NEW YORK – There is no guide to prepare a player for the first time he is traded in his career, but Tyler Naquin says the key for him was not allowing himself to look into the past.
Naquin was the first of five players the Reds dealt at the trade deadline, sent to the first-place New York Mets for 18-year-old center fielder Héctor Rodríguez and 19-year-old right-hander José Acuña. A free agent at the end of the season, Naquin braced himself for the possibility of a trade.
“My cousin, Kyle, actually was on a plane, it was his first time to ever come watch me by himself,” Naquin said. “He was on the plane and I got traded. When he landed, obviously, everybody was texting him, he showed up at the door and he said, ‘what do we gotta get to where it needs to go?’ He helped me pack all my stuff up. It was crazy, man. It was a whirlwind. I went straight to Miami and kind of never looked back.”
Tyler Naquin has hot start with New York Mets
Naquin welcomed himself to the Mets fanbase with two homers in his first home game. He added a two-run triple in Monday’s series opener against the Reds.
Before Monday’s game, he chatted with many of his former teammates and coaches.
“I enjoyed my time over there in Cincinnati,” said Naquin, who signed with the Reds on a minor-league contract in 2021. “They were extremely good to me, can’t say enough great things about them. One door closes and another one opens. I’m excited to be here. It’s fun, man. These guys have welcomed me with open arms and it’s made for a very easy transition for myself.”
Naquin described the feeling after a trade as going to a new school. He played with Mets pitcher Carlos Carrasco and shortstop Francisco Lindor in Cleveland, so it’s not a completely new environment for him.
What was his reaction when he saw the Reds trade four more players after him?
“Pretty much expected those were the couple of guys that might be leaving,” he said. “We all talk about it at some point when the timeline comes down. It is what it is.”
Reds top prospects: 5 players in Baseball America's Top 100
Baseball America updated its top-100 prospect rankings this week and the Reds landed five players on the list, all inside of the top 67.
Rookie left-hander Nick Lodolo, who will soon graduate from prospect status, leads the group at No. 20 overall. Double-A shortstop Elly De La Cruz is ranked No. 22, High-A shortstop Noelvi Marte is No. 35, Low-A shortstop Edwin Arroyo is No. 47 and 2022 first-round pick Cam Collier, who is playing in the Arizona rookie league, is No. 67.
Marte and Arroyo were acquired from Seattle in the Luis Castillo trade.
Within the Reds’ top-30 list for the organizational rankings, only five players were in the organization before March, showing how trades have overhauled the farm system. Those five players: De La Cruz, Lodolo, Double-A shortstop Matt McLain (No. 7 on Reds’ list), Double-A left-hander Andrew Abbott (No. 10) and shortstop Ricardo Cabrera (No. 11), a 17-year-old international signee from Venezuela.
Reds roster moves: Mike Moustakas on 10-day injured list
Mike Moustakas was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left calf strain, which he injured when he hit a ball into the left-center gap Monday and was held to a single.
“It’s going to be at least the 10 days, it could be a little bit longer,” Reds Manager David Bell said. “Unfortunately, he’s going to be out. We’ll miss him. I know he’s disappointed. He had a really good swing on that ball (Monday). Just very unfortunate that happened again.”
It’s the fifth time Moustakas has been on the IL this year, though three times were the COVID-related IL, which carries no minimum number of days.
Alejo Lopez was recalled from Triple-A Louisville to replace Moustakas on the roster.
“(Lopez) was the choice because he’s been here,” Bell said. “He’s had success here. He’s very versatile. He can play all over the infield. He can play the outfield. A switch hitter. The days he doesn’t start, there a lot of different scenarios where his bat and his versatility can come into play. I’d like to get him some starts, more than he has in the past, but we’ll have to see how it plays out.”
Reliever Ryan Hendrix was optioned to Triple-A after Tuesday’s game to make room on the 26-man roster for T.J. Zeuch, Wednesday’s starting pitcher.
Diaz family wears custom jerseys
There was a section in the Citi Field wearing “Meds” jerseys, customized half Mets and half Reds jerseys, for family members of relievers Alexis Díaz and Edwin Díaz.
“Those jerseys, where can you get one of those jerseys,” Mets Manager Buck Showalter asked reporters. “That’s pretty cool. I wonder if they split the cost of them, he and his brother?”
The Díaz brothers, like they did before a game in Cincinnati, presented the lineup cards to the umpires Tuesday and hugged at home plate.
Art Warren makes rehab appearance for Dayton Dragons
Right-handed reliever Art Warren made his second appearance on his rehab assignment, pitching for High-A Dayton on Tuesday.
Warren struck out two of the four batters he faced and gave up a double.
“I have not spoke with our medical staff yet, but I do think it’s going to be considered for him to have one more outing,” Bell said Wednesday morning.
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