TJ Hopkins kept his hot hitting going in a Louisville Bats win that also saw Leonardo Rivas get on base three times. Chattanooga picked up a win on Thursday night, too, getting multi-hit games from Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Garrett Wolforth, and Quincy McAfee while Connor Curlis continued his dominant pitching in September.
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The Louisville Bats won 5-2. Box Score
- Michael Siani went 1-4 with a run and an RBI.
- Leonardo Rivas went 1-3 with a double, steal (15), 2 walks, and 2 runs.
- Cristian Santana went 1-4 with an RBI.
- TJ Hopkins went 1-3 with a walk, double, and an RBI.
- Ronnie Dawson went 1-4 with a run.
- Michael De Leon went 2-4 with a run.
- Justin Nicolino allowed 2 runs in 5.0 innings with 2 walks and 4 strikeouts.
- Pedro Payano threw 2.0 shutout innings with 3 strikeouts.
- Ryan Hendrix threw a hitless inning with a walk and a strikeout.
- Ricky Karcher threw a shutout inning with a walk.
The Chattanooga Lookouts won 5-3. Box Score
- Elly De La Cruz went 1-4 with a walk, double, and 2 runs.
- Matt McLain went 1-4 with a walk and an RBI.
- Christian Encarnacion-Strand went 2-4 with a double and 2 RBI. He was also hit by a pitch.
- Allan Cerda went 0-3 with 2 walks and a run.
- Rece Hinds went 1-5 with a double and an RBI.
- James Free went 1-4 with a walk, double, and a run.
- Garrett Wolforth went 2-3 with a walk and a run.
- Quincy McAfee went 2-3 with an RBI.
- Steven Leyton went 1-4.
- Connor Curlis threw a 1.1 shutout innings.
- Mike Byrne threw 1.1 hitless innings with 2 walks and a strikeout.
- Evan Kravetz threw a perfect inning with a strikeout.
9/16 Game Preview
| Team | Record | Time (ET) | Probable | Box Score | Listen | Watch |
| Louisville | 58-82 | 8:07pm | Williamson | Here | Here | Here |
| Chattanooga | 59-74 | 7:15pm | Phillips | Here | Here | Here |
| Dayton | 67-61 | Season | Complete | Here | Here | Here |
| Daytona | 54-75 | Season | Complete | Here | Here | N/A |
| ACL Reds | 32-19 | Season | Complete | Here | N/A | N/A |
| DSL Reds |
24-26 | Season | Complete | Here | N/A | N/A |
I’m not quite back on the Aquino hype train yet but I’m getting close. The 40 man crunch is real (especially if an outfielder is signed) but after this recent stretch from Aquino I don’t think they could pass him through waivers again.
I’m all in on Hopkins platooning with Fraley next season and Friedl has earned his spot in my opinion as well. If Aquino is kept on the 40 man he’s out of options so any free agent signing would bump Senzel to AAA.
It’s an interesting question of what is Senzel’s current trade value? AA seems to be playing himself onto the 40 man, and Fraley and Friedl haven’t really played their way off of it. Still, all of them remain 5th OFers, which presents problems beyond the roster spots they hold.
I wonder if they dare enough to spend a lot on one OFer (Benintendi?) and find another cheaper one (akin to Pham) and give one more year sharing PAs to the other three.
If Senzel can return anything I think they take it, and look to 2024 for some of the prospects to appear, or make a bigger FA signing.
The ideal scenario for me lately has been for the reds to sign Benintendi in the offseason and go into the year with
LF – Benintendi
CF – Friedl / Senzel
RF – Fraley / Hopkins
And by mid season
LF – Fraley / Hopkins
CF – Benintendi
RF – De La Cruz
And 1 of Friedl or Senzel as the 5th OF
This recent run from Aquino has me 2nd guessing that though. Glad I don’t make the decisions
Maybe Aquino just needed to shorten his approach. He hit that outer curveball into the seats with shorter actions. He’s got power to trade for contact.
When you talk about trade value, Aquino probably has more than Senzel, especially to a contender. Aquino‘s defense and streaky freaky power make him a very nice outfielder on a contender.
Senzel is probably a better trade candidate for a rebuilding team. The Reds are a rebuilding team.
Inertia could keep them both here. But yes Senzel in AAA next year is very possible as well.
Senzel’s value around the league is not very much. Nothing, most likely, considering he’d be a DFA or non-tender on many teams. He’s now had over 1000 PAs to prove he can’t hit major league pitching, and he’s a weak defender in CF. He’s also arb-eligible, and nobody’s going to want to pay him.
Heck, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Reds non-tendered him even if they can’t trade him. If he hadn’t been such a high draft pick, he’d probably be gone already.
I do t get your frequent mention of benintendi bdh?
I can’t imagine that happening or even someone else with that high a payroll ask in light of the reds recent penny pinching philosophy.
Is it just a daydream of yours or why do you persist in what seems like a really improbable scenario to me? Just curious btw.
Thinking any minor leaguer to win a place next year will have to hit their way onto the team through the spring. Your take may be the mid season of end of year alignment.
Cerda has a 404 OBP since August 1. Something else I noticed while looking at Cerda’s stats is that he hits really poorly vs LHP. This year: 130/275/304 in 138 PAs (and a 40% K rate!).
I remember when Aquino exploded on the scene a few years back. While I’m enjoying his production it will take a bit more for me to keep him on the 40.
With the depth in outfield possibilities and the needs of the team elsewhere (bullpen) and catching I can not imagine the resources, at least enough to come close to the dollars necessary to acquire Benintendi.
Since Aquino blew up in 2019, he only had 400 ABs over three seasons. Then he was DFAd…since then I think he’s hitting about .250-.260 with solid D. If that is his level he should get every AB in 2023. In what profession can you refine your craft in a part time role and looking over your shoulder? I think getting benched/platooned killed his confidence and never gave him time/consistent ABs to adjust. Just my thought.
I also feel like they did sideline Aquino too easily. That being said, he didn’t rise to the challenge. If he got the Senzel treatment, in other words giving him every chance to succeed, then I agree he would have had a better career to date.
Your comment got me curious so I looked it up: He was DFA’d on April 30th. He was recalled and saw game action May 22nd. Since then he’s posted 250/295/454. With his defense, I’d say hovering around a 300 OBP will be fine.
I think he can be a .230-.270 hitter with .300-.330 OBP. If the power stays and you add in his defense….he can at least be a stopgap to the next contention window.
If he’s a .250/300/500 hitter he’s close to all-star because that would include near GG defense and 40hrs/100 rbi’s. If he’s .270/330/525 he’ll get MVP votes.
Neither is likely, but .240/300/450 makes him much better than a 5th OFer.
Assuming Aquino finishes out the year strong, he has to be the opening day RF.
LF Fraley / Friedl
CF De La Cruz / Friedl
RF Aquino / Friedl
Senzel could certainly still be on the roster as a utility guy, so he could grab some starts in the OF, He’d just be the 5th option.
Keep Hopkins, Gilliam, and Siani in AAA until one pushes themselves onto the roster. I’m pulling for Siani, because adding him into LF would make our OF defense a tripple threat for gold gloves.
Also my lineup doesn’t have to be opening day, just fairly early in the season. I do think De La Cruz could be an opening day CF.
De La Cruz will not be in the opening day roster next season.
“Also my lineup doesn’t have to be opening day, just fairly early in the season”.
I realize he might be put on ice a bit to keep him under control longer, but developmentally I believe he’s ready. India skipped AAA all together as have others, so it’s unprecedented.
I don’t think he will be up early next season either. Maybe in September. He’s striking out over 30% of the time. They won’t rush him.
OK, we have differing opinions. At least you back down from a definitive stance on his arrival to a “not thinking” stance. After all, all we’re doing is guessing, unless one of us is secretly Mr Krall.
I can’t see Siani being a LF. You lose part of the value of his defense moving him from center, and he doesn’t have the bat to be a strong LF option. I think putting him in left greatly reduces his overall value to the team. If anything from your scenario, move De La Cruz to left where his bat will play.
I do know Siani is a known glove in CF, so I take your point. The reason I’d put EDLC in CF is 3 fold.
1) I think EDLC will be up sooner than Siani, and CF is the biggest hole in the OF.
2) EDLC an elite prospect, and I want him at an premium position.
3) It is easier to get good reads in CF, and he has the tools to make up for initial bad reads.
I guess I lied there is a 4th, I don’t want Siani’s possible future to determine EDLC’s.
The biggest hole to me is SS, or at least a simliarly big hole, so why move EDLC off of it?
There are 4 top 100 SS prospects in our system. We have 0 OF prospects in the top 100, and only 1 of our outfielders in our top 30 prospects list are at AA or above.
I also don’t see the Reds giving up on Barrero after less than a half season. Unless the plan is to keep ELDC in the minors until 24, they have to move him.
And no, SS is not even close to our biggest hole, OF, and bullpen are far bigger problems at the MLB level.
Perhaps others have remarked on this but it appears Diaz may lead Reds in wins (he has 6, Ashcraft is next with 5) and saves, cant imagine that has ever happened before?
Scott Williamson came close in 1999; he was second in both categories
Danny Graves came close in 2000; lead in saves, second in Wins
Heresh Freeman came close in 1956; lead in saves, second in wins
thanks less unusual than I thought even if it would be the first actual time if it happens.
https://www.mlb.com/news/arizona-fall-league-rosters-2022?t=mlb-pipeline-coverage
Arizona Fall League rosters are out.
Thanks Luke
Elly missed his 29th home run by mere inches last night with a double off the left center wall. Man I’d love to have him do the 30+ HR, 45+SB season. That would be quite the achievement. Maybe he gets bumped up to AAA and gets a shot if he does not do that this weekend.