be a minor problem, but it’s no doubt frustrating for player and team alike. The hope had been for Lodolo to get through 60-65 pitches tonight and only need one rehab start before rejoining the MLB rotation next week. That’s probably not happening now. He left after 40 pitches and it’s unclear whether he’ll need a brief rest period before giving it another go in a game.
Brandon Williamson has stepped into the rotation behind Andrew Abbott, Brady Singer, Rhett Lowder and Chase Burns. Lodolo’s injury led the Reds to promote rookie righty Jose Franco as a long reliever. After tonight’s off day, Cincinnati has 10 consecutive game days.
The Reds haven’t made any changes to their 13-man position player group since Opening Day. Their infield of Sal Stewart, Matt McLain, Elly De La Cruz and Ke’Bryan Hayes has been set in stone, as has Eugenio Suárez as the primary designated hitter. Manager Terry Francona has played more matchups around the outfield, where no one has been locked into an everyday position.
TJ Friedl has been in the lineup regularly, but he’s not quite as settled as a full-time center fielder as he was last season. The Reds have kicked Friedl over to left field on five occasions, including his first start in left since 2023. Francona said this week he has liked what he’s seen from Friedl as a left fielder (via Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now). The 30-year-old’s fringy speed and arm strength probably fit better in left than in center all things considered.
Dane Myers is a better runner with a stronger arm. He’s probably the best defensive center fielder on the roster. Playing Friedl more often in left would open opportunities to draw Myers into the lineup, though that’d be a leap of faith in his bat. Myers is already a lock to play against left-handed pitching, against whom he’s a .294/.356/.449 hitter in his career.
Myers has just a .220/.266/.296 line against right-handers. His only start of the season came against Boston lefty Connelly Early over the weekend. The rest of his appearances have come as a late-game substitute with Friedl sliding to left field.
They’ve had a three-man rotation through the corner spots between Spencer Steer, Will Benson and Noelvi Marte. Steer has been the primary starter in left. He’s out to a slow start this season after hitting at a league average level in each of the past two years. Benson and Marte are splitting time in right field, though the Reds probably won’t use a strict platoon that limits the 24-year-old Marte to work against left-handed pitching.