PHILADELPHIA – For the first time since May, Eugenio Suárez was back at shortstop in the Cincinnati Reds lineup on Friday.
Kyle Farmer, who is playing through a sports hernia injury, had played in 25 straight games after the All-Star break, posting a .359 batting average and .400 on-base percentage in that stretch. Suárez is the only other shortstop on the active 26-man roster.
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“He’s played extremely well during that time, so he’s made it tough to take him out of the lineup,” Reds manager David Bell said of Farmer. “There was a couple of days that we talked about and kind of settled on doing it (Friday). So, he’s known about it for a few days. We talked about it at the beginning of the week. We kind of planned it out.”
Suárez moved into a third base platoon with Mike Moustakas when Moustakas returned from the injured list last week. He was expected to start against lefties and Moustakas against righties. With the designated hitter in Cleveland on Monday and a couple of off days for other infielders throughout the week, Suárez has played regularly.
He’s still stuck in an offensive funk. Suárez is hitting .170 with six doubles, four homers and 13 RBI in 88 at-bats following the All-Star break.
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“I think offensively, Geno has shown some real good signs this week,” Bell said. “Like always, just playing with energy. But I think the confidence, even for a player like that, is so important. I think Geno is slowly but surely getting that back with every at-bat, especially this week.”
Nick Senzel remains on a rehab assignment at Triple-A Louisville, and he played one game at shortstop to give the Reds more flexibility at the position when he returns. Shortstop Jose Barrero, who changed his last name from Garcia, looms at Louisville where he’s crushed the ball for the past month.
“(Suárez’s) still going to play the majority at third base, but with the situation of our infield, it’ll be important that he can do it,” Bell said. “I think he has been playing reinvigorated this week. I loved how he’s gone about it. Just another step, I think. He’s just into these games and want to do everything he can to win these games.”
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ANTONE PROGRESSES: Tejay Antone made his third rehab appearance at Louisville on Thursday, pitching a scoreless inning with two strikeouts.
He’s still about a week from a potential return to the Reds’ bullpen as he continues to ramp up his activity. He’s scheduled to pitch in back-to-back games early next week, which could be one of his final steps.
“I believe the last one on the rehab counter is (pitching) two innings, or one of the last (steps),” Bell said. “Whether or not he checks all those boxes, we’ll have to wait and see, but it is on the plan.”
Senzel had a planned day off on his rehab assignment Wednesday.
BACK AGAIN: Tyler Naquin posted a .218 batting average and a .269 on-base percentage throughout July with one homer and nine RBI in 87 at-bats. It was his worst month of the season statistically.
He looked more like he did at the beginning of the season during the last two games in Atlanta, producing four hits in 10 at-bats with a double and a homer.
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“He did have a dip and he hung in there, kept working, and if you look at the big picture of what he’s done this year, he’s done a lot for us,” Bell said. “What a great pick up. What a great addition he has been to our team. To get him back swinging the bat with confidence could really be a great lift for us.
“I do think the last few days especially, and just talking to him and the look in his eye, he’s getting it back. He’s getting that feeling back that he had.”
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