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Reds’ Matt McLain Shut Down For Remainder Of 2023 Season

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Rookie infielder Matt McLain has missed just shy of a month due to a right oblique strain and was expected to return from the 10-day injured list today, ready to join the Reds for the final week of their push for an NL wild card berth.  Unfortunately, McLain won’t be activated for at least the rest of the regular season, as the Reds told reporters (including Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer) that McLain suffered another oblique injury while rehabbing.

The new injury is a Grade 2 strain, a more serious type of oblique problem that would usually mean something in the neighborhood of a two-month layoff (at least).  Oblique injuries usually don’t have a set timeline, and yet even if the Reds were to make it all the way to the World Series, there doesn’t appear to be any chance that McLain will be part of even a deep postseason run.

It’s a tough outcome for both McLain and the Reds, who sit 2.5 games out of a wild card berth with five games remaining in their schedule.  The Phillies have all but clinched the top wild card berth and the Cubs and Diamondbacks are tied for the second and third WC slots, though Cincinnati won their season series against both Chicago and Arizona.  That would give the Reds the tiebreaker edge over either club in the event of a matching record, though the Marlins also sit between the Reds and the playoff line.

A team needs all the help it can get in such a tight pennant race, which is why the prospect of McLain’s return looked like such a boost to Cincinnati’s fortunes.  McLain has hit .290/.357/.507 with 16 homers over 403 plate appearances in his first MLB season, as he has been arguably the best of the several younger players coming up from the minors to immediately help carry the Reds into contention.  Between his offense (128 wRC+) and defensive contributions as both a shortstop and second baseman, McLain generated 3.2 fWAR over his 89 games.

This excellent rookie year certainly establishes McLain as a big part of the Reds’ future, though his absence has undoubtedly hampered the club’s present chances of the playoffs.  Cincinnati is 12-13 since McLain’s last game, though a long losing streak at the start of August already dealt a blow to the upstart team’s hopes.  The Reds at least got Jonathan India back from the IL earlier this month, and India and Elly De La Cruz have been regularly handling the middle infield duties.

Latest On Matt McLain, Harrison Bader, Tejay Antone

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Reds manager David Bell told reporters (including Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer) that outfielder Harrison Bader won’t return to the field this year, and that the odds of right-hander Tejay Antone making it back before 2024 are “remote.” While both players were already known to be out for the remainder of the regular season due to their recent placements on the injured list, Bell’s comments pour cold water on hopes of either player making an impact for Cincinnati this postseason in the event the Reds are able to claim one of the NL Wild Card spots. Pending the end of tonight’s game against Pittsburgh, the Reds currently sit two games behind the Cubs for the final NL Wild Card spot. The club is also one game back of the Marlins, the top NL club currently outside the postseason picture.

Antone made just five appearances out of the bullpen for the Reds this year due to injuries, but was dominant in that limited action with a 1.59 ERA and a 33.3% strikeout rate in 5 2/3 innings of work. Given the right-hander’s strong track record in Cincinnati when healthy, he figures to feature prominently in the club’s plans next year even in the event he doesn’t return this season.

The same can’t be said for Bader, a pending free agent who joined the Reds after being placed on waivers by the Yankees at the end of August. Bader had struggled with the bat in New York, slashing just .240/.278/.365 in 84 games with the club, but more than made up for it with his superlative glovework in center field. Unfortunately, his time in Cincinnati saw his work with the bat deteriorate even more as he posted a brutal .161/.235/.194 slash line in 14 games that was good for a wRC+ of just 15. That said, between his strong defense in center field and a much more promising career wRC+ of 92, Bader figures to hit free agency after the season with a chance to land a healthy contract.

Today’s injury news for the Reds isn’t all bad, however. Rookie infielder Matt McLain, who went on the injured list with an oblique strain nearly a month ago, is on the verge of returning per MLB.com. As discussed by Bell, McLain is headed for a rehab assignment at the Triple-A level and figures to play two games there before returning to the major league club, with Tuesday’s game against the Guardians standing as the club’s current target for McLain’s return. Assuming he’s fully healthy, McLain should bolster the club’s lineup in a big way given his .290/.357/.507 slash line in 403 trips to the plate this year.

Sean Doolittle Announces Retirement

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Veteran left-hander Sean Doolittle announced on Instagram this morning that he’s retiring after 17 years in professional baseball. He spent the season with the Nationals organization, hoping for a comeback bid in the Majors after undergoing UCL surgery last summer, but the recovery from that procedure and a subsequent knee injury limited him to just 10 2/3 minor league innings this season. He’s been on the minor league injured list since late June.

“After 11 incredible seasons playing the sport I love, I can say with gratitude and a full heart that I am retiring from baseball,” Doolittle wrote in announcing his decision.

“Seventeen years ago the Oakland Athletics drafted me as a first baseman out of the University of Virginia. However, as some of you may know, my career nearly ended before it began. After a spate of early injuries, I was nearly ready to hang it up. But then the team approached me and asked if I’d be willing to give pitching a try. With the direction and unwavering support of A’s farm director Keith Liepmann and pitching coach Garvin Alston, I found my second chance. I am forever grateful to them for helping me turn a second chance into a career.”

Doolittle went on to issue heartfelt thank yous to his family, fans of the A’s and Nationals, his managers, his teammates, his coaches, and to the Reds and Mariners for his time spent with each organization (and, as the always-humorous southpaw notes, for “increasing [his] chance for getting on the Immaculate Grid”).

Doolittle’s second chance indeed became a career — and a very fine one at that. The No. 41 overall pick in the 2007 draft debuted with the 2012 A’s and hit the ground running, pitching 47 1/3 innings of 3.04 ERA ball with a huge 31.4% strikeout rate and excellent 5.8% walk rate. Doolittle almost immediately cemented himself as one of the top lefty relievers in the game, and by his third MLB season in 2014, he’d seized the closer’s role in Oakland and been named to his first of two All-Star teams.

For five and a half seasons, Doolittle anchored the Oakland bullpen, posting a 3.09 ERA in 253 innings with 68 holds and 36 saves. He and righty Ryan Madson were traded to the Nationals in a July 2017 swap that sent a struggling (at the time) Blake Treinen, then-prospect Jesus Luzardo, and minor league infielder Sheldon Neuse back to Oakland. It was a steep price for the Nats to pay, but it’s doubtful Washington has any regrets.

Doolittle stepped back into a ninth-inning role in D.C. and thrived, saving 21 games and pitching to a 2.40 ERA down the stretch with his new club before tossing three brilliant frames in the postseason. From 2017-19, the left-hander logged a 2.87 ERA and saved 75 games for the Nationals. The 2019 campaign saw Doolittle finish an NL-best 55 games and pick up a career-high 29 saves.

Despite a rocky month of August, he played a significant role in the Nationals’ now-legendary 2019 turnaround, particularly once the postseason rolled around. Doolittle was one of manager Davey Martinez’s most trusted arms during the Nationals’ playoff run, tossing 10 1/3 innings with a 1.74 ERA and 8-to-1 K/BB ratio. While it was teammate Daniel Hudson who threw the iconic final pitch of the Nationals’ World Series win, Doolilttle saved two games and collected three holds over the course of the 2019 postseason. That includes three shutout frames in the World Series itself, highlighted by Doolittle nailing down a four-out save when he set down Michael Brantley, Alex Bregman, Yuli Gurriel and Carlos Correa in order in a Game 1 victory.

Injuries have marred the final few seasons of Doolittle’s career, but he’ll nevertheless retire as a two-time All-Star and a World Series champion. He totaled 450 2/3 innings of 3.20 ERA ball in parts of 11 big league seasons, adding in another 22 1/3 innings with a 2.42 mark in the postseason. Doolittle also logged 112 saves (115 including postseason play) and 82 holds (plus five more in the playoffs). Between his trips to free agency and an early $10.5MM extension that included a pair of club options for another total $12.5MM, Doolittle earned $26MM over the course of his career.

Beloved for his clutch performances, candid and often eccentric personality, and thoughtful approach to pitching, Doolittle would likely have myriad opportunities to continue his career in baseball as a coach, scout or executive if he aspires to do so. Congratulations on an outstanding career and best wishes to the southpaw in his post-playing days, whichever path he chooses to take.

Reds Release Hunter Renfroe

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The Reds announced that Hunter Renfroe, who was designated for assignment earlier this week, has been released. He’ll head to the open market and will be free to sign with any club.

Renfroe, 31, began the year with the Angels, hitting 19 home runs but otherwise producing underwhelming results at the plate. His .242/.304/.434 slash line translated to a wRC+ of 98, indicating he was just below average overall.

As the Halos fell out of contention in August, Renfroe was one of six impending they put on waivers, hoping for other clubs to take on their contracts as a way to save money and dip under the luxury tax. The Reds took a flier on him but Renfroe’s production tailed off significantly after switching jerseys, as he hit .128/.227/.205 for Cincinnati. That was in a small sample of 44 plate appearances in which he had a .154 batting average on balls in play but the club nonetheless decided to move on.

The slugger is making $11.9MM this year and had about $1.98MM left on his deal when the Reds decided to grab him. That will now go down as a sunk cost, as they will remain on the hook for the approximately $702K left to be paid out. No club was willing to absorb that by claiming him off waivers but perhaps one will be willing to sign him now that they would only be responsible for the prorated league minimum, with that amount subtracted from what the Reds pay.

He’s not having his best season and wouldn’t be postseason eligible for any signing club, but perhaps someone is willing to give him a shot, hoping to give their lineup a boost for the final few weeks. Renfroe has 177 homers in his career and an overall batting line of .239/.300/.478 for a wRC+ of 106. It’s a fairly limited profile since he doesn’t get on base much, steal many bags or provide quality glovework, but many clubs have been intrigued by the power. Since 2019, he’s played for the Padres, Rays, Red Sox and Brewers, before bouncing to the Angels and Reds this year. If he doesn’t find a new club in the next week or so, he can at least start to gauge the interest level for this winter, when he will be a free agent.

Reds Release Chasen Shreve

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The Reds have released Chasen Shreve, according to his transaction page on MLB.com. The lefty reliever was designated for assignment on September 12, just ten days after the Reds selected his contract. He made three appearances for Cincinnati, including scoreless outings against the Mariners and Cardinals, but turned out to be little more than a placeholder for fellow southpaw Brandon Williamson; he was called up when Williamson went on the COVID-19 IL and DFA’d once Williamson returned.

Shreve spent most of the 2023 campaign with the Tigers, making 47 appearances between Opening Day and mid-August. While his 4.79 ERA was uninspiring, his underlying numbers painted a picture of a solid middle reliever: a 46.8% groundball rate, a 6.7% walk rate, and a 3.69 SIERA. Nonetheless, the Tigers eventually chose to prioritize youth and the future, cutting ties with the veteran shortly after the trade deadline.

The 33-year-old quickly latched on with the Reds, signing a minor league deal and reporting to the Louisville Bats. He performed well in six appearances for Cincinnati’s Triple-A affiliate, giving up only one run on two hits while striking out five.

With less than a week remaining in the Triple-A season, it’s unlikely Shreve signs elsewhere before the year is up. However, he should be able to find another minor league deal this winter. As a durable left-handed reliever with ten years of big league experience, teams will undoubtedly be interested in his services.

Reds Designate Hunter Renfroe For Assignment

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The Reds announced that they have reinstated outfielder Stuart Fairchild from the COVID-19 injured list with outfielder Hunter Renfroe designated for assignment in a corresponding move.

Renfroe, 31, joined the Reds just over two weeks ago. He began the year with the Angels, who went for it at the deadline but then fell out of contention in August. Since they no longer had the ability to trade anyone, they put six players on waivers in an attempt to save some money and dip under the luxury tax. Renfroe was one of those players, allowing the Reds to grab him for nothing other than taking on the remainder of his salary. They also grabbed Harrison Bader from the Yankees in a similar scenario, allowing them to add two outfielders for the stretch run without giving up any talent in return.

Unfortunately, Renfroe has struggled immensely since coming to Cincinnati, hitting .128/.227/.205. It’s still a surprise to see the club move on so quickly. Those poor results have come in a small sample of just 44 plate appearances, a time in which he has a .154 batting average on balls in play that would be bound for regression. Nonetheless, it seems the club has decided to quickly cut bait.

Earlier today, the Reds placed Bader on the injured list, meaning they are now without either of their waiver pickups from a few weeks ago. The club was willing to add roughly $2.76MM to their payroll in order to get those two outfielders for the final month of the schedule but will now be proceeding without either of them, at least until Bader can get healthy again.

With the trade deadline having passed, the Reds will put Renfroe on waivers in the coming days. Whether or not he will garner any interest will be an interesting situation, as it’s an unusual time of year for such a player to be on the wire. With the season winding down and Renfroe an impending free agent, only a contending club would have any incentive to put in a claim. But even for a contender, Renfroe wouldn’t be postseason eligible since it’s after the September 1 cutoff. He still has about $893K left on his $11.9MM salary, with any claiming club having to take that on just to add Renfroe for the less than two weeks left in the regular season. If he were to clear, he has more than enough service time to reject an outright assignment and elect free agency while retaining what’s left of his salary.

Recent struggles aside, Renfroe’s career offensive production is notable. Dating back to his 2016 debut with the Padres, he has hit 177 home runs and has slashed .239/.300/.478 for a wRC+ of 106. However, his defense is considered subpar, which subtracts some of the value of his bat. Despite that power potential, his glovework and poor plate discipline have capped his value and turned him into a journeyman in recent years. After sticking with the Padres through 2019, he’s since been traded to the Rays, Red Sox, Brewers and Angels, before landing with the Reds via waivers.

Reds Place Harrison Bader On IL, Select Connor Phillips

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The Reds announced a series of roster moves today, with left-hander Alex Young reinstated from the COVID-19 injured list and right-hander Connor Phillips selected to the roster. In corresponding moves, outfielder Harrison Bader was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right groin strain while righty Carson Spiers was optioned to Triple-A. To open a 40-man spot for Phillips, righty Graham Ashcraft was transferred to the 60-day injured list.

It’s unclear when or how Bader sustained his injury. He started yesterday’s game and made three trips to the plate and was replaced in the seventh inning. TJ Friedl batted for left fielder Nick Senzel that inning and then took over in center, with Will Benson taking Bader’s spot in the order and taking over in left. In addition to the unknowns of when the issue cropped up, the severity isn’t clear either. But with just two weeks left in the season, it’s possible Bader’s season is in jeopardy.

Regardless, it’s an unfortunate blow for the Reds and Bader personally. The club claimed him off waivers from the Yankees at the end of August, adding about $783K in salary to their books just have one month of his services. He hasn’t been having a good year at the plate, now hitting just .232/.274/.348 between the two clubs, but still provides value thanks to his speed and defense. He has 20 stolen bases on the year, despite playing just 98 games, while continuing to get great reviews for his glovework in the outfield.

The Reds will now proceed without Bader for at least the next 10 days, with Friedl likely taking on most of the center field playing time as Benson, Senzel, Nick Martini and Hunter Renfroe share the corners. The club is sitting on a record of 78-73, bunched into an extremely tight National League Wild Card race that seems destined to come down to the wire.

Bader is an impending free agent and will head into the open market at an inopportune time, given his slumping offensive production and mounting injury concerns. He hit .258/.327/.457 over 2020 and 2021 for a wRC+ of 110 but slipped to .250/.294/.356 and a wRC+ of 85 last year, while his aforementioned performance this year amounts to a wRC+ of just 70.

Meanwhile, he’s made trips to the IL over the past three years due to a right rib hairline fracture, right foot plantar fasciitis, a left oblique strain, a right hamstring strain and now this groin strain. He was only able to play 103 games in 2021, 86 last year and 98 so far this year. If he heals up and the Reds make the postseason, perhaps he has time to change the narrative. But for now, it seems he will be trying to market himself at a time when prospective clubs will have various concerns about his long-term projections.

Phillips, 22, came up to the big leagues earlier this month as a COVID replacement. He made two starts with an earned run average of 8.31 before being returned to the minors and has now had his contract selected in the more traditional fashion. In 105 innings in the minors this year, he has a 3.86 ERA, striking out 33.3% of opponents but also walking 12.3%. He’ll jump into a Cincinnati rotation that has been beset by various injuries this year, with each of Ashcraft, Justin Dunn, Vladimir Gutierrez, Nick Lodolo and Connor Overton currently on the 60-day IL. That leaves them with Hunter Greene, Andrew Abbott, Brandon Williamson, Ben Lively and Phillips in the rotation as they make their final postseason push.

As for Ashcraft, it was reported over the weekend that he will require season-ending toe surgery, making this transfer an inevitable formality.

Reds’ Graham Ashcraft Scheduled For Season-Ending Toe Surgery

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Graham Ashcraft hasn’t pitched since September 1 due to a stress reaction in his right big toe, and Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer (X link) reports that the Reds right-hander is slated to undergo surgery on the toe on Tuesday.  This procedure would seemingly mark the end of Ashcroft’s 2023 season.

It has been an inconsistent campaign for the 25-year-old, which perhaps isn’t surprising for a low-strikeout pitcher who relies heavily on ground balls.  Ashcraft posted a 2.00 ERA over his first six starts and 36 innings of the season, was then rocked for a 12.82 ERA over his next eight starts and 33 innings, and then righted the ship again by delivering a 2.58 ERA over his last 12 starts and 76 2/3 frames.

All told, Ashcraft has a 4.76 ERA over 145 2/3 innings, as well as a 47.8% grounder rate.  His 17.8% strikeout rate is only in the 13th percentile of all pitchers, while his walk and hard-hit ball rates are almost exactly league average.  Ashcraft is a hard thrower who averages at least 95.8 mph on both his cutter (his primary pitch) and his sinker, but his velocity hasn’t translated into many missed bats.

Despite the wide variance in results, Ashcraft’s ability to deliver solid bottom-line numbers for the majority of the season has been a boon to a Reds team desperate for reliable starting pitching.  His absence for the remainder of 2023 is a blow to Cincinnati’s postseason hopes, as the Reds are battling five other teams for the NL’s three wild card slots.  Without Ashcraft providing any further help, the Reds will continue to rely on their young lineup and steady bullpen, as well as whatever they can get from an increasingly makeshift rotation.

Reds Place Tejay Antone On Injured List, Select Carson Spiers

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The Reds announced Thursday morning that they’ve placed right-hander Tejay Antone on the 15-day injured list due to discomfort in his right elbow. Cincinnati also reinstated righty Ben Lively from the Covid-related injured list and selected the contract of right-hander Carson Spiers from Double-A Chattanooga. Right-hander Connor Phillips who’d been up as a Covid-related replacement player, has been returned to Triple-A Louisville.

Antone, 29, only just returned from a two-year absence stemming from Tommy John surgery earlier this month. He’s pitched 5 2/3 effective innings, but the right-hander left last night’s game with a trainer after experiencing discomfort in that surgically repaired  elbow. While Antone downplayed the issue to an extent after the game, it seems the Reds have deemed a pause on his throwing is needed. There’s still technically enough time remaining on the schedule for Antone to return to the mound in the final three games of the season, but given the timing of the IL placement and minimal days left on the schedule, it’s possible his season will be over.

A healthy Antone is one of the most underrated relievers in the game. He’s only appeared in parts of three big league seasons, thanks largely to those health troubles, but in 74 2/3 innings dating back to 2020, the righty boasts a 2.41 ERA, 32.4% strikeout rate and 49.4% ground-ball rate. Antone has been a bit wild, walking 10.7% of his opponents in his young career, but the results are impressive all the same. The obvious hope for any player following an IL placement is that a major injury can be avoided, but it’d be particularly disheartening to learn of anything severe for Antone after he only just completed a two-year grind back to a Major League mound.

As for the 25-year-old Spiers, he’s already made his big league debut, allowing seven runs in seven innings between two appearances earlier this month. However, he was only on the roster as a Covid-related substitute player and was returned to Triple-A on Sunday. That process didn’t require him to be optioned or passed through waivers. Now, he’s been formally selected to the Major League roster, meaning he’ll be subject to standard option rules moving forward.

Aside from his brief MLB look earlier this month, Spiers has spent the entire season in Double-A. An undrafted signee out of Clemson following the shortened 2020 draft, he’s pitched 83 innings of 3.69 ERA ball with the Reds’ Chattanooga affiliate, whiffing 29.2% of his opponents against an 11.3% walk rate.

Lively, 31, hasn’t pitched in a game since Aug. 26. The right-hander enjoyed a solid three-year run in the Korea Baseball Organization from 2019-21 before returning to affiliated ball on a minor league deal with the Reds for the 2022 season. He re-upped with Cincinnati over the most recent offseason and this year reached the Majors for the first time since throwing one lone inning with the 2019 Royals. He’s pitched in 15 games (12 starts) for the Reds and eaten up 76 2/3 innings, albeit with a lackluster 5.17 ERA. To his credit, that number is skewed by one objectively calamitous start, wherein the Reds left Lively out there to take a 13-run beating in four innings against the Cubs. Lively has a 3.83 ERA in his other 14 appearances.

Reds Designate Chasen Shreve For Assignment

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The Reds announced today that left-hander Brandon Williamson has been activated from the COVID-19 injured list, with fellow lefty Chasen Shreve designated for assignment in a corresponding move.

Shreve, 33, signed a minor league deal with the Tigers in the offseason and cracked that club’s Opening Day roster. He posted a 4.79 earned run average over 47 appearances before getting released in August as that team began giving opportunities to younger players.

He landed with the Reds on a minors deal and was one of many pitchers recently ushered to the majors as the club dealt with a COVID outbreak. Over the past couple of weeks, five pitchers and one position player have been placed on the COVID IL, necessitating frequent roster moves as the club tried to continually bring in fresh arms. Shreve pitched 3 1/3 innings for Cincinnati since being added to the roster, allowing one earned run in that time. But as the affected players have been returning to the roster of late, Shreve has now been nudged out.

With the trade deadline long gone, the Reds will place Shreve on waivers in the coming days. If he were to pass through unclaimed, he would have the right to reject an outright assignment and elect free agency. However, since it’s after September 1, he would not have postseason eligibility with any new club he joins. The Reds are within two games of the final Wild Card spot in the National League, so perhaps that gives Shreve incentive to stick around and hope for a shot at postseason play.

It’s also possible that he garners attention on waivers, based on his track record. His combined 4.63 ERA on the year isn’t especially impressive but his 23.3% strikeout rate and 7.3% walk rate are both solid. He has a career ERA of 3.97 over 367 career appearances. The Tigers are on the hook for what’s left of his salary, meaning a claiming club would only have to pay him the prorated version of the league minimum for any time spent on the roster.

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