JUNE 20: The Reds have announced that Mesoraco will have surgery June 29. The surgery appears likely to end his season. Since the news that Mesoraco would likely need surgery, he made a handful of appearances as a pinch-hitter and DH. He has not, however, appeared in a game since May 20. He has hit .178/.275/.244 in 51 plate appearances this season.
MAY 5: Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco has acknowledged that his hip injury will likely require surgery that will sideline him for up to four months, reports MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon (via Twitter). For the time being, Mesoraco is trying to exhaust all possible alternative treatments before undergoing an operation, according to Sheldon.
The 26-year-old Mesoraco has taken just 28 trips to the plate this season and hasn’t started a game since April 11. Brayan Pena and Tucker Barnhart have handled the bulk of the catching duties in his stead, although the Reds curiously have not placed Mesoraco on the disabled list despite the fact that he has made just six pinch-hitting appearances since his last start.
Mesoraco inked a four-year, $28MM contract extension with Cincinnati this offseason on the heels of a breakout 2014 campaign in which he batted an excellent .273/.359/.534 with with 25 home runs in 114 games/440 plate appearances. Mesoraco’s ability to recreate that outstanding production — valued at 4.5 fWAR and 4.8 rWAR — was considered by many to be a key component as to whether or not the Reds would be able to compete in the NL Central this season. While Cincinnati sits in third place at 12-13, the potential loss of a star-caliber catcher certainly dampens their chances of staying afloat in a highly competitive division. Many pegged the Reds as eventual sellers even when assuming that Mesoraco would be healthy. One would imagine that if Cincinnati does end up looking toward the future come July, names like Johnny Cueto and Mike Leake, each of whom is in his final year of club control, would be among the most desirable assets on the trade market.
It baffles my mind that they chose not to place him on the DL. I’m sure that extra strain from practicing and pinch hitting was great for his health. s/
Reds handled this terribly. They definitely brain farted.
You mean Bryan farted. But really after watching Mesoraco swing the bat this year there is no reason he should be on this team with any role. Put him on the DL and let him have his surgery and get right.
I’m just confounded by their willingness to punt a roster spot like that. Add another bench piece from AAA, carry an extra reliever — do something to add someone that can contribute to the club more than taking six at-bats over a period of three-plus weeks.
It makes absolutely no sense. The real circus will begin if they keep him active for the White Sox series and he hits well as the DH. What will they do then? Keep him on the bench for all NL games so he can DH for a handful of AL games? What a mess.
Typical Walt Jocketty. This is how he rolls.
I feel bad for the Reds.
Nothing really has worked out when they extended a player.
Sigh sigh sigh. I really can’t wait until they blow this roster up.
Don’t worry guys. Bryan Price will make sure this doesn’t get out to the media!
Probably should have put him on the DL two weeks ago.
Major league baseball is really just a game of Russian roulette, isn’t it? At least if you’re not a massive-budget team (and even if you are, to be honest). You put together enough talent to compete, and then just cross your fingers enough of it — and the right part of it — stays off the DL. And that’s really all there is to it.
As an owner of Mesoraco in two fantasy leagues, I am almost relieved that he needs surgery. At least this will force the Reds to finally DL him.
He’s been on the dl since May 25th.
Ignore my last – just noticed that these comments are 2 months old.
How does it help the Reds for us to know this?
Its actually misinformation. Mesoraco is actually fine and Price is waiting for the proper moment to put him behind the plate in a Bryan Pena jersey. The opposing team won’t be ready for it since they’ll think he’s hurt because they read the twitter reports.
Fire sale! Everything must go!
It was mentioned in the chat that you couldn’t find a worse occurrence of a player wasting a roster spot. While I know it isn’t worse the Reds have a very bad recent history of doing this with players.
Years ago with Scott Rolen they ran a man short for I want to say two or three weeks because he was always day to day, did the same with Ludwick last year or the year before. Then of course there is Votto who missed non-DL weeks at a time.
Of course they also brought Bruce back from knee surgery in like two weeks and played him.
As a Reds fan I think the Reds medical team has to be the worst in the game, and I’m still shocked that they actually disabled Bailey and had him get the surgery instead of making him what I’m calling a wobag (Weekly, one batter a game) arm.
Some say the Reds minor league options are horrible and they are correct, but at least they could play a position.
Why they didn’t disable Mesoraco, activate him for the interleague games later this month and next, and then put him back on the DL for the surgery is beyond me. Seems like the obvious move.
Say hello to Saltalamachia!
Mesoraco just killed some peoples fantasy baseball roster structure
Lol love the wobag
Hurting the team more by dragging it out. If he has it now its gone till next season!!!!
Hopefully the Reds will seriously consider trading Cueto and Leake at the deadline. Maybe we could even get something for Byrd. Either way, this team will not be able to compete with St. Louis. Keep building up the farm system and we might find ourselves in the playoffs in 3 or 4 years.
What an absolute joke. How either Jocketty or Price still have jobs, I don’t know… And this coming from me, a Pirates fan, who loves to see the Reds screw up. Things like this situation should not happen on a major league franchise.
I was told I was a fool for thinking this was the outcome of trying to keep him going with a hip impingement that undoubtedly would’ve hurt his overall lower body strength for catching next year.
Price needs to be fired. I watched him in a couple recent series and his decisions and timing of moves with any aspect of the team seem off or misplaced to me compared to other managers around the game. Hope mesoraco recovers well I like watching him play and hope he is 100% next year.