Phillies Notes: First Base, Painter, Song, Pache, Alvarado
TODAY: Hall and Pache will both begin rehab assignments at lower A-ball Clearwater this week, with The Athletic’s Matt Gelb tweeting that Hall will start action on Tuesday and Pache on Wednesday. Alvarado played catch today but didn’t throw his bullpen due to feeling “a little sore.”
MAY 26: After long-time first baseman Rhys Hoskins suffered a torn ACL during Spring Training, the Phillies were left entering the season with a hole at first base for the first time in years. That appeared to open the door for Darick Hall, who impressed in 41 games last year, to take the lion’s share of the starts at first base this season, but Hall suffered a torn ligament in his thumb just six games into the 2023 campaign that required surgery, and has been on the shelf ever since.
Since then, the Phillies have relied on a timeshare between Kody Clemens and Alec Bohm at first base to acceptable but uninspiring results. In 22 games with the Phillies this season, Clemens has slashed a solid .241/.302/.483 that’s good for a wRC+ of 109. That wRC+ figure improves to 127 against right-handed pitching, with Clemens posting a much stronger .255/.321/.529 slash line against righties so far, albeit in a small sample size of just 56 plate appearances. Bohm, meanwhile, has slashed .269/.324/.409 with a wRC+ of just 99 in 204 plate appearances this season, though in 60 plate appearances against lefties, that slash line improves to a healthy .268/.300/.518 figure that’s good for a wRC+ of 115.
While a platoon of Clemens and Bohm has held down the fort capably at the cold corner so far this season, as the club’s wRC+ of 98 at first base this season ranks just 20th in the majors. Jon Heyman of the New York Post suggests that recently-released Cubs first baseman Eric Hosmer could be a fit, though Hosmer has slashed an abysmal .234/.280/.330 in 100 plate appearances this season that’s 32% worse than league average in terms of wRC+. The Phillies have reportedly also considered using superstar Bryce Harper at first base as a way to open up the DH spot while protecting Harper from high-intensity throws in the outfield, though Harper has spent just a third of an inning at first base during his career to this point.
Fortunately for the Phillies, such drastic measures may not be needed at all, as MLB.com notes Hall could begin a rehab assignment as soon as next week, putting him on track to potentially return shortly after he’s eligible to do so on June 5. Hall, who slashed .250/.282/.522 with 18 extra base hits in just 41 games last season, could provide a significant boost to the club’s production at first base with a healthy return.
Hall is far from the only injured Phillies player who has received a positive injury update in recent days, as GM Dave Dombrowski has also expressed optimism that top prospect Andrew Painter and Rule 5 pick Noah Song will both pitch competitively this season. As noted by MLB.com, Dombrowski left open the possibility that Painter, who is currently throwing off a mound from 50-55 feet, could impact the big league club at some point this season. As for Song, he will of course have to be added to the active roster within 30 days of beginning a rehab assignment, and will shed Rule 5 restrictions after spending 90 days on the club’s active roster.
Meanwhile, both center fielder Cristian Pache and lefty reliever Jose Alvarado are targeting returns to big league action at some point next month, with rehab assignments expected for both players in the coming weeks, per MLB.com.
A long-time top prospect, Pache struggled badly with the bat during the first 126 games of his big league career, with a slash line of just .156/.205/.234 during that time. That brutal offensive production led the A’s to trade him to the Phillies just before the start of the 2023 campaign, where Pache got off to a hot start with a .360/.360/.600 slash line in 18 games before hitting the injured list with a torn meniscus at the end of April. An elite defender in center field, Pache figures to shore up an outfield defense that currently features Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos in the corners flanking center fielder Brandon Marsh upon his return.
Alvarado, meanwhile, was placed on the injured list early this month with elbow inflammation after his own hot start to the 2023 campaign where he pitched to a 0.63 ERA in 14 1/3 innings of work. The 28-year-old Alvarado, who signed an extension with the club during the spring, threw a bullpen session on Wednesday and figures to throw another tomorrow before progressing to facing live hitters on Tuesday. Once Alvarado returns, he figures to be an immediate factor in the club’s late inning mix alongside Seranthony Dominguez and Craig Kimbrel.
West Notes: Urias, deGrom, Bogaerts
Dodgers lefty Julio Urias was expected to throw a bullpen session off the mound for the first time since going on the injured list with a hamstring strain last week, but the 26-year-old lefty felt some soreness after working out yesterday and threw off flat ground instead, as noted by The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya. Ardaya notes that the planned bullpen session has been moved to Tuesday, and that the next step afterwards would be to face live hitters.
Urias’s setback opens the door for young right-hander Bobby Miller to make another start after the 24-year-old top prospect threw five innings of one-run ball against a tough Braves lineup in his MLB debut earlier this week. With Miller looking effective, there’s plenty of reason for the Dodgers to proceed cautiously with their staff ace as he works his way back from his current hamstring ailment. Urias entered the 2023 campaign with a career ERA of just 2.82 (148 ERA+), but his platform season before he’s slated to test free agency in the offseason hasn’t gotten off on the same dominant foot as usual. Through ten starts this season, Urias has posted a surprisingly pedestrian 4.39 ERA (101 ERA+) with a worrisome 5.31 FIP. That season line is weighed down by a final brutal stretch of six starts immediately preceding Urias’s placement on the IL, where he posted a 6.25 ERA and 6.86 FIP in 31 2/3 innings of work.
More from around MLB’s West divisions…
- Rangers ace Jacob deGrom has been on the injured list with elbow inflammation for a month now, as the club has taken their oft-injured ace’s ramp-up back to game action slowly. After throwing a 25-pitch, fastball-only bullpen session last week, deGrom progressed to a 31-pitch bullpen session yesterday per MLB.com, during which he began to mix in sliders and change-ups. Manager Bruce Bochy noted that deGrom will be evaluated over the coming days as he recovers from the session while the club attempts to establish a clearer timeline for his return. As arguably the best pitcher in the world when healthy it’s hard to overstate the value deGrom, who has posted a 2.67 ERA and 1.57 FIP in his first six starts as a member of the Rangers, has for the club. Nonetheless, Texas has been able to excel even without their ace thanks to excellent performances from Nathan Eovaldi, Jon Gray, and Martin Perez.
- Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts is out of the lineup today while the 30-year-old star deals with discomfort in his wrist. As noted by Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, the issue is in the same wrist that required a cortisone shot during spring training. Acee notes that it’s still too soon for Bogaerts to receive another shot, so the shortstop has opted to instead play through the discomfort on and off throughout the season. The discomfort could help to explain Bogaerts’s struggles this past month, as he has slashed just .195/.290/.268 in 21 games so far in May. Acee notes that the hope is that Bogaerts will be able to return to the lineup tomorrow, but the situation appears to be day-to-day.
Brewers Designate Alex Claudio For Assignment, Select Andruw Monasterio
The Brewers announced a flurry of roster moves this morning, as the club designated left-hander Alex Claudio for assignment, placed shortstop Willy Adames on the 7-day concussion list, and optioned left-hander Ethan Small to Triple-A Nashville. Additionally, the club selected the contract of infielder Andruw Monasterio and recalled right-hander Jake Cousins.
Claudio, who was selected to the big league roster last month, recorded just one out before heading back to the minors. The veteran left-hander has pitched for the Rangers, Angels, and Mets throughout his 10 season career aside from the Brewers, and owns a career ERA of 3.59 and a FIP of 3.83 in in 348 innings of work. The Brewers will have one week to trade or waive Claudio, who seems likely to re-enter the free agent market and search for a new minor league deal under which he can act as bullpen depth for an interested club.
Adames, meanwhile, heads to the concussion IL after being struck by a foul ball while in the dugout during last night’s game. Adames fortunately avoided any fractures or other serious injuries beyond the concussion during the terrifying moment. On the field this season, Adames has struggled with the bat somewhat, slashing just .205/.292/.384 (85 wRC+) in 51 games this season.
Adames’s injury leaves the Brewers without a clear option at shortstop, a conundrum that seemingly prompted Milwaukee to select Monasterio’s contract, for whom this is his first major league call-up. Monasterio, who will celebrate his 26th birthday on Tuesday, began his professional career with the Cubs and spent time with DC and Cleveland before landing with the Brewers last season, when he slashed .271/.364/.406 in 110 games split between the Double-A and Triple-A levels. Monasterio has had an excellent season at the Triple-A level so far in 2023, with a solid .271/.410/.400 slash line in 42 games while playing shortstop, second base, and third base.
Small made his 2023 debut for the Brewers just yesterday, when he pitched three innings of relief in a blowout loss to the Giants, surrendering five runs. The club’s first round pick in 2019, Small has struggled in limited big league opportunities to this point in his career, and moved to the bullpen for the first time in his career ahead of the 2023 campaign. Small figures to continue providing pitching depth to the Brewers going forward until a longer-term opportunity in the majors presents itself.
Small’s departure clears space on the roster for Cousins, a 28-year-old right-hander who’s pitched well for the Brewers in parts of three seasons now, with a 2.79 ERA and 4.03 FIP across 51 2/3 innings in that span of time. While he’s largely been a solid reliever for Milwaukee, his 8 1/3 innings in 2023 have raised concerns about his command, as he’s walked a whopping 21.1% of batters faced while striking out just 18.4%. Still, the Brewers are clearly hoping he can get right and contribute to their bullpen going forward.
Tigers Acquire Lael Lockhart From Dodgers
According to Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic, the Tigers have swung a trade with the Dodgers in order to acquire left-handed minor leaguer Lael Lockhart, who the club has assigned to Double-A Erie. MLive’s Evan Woodbery adds that the Dodgers are receiving cash considerations in return.
Lockhart, 25, was the Dodgers’ ninth-round pick in the 2021 draft and reached the High-A level in his first professional season, pitching 12 2/3 innings with a 3.55 ERA and 23 strikeouts against seven walks. In 2022, Lockhart began to work as a starter to solid results, posting a 3.71 ERA with a 23.9% strikeout rate in 111 2/3 innings of work split between the High-A and Double-A levels. Those quality full season results are belied, however, by Lockhart’s struggles in Double-A last year, where he posted a 4.93 ERA in 34 2/3 innings with a deflated 19% strikeout rate.
Lockhart returned to the bullpen to open the 2023 season, and has struggled badly in 15 Double-A innings with an 11.40 ERA and 13 walks against just 18 strikeouts. Presumably, Detroit is hoping that a chance of scenery in a new organization will help Lockhart regain the form that saw him find success at the High-A level during 2021 and 2022.
Pirates Designate Duane Underwood Jr. For Assignment
According to Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Pirates have designated right-hander Duane Underwood Jr. for assignment. The move clears a spot on the active roster for right-hander Vince Velasquez, who is being activated from the 15-day IL to start this afternoon’s game against the Mariners.
Underwood was a second-round draft pick by the Cubs in the 2012 draft and made his MLB debut with the club in 2018. He would ultimately pitch in Chicago for parts of three seasons, posting a 5.20 ERA and 4.85 FIP in 36 1/3 innings of work before being designated for assignment ahead of the 2021 season. The Pirates promptly acquired the righty in exchange for minor league first baseman Shendrik Apostel and installed him in their bullpen, where he has remained ever since.
In three seasons with the Pirates, Underwood has posted a 4.49 ERA that clocks in at 5% below league average by measure of ERA+, with a solid 3.90 FIP, a 20% strikeout rate, and a 9.3% walk rate. Those results have taken a turn for the worse this season, however, as Underwood has posted a 5.10 ERA and 5.18 FIP in 24 1/3 innings of work. Under the hood, Underwood’s strikeout rate has dropped from 22% last season to just 14% so far int he 2023 campaign, while his walk rate has climbed to a near-matching 11%. With nearly as many walks as strikeouts so far this season, it’s hardly surprising that the Pirates have made the decision to pull the plug on the 28-year-old righty.
The Pirates will have one week to either trade Underwood or put him through waivers. With three years of service time, Underwood has the right to reject an outright assignment, though doing so would forfeit his $1.025MM contract.
As for Velasquez, the veteran right-hander, who celebrates his 31st birthday two weeks from today, posted solid results for the Pirates in seven starts prior to being placed on the 15-day IL with elbow inflammation earlier this month. Velasquez sports a 3.05 ERA in 35 1/3 innings this season, though his 82.4% strand rate leaves reason to believe regression could be in the righty’s future.
Orioles Option Grayson Rodriguez
The Orioles announced this morning that the club had optioned right-hander Grayson Rodriguez to Triple-A and recalled left-hander Keegan Akin.
The move brings to an end Rodriguez’s first taste of big league action in his career. The club’s first-round pick in 2018 and a consensus top-10 prospect entering the season, Rodriguez has struggled badly to this point in the majors. The hard-throwing righty sports a ugly 7.35 ERA, 41% worse than league average by measure of ERA+, and a 5.94 FIP in ten starts this season. While a 26.5% strikeout rate is excellent, Rodriguez’s 10% walk rate is well below league average. Most concerning of all, however, is the frequency with which Rodriguez has given up hard contact. The youngster’s average exit velocity, HardHit%, and Barrel% are all in the tenth percentile or worse among qualified players this season.
Rodriguez’s struggles this season have been particularly pronounced since the calendar flipped to May. In five starts this month, Rodriguez has allowed 27 runs (26 earned) with nearly as many combined walks (10) and home runs (11) as strikeouts (22) while pitching into the sixth inning just once and failing to finish the fourth inning three times. All that adds up to a brutal 11.14 ERA with a 20.8% strikeout rate and a 9.43 FIP in 21 innings of work.
Given Rodriguez’s deep struggles, it’s impossible to know when his next big league opportunity will be. That said, Rodriguez obviously has incredible talent, and is far from the only starter struggling for the Orioles this season. Offseason acquisition Cole Irvin is currently in Triple-A himself after posting a 10.38 ERA in 13 innings of work, while Tyler Wells sports a FIP north of 5.00 despite his solid 3.47 ERA. Dean Kremer (94 ERA+) and Kyle Bradish (100 ERA+) have both been roughly league average to this point in the season, leaving offseason signing Kyle Gibson as the club’s only properly above average starter, with a 3.82 ERA and 4.18 FIP in 66 innings of work.
Replacing Rodriguez on the active roster is Akin, who turned in a quality season as a reliever last year, with a 3.20 ERA and 3.59 FIP in 81 2/3 innings of work. The 28-year-old lefty struggled somewhat with a 5.91 ERA in 10 2/3 innings of work at the big league level this season, but a 3.76 FIP indicates his underlying performance may have been better than the results would indicate. In seven innings of work at the Triple-A level, Akin has dominated to a 1.29 ERA with thirteen strikeouts.
Rays Activate Tyler Glasnow
The Rays announced this morning that they’ve activated right-hander Tyler Glasnow from the injured list. In a corresponding move, right-hander Cooper Criswell was optioned to Triple-A. Glasnow will start this afternoon’s game against the Dodgers.
Today’s start will not only be Glasnow’s 2023 debut, but just his third regular season appearance since he underwent Tommy John surgery midway through the 2021 campaign. One of the most talented pitchers in the sport, the hulking 6’8” righty owns a phenomenal 2.75 ERA, 51% better than league average, with a 2.87 FIP since the start of the 2019 season with a phenomenal 36% strikeout rate and a 7.8% walk rate. Of course, that amazing production has come across just 212 2/3 innings of work in that four year span, as Glasnow has struggled to stay healthy throughout his career. The 29-year-old has eclipsed 100 innings pitched in a season just once to this point in his career, when he threw 111 2/3 innings in 2018.
Despite the volume issues, it’s hard to overstate what a boost to the Rays a healthy Glasnow figures to be. While the club’s collective 3.67 ERA ranks fourth in baseball- even after a 20-1 drubbing by the Blue Jays that saw the club’s position players give up half of the total runs- the losses of Drew Rasmussen and Jeffrey Springs have left the club’s rotation largely operating with just three regular starters in Shane McClanahan, Zach Eflin, and Taj Bradley. Glasnow’s return figures to not only solidify that group, but add bonafide ace-caliber production to the front of the rotation.
As for Criswell, the 26-year-old righty has pitched 15 1/3 innings for the Rays this season, though the results have left much to be desired as Criswell owns a 6.46 ERA and 5.37 FIP in that time. Though his 23.9% strikeout rate and 8.5% walk rate are both acceptable figures, and a .381 BABIP suggests there could be some flukiness to his results, three home runs allowed in his four appearances certainly leaves plenty of reason for concern. Criswell will attempt to get things back on track at Triple-A Durham, serving as depth for the club in the meantime.
Yankees Option Randy Vasquez, Recall Matt Krook
The Yankees announced this morning that the club has recalled left-hander Matt Krook to the big league club following the decision last night to option right-hander Randy Vasquez to Triple-A.
Krook, 28, was converted to relief ahead of the 2023 campaign after being selected to the Yankees’ 40-man roster ahead of the Rule 5 Draft during the offseason. A fourth-round pick by the Giants in the 2016 draft, Krook spent time in the Giants and Rays organizations before joining the Yankees in 2021. Prior to 2023, the lefty prospect had primarily been used as a starter, with a 3.57 ERA in 244 2/3 innings at the Double-A and Triple-A levels during his time in the Yankees organization. Despite those solid numbers, Krook was moved to the bullpen thanks to command issues; the lefty has never had a walk rate below 10% in a full season throughout his entire professional career.
So far, the move to the pen has proved to be a revelation for Krook. He’s posted a microscopic 1.04 ERA with a 1.79 FIP in 17 1/3 innings at Triple-A across twelve appearances this season. While his walk rate is still a concerning 16.9%, he’s striking out a whopping 47.9% of batters faced, mitigating the issue to an extent. Krook has clearly shown enough that the Yankees believe him to be ready for a debut in the big leagues, where he will provide the club with a quality left-handed option alongside Wandy Peralta.
Headed back to Triple-A to make room for Krook on the roster is Vasquez, who started yesterday’s game for the Yankees in a major league debut of his own. The 24-year-old righty held his own against a tough Padres lineup, allowing two runs on four hits (one home run) and three walks while striking out six in 4 2/3 innings of work. Vasquez figures to act as a depth starter for the Yankees in Triple-A going forward, a valuable role given the numerous injury woes the Yankees has suffered in the rotation so far in 2023.
Tigers Notes: Skubal, Manning, Turnbull, Carpenter
Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press discusses a litany of Tigers injury updates yesterday evening, with news regarding left-hander Tarik Skubal chief among them.
Skubal, 26, underwent surgery on his flexor tendon back in August, but is making steady progress on his rehab. About a month after throwing off a mound for the first time since the surgery, Skubal has taken the next step and begun to face live hitters. Petzold notes that Skubal threw 20-25 pitches and faced Andy Ibanez, Jonathan Schoop, and Nick Maton in the live session. Schoop noted to Petzold that Skubal’s fastball was touching 98, a phenomenal sign for the young left-hander’s progress.
A ninth-round pick by the Tigers in the 2018 draft, Skubal quickly ascended prospect rankings, becoming a consensus top-25 prospect in the game ahead of the 2021 season after making a brief MLB debut during the shortened 2020 season. In 2021, Skubal was given the keys to a spot in the starting rotation, and the results were decent but uninspiring. Skubal posted a roughly league average 4.34 ERA in 149 1/3 innings, but a 5.09 FIP indicates that performance may not have been entirely earned. Skubal’s 25.9% strikeout rate and 7.4% walk rate were both solid marks, but his overall production was hampered considerably by a massive 20.5% of his fly balls leaving the yard for home runs.
Fortunately, Skubal managed to turn a corner in 2022. The young lefty was a revelation with the Tigers last season, a rare bright spot in an otherwise dismal season in Detroit. Skubal posted a solid 3.52 ERA, 10% better than league average by measure of ERA+, and paired that with an excellent 2.96 FIP as he maintained his quality strikeout and walk numbers from the previous season while managing to drastically reduce the quality of contact he was allowing. In 2021, Skubal’s 13.9% barrel rate was the worst figure in baseball (min. 140 IP). That figure dropped all the way to 5.5% in 2022, however, good for the 78th percentile in the league, per Statcast. Skubal’s 2022 breakout campaign was, of course, cut short by the aforementioned surgery in August, which limited him to just 117 2/3 innings.
Looking ahead, Skubal figures to provide a huge boost to the Detroit rotation both this season and for the foreseeable future upon his return, assuming he’s able to maintain his 2022 breakout when he returns to the mound. No concrete details on Skubal’s timeline for return are available, though he seems to be ahead of right-hander Matt Manning, who Petzold notes threw off a mound Tuesday for the first time since suffering a fractured foot last month. While Manning initially hoped that he would be able to return to action after six weeks, that timeline was quickly taken off the table when the righty was transferred to the 60-day IL at the end of April. Manning will throw a second bullpen session today but, per Petzold, remains limited to an anti-gravity treadmill for his current running program.
All this suggests the club’s first-round pick in the 2016 draft is still a while away from a return to game action. In 12 starts last season, Manning impressed with a 3.43 ERA and 3.78 FIP in 63 innings of work that earned him a rotation spot on Opening Day this season. In two starts prior to his injury this season, however, Manning struggled badly, allowing a whopping four home runs in just 11 2/3 innings of work. Still, the talented youngster figures to be of great importance to the Tigers going forward, once he’s returned to full health.
Elsewhere among the club’s rotation options, right-hander Spencer Turnbull remains shut down after being placed on the injured list with neck discomfort earlier this month, though a recent MRI revealed the healing process is progressing well so far. Petzold notes that the current plan regarding Turnbull, who struggled to a 7.26 ERA in 31 innings of work this season prior to his placement on the IL, is for the 30-year-old righty to undergo an additional MRI in two weeks. If Turnbull’s neck ailment has cleared up, he’ll likely begin a throwing program at that point. Turnbull, of course, missed most of the 2021 campaign and all of 2022 while undergoing and rehabbing from Tommy John surgery.
Rounding out the injury updates is outfielder Kerry Carpenter, who landed on the IL with a shoulder strain last month, began a rehab assignment in Triple-A yesterday. Carpenter impressed with the club in his major league debut down the stretch last season, and his quality performance largely carried over to 2023 prior to his injury. While the 25-year-old Carpenter still has just 188 big league plate appearances under his belt in his career, his slash line of .238/.298/.477 with ten home runs and nine doubles leaves plenty of optimism that Carpenter can contribute to a scuffling Tigers offense upon his return to the big league club.
Reds Place Wil Myers On 15-Day IL, Recall Will Benson
The Reds announced a series of roster moves ahead of this afternoon’s game against the Cubs as they placed outfielder Wil Myers on the 10-day injured list due to a kidney stone and activated right-hander Fernando Cruz from the 15-day IL. In corresponding moves, the club recalled outfielder Will Benson from Triple-A and and optioned right-hander Alan Busenitz to Triple-A.
Myers, 32, signed a one-year deal with the Reds this past offseason to act as the club’s regular right fielder. That pact has hardly gone accordingly to plan so far, however, as Myers has slashed a brutal .189/.257/.283 in 141 plate appearances across 37 game this season. Prior to signing with the Reds during the offseason, Myers had spent the past eight seasons as a member of the Padres, slashing a solid .254/.330/.452 with a wRC+ of 111 in 888 games with San Diego.
While the Reds were surely hoping for such a similar performance this season to help steady their offense, Myers’s struggles have helped contribute to an offense that ranks in the bottom five across baseball in terms of slugging percentage thanks to an offense that struggles to find production outside of TJ Friedl, Jonathan India, and Spencer Steer.
In Myers’s place, the Reds have recalled Benson, who the club acquired from the Guardians this past offseason to shore up their outfield mix. A former first round pick who turns 25 next month, Benson has a great deal of upside, though his results have not matched it to this point. in 87 MLB plate appearances so far in his career, Benson has slashed just .138/.198/.150 with a wRC+ of -1, though he sports a far more palatable .243/.396/.464 slash line in 641 career plate appearances at the Triple-A level. Benson figures to mix into the outfield for the Reds alongside Friedl, Jake Fraley, and Stuart Fairchild while Myers is on the shelf.
Joining Benson in returning to the active roster is Cruz, a 33-year-old journeyman who made his major league debut with the Reds last year. Since then, the right-hander has posted a 3.81 ERA with a 3.12 FIP in 28 1/3 innings of work, good for a 124 ERA+. That ERA is inflated by a brutal stretch of five appearances prior to Cruz’s placement on the injured list, during which he allowed eight runs on eleven hits in just 7 1/3 innings. As Cruz attempts to get back on track, he’ll join a Reds bullpen that has been a bright spot for the club this season, ranking top 10 in baseball in FIP and third in terms of fWAR.
Making room for Cruz on the roster is Busenitz, who heads to Triple-A after just pitching just four innings for the big league club. The 32-year-old righty allowed two runs in four innings of work while striking out three. Busenitz figures to act as depth for Cincinnati going forward at the Triple-A level, where he sports a 1.80 ERA in 15 innings of work.