Cincinnati Reds infielder Mike Moustakas tried to play through his heel injury multiple times.
After Moustakas jammed his foot into first base on Saturday against the Colorado Rockies, Moustakas lobbied Reds manager David Bell to appear in Sunday’s game. On Monday and Tuesday, Moustakas pinch-hit and played first base off the bench against the San Francisco Giants.
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After further evaluation, on Thursday the Reds put Moustakas on the 10-day injured list with a right heel contusion.
“I was surprised,” Bell said. “I was positive based on the feedback I was getting from (Moustakas). I think he just wanted to play so bad. I know he was doing everything he possibly could to get back on the field, to get back in the lineup.”
After coming off the bench Monday and Tuesday, Bell said Moustakas wasn’t available for Wednesday’s game. Moustakas had been making progress in his recovery, but Bell said putting Moustakas in games made his injury worse.
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Bell said he expects Moustakas to return to the lineup as soon as his 10-day stint on the injured list ends.
“The way he handles that kind of stuff can be looked at as almost extreme, but a lot of times, that’s what it takes,” Bell said. “That kind of toughness is what it takes to compete at the level he does in this game, so it’s even rare, I would say, in this game, what he was trying to do. It does say a lot about him.”
In a corresponding roster move, the Reds called up infielder Max Schrock from Triple-A. Schrock hit .440 in spring training and has spent most of the season in the Minor Leagues. Schrock played in five games for the Reds in April, and he was 1-for-9 at the plate.
Schrock can play third base, second base and first base, and he had five hits in 13 minor league at bats this season.
Without Moustakas and Joey Votto, Bell said the starting first baseman could change day-to-day among Tyler Stephenson, Kyle Farmer, Alex Blandino and Schrock.
“We don’t have one guy,” Bell said. “We really don’t have a guy that their natural position is first base, but we have several guys that can fill in, several guys that can get the opportunity there. So we’re covered, for sure.”
Nick Senzel closer to returning
Nick Senzel hasn’t appeared in a game since Monday as he has dealt with a heel contusion and knee tightness, but Bell said he was confident that Senzel will return to the starting lineup on Friday.
Senzel wasn’t available in Wednesday’s game against the Giants. As a result, Shogo Akiyama hit in the eighth inning against a left-handed pitcher and Alex Blandino pinch-hit over Senzel, who has been a top of the order hitter for the Reds this season.
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Michael Feliz makes an early impression
With two outs in the top of the seventh inning and a runner in scoring position on Wednesday, Giants catcher Buster Posey stepped up to the plate. With the Reds trailing 1-0, Cincinnati needed to get the Giants best hitter out to keep its deficit at one run.
Bell brought reliever Michael Feliz in from the bullpen. Feliz got Posey to fly out, and he pitched 1 ⅓ scoreless innings.
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The Reds claimed Feliz last week from the Pittsburgh Pirates, and Bell said Feliz could become a big part of the Reds bullpen.
“Not only did he throw well, but you can kind of see why he’s really well thought of by people and teammates,” Bell said. “He has a really solid presence about him on the mound. That was what I was noticing the most.”
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