For the second consecutive game, the Cincinnati Reds starting lineup was missing two players who have been everyday starters in the infield for Wednesday's game against the San Francisco Giants.
Mike Moustakas hasn’t started since Friday as he recovers from a heel injury, and Nick Senzel was out of the starting lineup for the second straight game on Wednesday.
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Even though Moustakas has come off the bench in each of the Reds last two games, manager David Bell said Moustakas would benefit from another day out of the starting lineup.
“He's not in the lineup today, but he'll be available in the same capacity, maybe even a little more,” Bell said. “I talked to him last night and there was thought of him being available to be back in the lineup today. We thought it was maybe a day early. A little bit of a stretch, he's still dealing with some pain.”
Senzel has dealt with both a heel contusion and knee soreness this week. Senzel started Monday against the Giants and made a few highlight plays at third base, but he hasn’t appeared in a game since.
“(Senzel) may be in the lineup tomorrow,” Bell said. “Hoping to have him available off the bench again tonight.”
Before Wednesday’s game, neither Moustakas nor Senzel participated in pregame defensive workouts with the rest of the infielders.
The Reds promoted outfielder Mark Payton from the Minor Leagues on Tuesday, so the Reds bench has additional depth with Senzel and Moustakas recovering.
Jeff Hoffman looking to rebound
Reds starting pitcher Jeff Hoffman said he’s still frustrated with the play that cut his last outing short on Sunday against the Colorado Rockies. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Hoffman’s throw to first on a bunt was off-target, and his error was the biggest reason for a five-run fourth inning for the Rockies.
Aside from that play, Hoffman said he pitched better than he has recently.
“The line wasn’t anything special obviously, but the ball and the way I felt with the ball coming out of my hand, I had all four pitches,” Hoffman said. “I was locating the fastball, the fastball had some good life to it. I felt like we made a lot of pitches. Obviously, I shot myself in the foot with that bunt throw.”
Entering his start against the Giants on Thursday, Hoffman is coming off four straight starts that didn’t go longer than four innings. He allowed two earned runs in four innings in Colorado, and he has a 7.84 ERA in May.
Hoffman has only pitched five-or-more innings in three starts this season, and he said that needs to change.
“At least five innings is necessary,” Hoffman said. “Obviously six you can get the quality start, seven you start helping out your pen. Anything less than five is not acceptable.”
Changing faces in the bullpen
Of the eight players in the Reds bullpen, three weren’t with Cincinnati at the start of spring training. Since the middle of March, the Reds have claimed Michael Feliz and Carson Fulmer and signed Heath Hembree.
Cincinnati also promoted rookie Ryan Hendrix from the Minor Leagues during the season and added veteran Sean Doolittle in February.
The only holdovers from the 2020 bullpen are Tejay Antone, Lucas Sims and Amir Garrett, and Garrett said the new additions have helped the Reds.
“Everybody in that bullpen roots for one another,” Garrett said. “We want each other to do good every time we get the ball. It’s only going to benefit the whole bullpen. It’s going to help the whole team.”
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