Dilson Herrera, the main piece that came over to the Cincinnati Reds in the Jay Bruce trade last month, has played a total of four games since joining the organization. He would play part of a double header on August 2nd with Louisville, then get the start on the 3rd for the Bats. The next day he managed three plate appearances before being removed after his final one in which he struck out.
Dilson Herrera sat the next three days and there when asked about why he wasn’t playing, manager Delino DeShields gave a strange answer saying that he wasn’t injured, but was sore. According to the reporter, he wouldn’t expand on that. On August 8th Herrera returned to the lineup, and it was noted that he was available to pinch run the night before. The second baseman went 0-3 and was hit by a pitch. He hasn’t played since.
We now know that he’s been dealing with a sore shoulder, which strangely enough we had to actually find out from Dilson Herrera himself, on facebook of all places, before Cincinnati Enquirer Reds beat writer Zach Buchanan had these two tweets about it late last night.
For those asking, Dilson Herrera has a sore shoulder. Reds don’t want to push it and cause a bigger issue.
— Zach Buchanan (@ZachENQ) August 11, 2016
Tests have been done, and there is a treatment plan in place. Right now it does not appear surgery is something to worry about.
— Zach Buchanan (@ZachENQ) August 11, 2016
This all comes back to the question of: Is Dilson Herrera the player who had the medical concerns at the time of the trade? Did the Reds get the reports and notice he had a shoulder problem and rework the deal to get Max Wotell included as the second piece, in favor of a lesser prospect that was in the original deal? Or is this a second player that the Mets tried to deal the Reds who had an injury issue?
Update: Dilson Herrera’s shoulder has been sore for two seasons now. He reportedly dealt with is last season, as well as earlier this season with the Mets Triple-A team. How is this a problem that’s lingered for two baseball seasons, but is one that doesn’t appear to require surgery? I’m not a doctor, but something that lasts that long usually requires surgery to fix, doesn’t it?
Taylor Trammell is heating up
Taylor Trammell was mired in a bit of a slump that wrapped around the Pioneer League All-Star break, going 1-14 over the span of five games. He’s really turned things up a notch over his last four games though, going 7-16 (.438) with three doubles and a walk.
His average and on-base percentage have been strong throughout the season, but he hasn’t shown much power. In his first 147 plate appearances with the Billings Mustangs he had just four doubles and two triples. He’s had half as many extra-base hits in the last four games as he had in the first 37. With a month left in the regular season let’s see if he can carry that forward some.
Shed Long just keeps hitting
The Florida State League is a pitchers paradise. Everyone knows that. The ballparks are big, guys don’t hit for power, fly balls go there to die. Well, unless you’re Shed Long, apparently.
Shed Long joined the Daytona Tortugas the last week of July and after going 0-3 on that first day, he’s pretty much destroyed the league. In his first full week he took home player of the week honors. He hasn’t let up. Over his first 14 games the 20-year-old second baseman has hit .408/.436/.673 with two doubles, a triple and three home runs.
On the season between Dayton and Daytona he’s hit 14 home runs, which are tied for the second most in the farm system (Aristides Aquino has 16). He’s also hit 26 doubles, which also ranks second in the farm system. His 42 extra-base hits are second overall to Aquino’s 48.