The Reds could welcome right-hander Michael Lorenzen back from the injured list this weekend, manager David Bell told reporters (including Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer). The 29-year-old is on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Louisville.
Lorenzen hasn’t pitched all year on account of a right shoulder strain. While the Reds intended to give him a shot to earn a spot in the starting rotation entering the year, Lorenzen’s now expected to come back in his customary relief role. Bell told reporters last month Cincinnati didn’t feel it was worthwhile to try to build his workload up to a level sufficient to take on a starting job, given the injury.
His return will be a welcome development for a Cincinnati bullpen that has been among the league’s worst this season. Reds relievers have a cumulative 5.22 ERA; only the Rockies bullpen (5.44) has had a tougher time preventing runs. The peripherals look a bit better — Cincinnati relievers are eighteenth in strikeout/walk rate differential (14.5 percentage points) and 21st in SIERA (4.01) — but the bullpen has nevertheless been one of the weaker position groups on the roster.
The issues have been exacerbated by recent injuries to Lucas Sims and Tejay Antone. Sims suffered an elbow sprain in late June that came with an expected one-month recovery timetable, and it now seems Antone’s looking at a similar return date. Antone has yet to resume throwing after receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection on his ailing right forearm and isn’t expected back until late July, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com was among those to relay.
Presumably, the bullpen will be a key target area for the Reds to address in the next few weeks. In an interview with C. Trent Rosecrans of the Athletic on Friday, general manager Nick Krall said the club would be “aggressive” in acquiring help from outside the organization. Krall suggested then the front office wasn’t giving consideration to selling pieces off the big league roster, and that’s certainly all the more true after Cincinnati swept the Cubs in a three-game set to take over second place in the NL Central last weekend. At 43-40, the Reds still trail the division-leading Brewers by 6.5 games, and they’re 5.5 back of the Padres in the race for the league’s second Wild Card spot.
One question that remains is how much financial flexibility the front office has in exploring midseason upgrades. Krall told Rosecrans the team could add salary “within reason,” a bit of an equivocation that’s likely to concern some fans after payroll constrains led the Reds to trade closer Raisel Iglesias to the Angels for very little return over the winter.
Art Warren been big for them lately!
Welcome back to The (gun) Show, Michael Lorenzon.
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Reds really don’t have many trade pieces worth acquiring a Richard Rodriguez or equivalent. They should just keep bringing up their talent. Hunter Greene will be ready for his debut for the stretch run and Graham Ashcraft is another name to keep an eye on for e debut this year.
This reds team is for real. Watch out for em !
Well, they dumped perfectly fine relievers with modest salaries over the offseason, now they want to be “aggressive”? I understand costcutting, but it’ll cost more to bring in guys of that level (salaries will be similar, and they give up trade pieces). Weird. I guess that’s why I am an historian and not a baseball gm.
It was weird especially after the year of going all in. (I know Covid cut into revenue but the extreme flip flop was weird)
They probably didn’t expect the offense to be like this though to carry them. Winner and castellanos have been 2 of the best OFs in baseball, while votto has been much better.
Cashman’s about to call to see if they want Aroldis back lol
Most likely plan is to just see where they are after the 2 series upcoming w Milwaukee. If they lose ground, there is no need to buy. If they win 5 out of 7, a couple of relievers and another starter are needed. Milwaukee is flawed but I don’t see how they lose that division w 3 really good starters and a solid pen unless injuries come up.
I think the Reds could make some noise with just 1 more starter if Lorenzen comes out well. Garrett seems to be rounding into form and Hendrix and Warren have been very good. Osich has been very good too. I just wonder how long those unproven arms can hold up along with Henbree. Hopefully Sims, Antone and Doolittle get right for the stretch. It appears to be very much a position-less bullpen.
The Reds do not need a starter. Their rotation has been among the best in the league and they have top prospects Greene and Lodolo in the upper minors. What they need is a high leverage bullpen arm or two. Maybe Lorenzen helps address that.
I am now tending to agree. I’ve been a big proponent of a mini-rebuild for the Reds, They really only need one SP at this point (and could survive without another SP).
From a Reds’ perspective, do you think they would bring up either Greene or Lodolo for the BP? They should be good in the BP, and it would keep their IPs in check.
I think they’re already considering other starters for the BP such as Santillan, Hoffman and DeLeon. Maybe they’d consider using Greene or Lodolo for a playoff push in September but I’d guess they’d be more inclined to keep them stretched out for now and eventually shut them down out of caution.
I didn’t mind the Iglesias trade as much as letting Archie Bradley walk. The return of sp Sonny Gray plus the return to form of sp Castillo helps the bullpen by exposing it less. Reds should get not only Lorenzen but long relief help from Santillan & Hoffman later this week.
It’s the combination of both Iglesias and Bradley going for cost cutting. Clearly left the bullpen weaker and with less depth on account of finances.
Is there any truth to the reds being interested in acquiring Armand Assante before the deadline? I think I seen it at the bottom of ESPN over the weekend. Looked into it further but found nothing.
I agree with the addition of enough starter, it could put them in a position to make a serious run.
C Trent is a tool. Ego wider than the Ohio River. He’s what made me use 77 f bombs that day.
That being said, Krall and Castellini have spent nothing so far, picking up scrubs off the waiver wire. Matter of fact, Krall stated recently, ““Right now, we’ve got a lot of guys who are injured, both in Triple-A and the big leagues,” and this, “We’re trying to get healthy first. Once we get healthy, we’ll figure out how to best go from there.”
This is an insult to all Reds fans, and the to the guys on the team that play so hard to win every day.
It difficult to take the Reds seriously when they have offense and SP then trade Iglesias for absolutely nothing and saving a whopping $5 mill. in payroll. Totally outmaneuvered by MIL this season and it’s going to cost them the division.
Iglesias was so up and down. Archie Bradley was the confusing piece they let walk.
Great option for long stints, since he can hit so well.
Would love to see the Reds go after Trevor Story.
I don’t totally understand all the desire for Story. He’s not having that great of a season, at least offensively. He does have the history, of course, so perhaps that’s what everyone is counting on.
Story would be an instant upgrade over Kyle Farmer. As much as I love Farmer, he’s a bench player.
Story is a name, that’s available. Yes, he’d be an upgrade over Farmer, but who wouldn’t. Barrero is the answer moving forward.
I agree. Barrero is the future, but he has struggled a little since his promotion to AAA. Story could help the offense push into the postseason this year and have Barrero ready to take over next year.
He does have the history,
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That’s the important part. When someone slumps, I am always cautious that he could have a nagging injury. In story’s case, he has a .999 OPS over the past 18 games. That’s enough for me to trade for him.
And I hate trading kids, but if the Reds could win 5-7 against Mil, and move to within 3-4 games, I would at least make the call. Story makes more sense for the Reds than anyone else. And they might sell another 100,000 tickets by making the move.
The tale of the tape to determine whether or not they add or sell will be the remaining 7 games they have with the Brewers before the break. Great stat, the Reds have swept every team in the division this season, only the third time they’ve ever done that.
In standard Reds operating procedures, they will trade away top prospects to replace the relievers they gave away in the off season to save a few dollars, and then still miss the playoffs
Good timing by MLB-R. Castillo pitched beautifully, and left with a 5-run lead. Then Alberto strikes out, reaches on a passed ball, and scores on a HR, and the lead is down to 3.
Brach starts off the 9th with a walk, a HBP, and an error by Suarez, and the rest is in the history books.
As far as T. Story goes he is a free agent this year so it’s would be a half year rental. He is having a down year .269 ab 40 runs 68 hits 11 homers 41 rbi 15 sb .253 avg
Kyle Farmer 233 27 52 7 28 2 .223. Reds are not going to sign Story to an extension as far as I can tell.
Farmer, while admittedly not Story can play 1-2-ss-3-of and cost a lot less and will not require we give up prospects. Reds need to hope Antone, Simms and Lorenzen come back soon healthy and strong as last nights (tuesday) debacle at K.C. all too well articulated.
I as much as any loyal Reds fan want them to make the playoffs but too many if’s for this team. Would take a melt down from Milwaukee and all if’s for the Reds to turn positive for us to win division or wild card. Castellanos is a more pressing issue for me. Unless the Reds are willing to re sign him for whatever number Castellanos wants, which I highly doubt, he should be traded at the height of his value. We should get a nice haul for him instead of letting him walk at end of year for a draft pick. IMO Reds need to look to next year or so with the guys we have coming up and not this years long shot .
Story away from Coors is a subpar SS,