The Cincinnati Reds made it official this afternoon that shortstop Jose Barrero would begin a rehab assignment with the Triple-A Louisville Bats today. He’ll join Nick Senzel and Mike Minor tonight in Nashville, making it three different players with the Bats on rehab assignments.
Jose Barrero didn’t play at all this spring. He suffered a hamate injury in the offseason that required surgery (they almost always do). Barrero did play some games in extended spring training back at the complex in Goodyear and now he’s ready to take that next step and see more advanced pitchers. This rehab stint will essentially be a defacto spring training for the shortstop.
That wasn’t the only move made today, though. Far from it. Cincinnati called up Graham Ashcraft, Aristides Aquino, and Taylor Motter from Triple-A. They were all needed as “substitute” players – meaning they aren’t being added to the 40-man roster – because four players can not enter Canada due to their vaccination status and Cincinnati didn’t want to play without a bench.
For Graham Ashcraft, he will be making his Major League Baseball debut whenever he enters the game. He’s currently leading all of Minor League Baseball with a 71.2% ground ball rate. He also has a 1.65 ERA with Louisville.
Taylor Motter has seen action in plays of four big league seasons – most recently in 2021 with both the Boston Red Sox and Colorado Rockies. He signed with the Reds after the season began and got a bit of a late start to the season. He played his first game on April 24th and has hit .245/.344/.566 with two doubles and five home runs in the 15 games he’s played with the Bats this year.
Aristides Aquino returns for the time being after spending 10 games with Louisville. The Punisher has done plenty of punishing in Triple-A since he was sent to the minors. In his 42 plate appearances he’s hit .314/.405/.743 with three doubles and four home runs. He has also walked four times and struck out 15 times.
Lots of guys really struggle for awhile after these hamate injuries. Hand/wrist stuff in general. Winker took quite awhile to regain power after his (car accident related, if I recall). I think anything resembling Barrero’s power production his last full year in the minors might be a ways off.
I thought Winker had a full blown wrist injury????
Full strength Reds by mid june!!!!
Out of curiosity, who are the four?
Mahle, Kuhnel, Drury and Almora , Jr.
0-4, hat trick. First game back and shaking off the rust.
Hopefully, back at the top of the lineup tomorrow with no setbacks.