MIAMI -- The Reds finish the 2018 season against Miami, Kansas City and Pittsburgh, with only the Pirates still hanging onto postseason hopes. But that's not going to change how interim manager Jim Riggleman goes about filling out his scorecard.
Riggleman doesn't anticipate doing anything any differently with his lineup over the final nine games of the season.
"I like putting our regular guys out there," Riggleman said. "Our position guys are pretty well set. It's not like we're saying, 'Let's have an audition for [next year].'
"I'll just keep running our guys out there. [Eugenio Suarez] had a day off two days ago, get [Jose Peraza] and [Tucker Barnhart] out of there, and [Joey Votto] out of there when we're losing games or if we're way up, and let somebody else finish those games."
Riggleman said he would give both Barnhart and Scott Schebler the day off tomorrow.
"[Barnhart] and [Curt Casali] have been both catching quite a bit anyway," Riggleman said. "[Mason Williams] is in there today, but we have [Blake Trahan], we have [Gabriel Guerrero], [Brandon Dixon], a lot of guys who haven't played as much. But I anticipate using them as I have to this point."
Don't look for Scooter Gennett to come out of the lineup anytime soon. The second baseman is trying to become the first Reds player to lead the National League in hits since Pete Rose collected 215 hits in 1976. He's also competing for the NL batting title as well. Gennett (.317) entered the Marlins series on Thursday just two points behind Milwaukee's Christian Yelich (.319).
"I'm trying to let Scooter play and compete for some personal stuff, as well as we love having him in the middle of our lineup," Riggleman said. "Joey Votto missed a number of games early. He doesn't want to take any days off.
"I don't anticipate looking at too many different lineups."
Mahle's season likely over
Right-handed pitcher Tyler Mahle is not scheduled to make another start this season, and he is not likely to see the mound for the final nine games of the season.
Mahle has been hampered by right shoulder fatigue since making his first start after a September callup. It was just a three-inning stint against San Diego in which he yielded five hits and two runs over 74 pitches.
"He's feeling good, but if I had an update as to when he would pitch in a game, I would say so. But I don't," Riggleman said. "We don't even know if he'll pitch in a game before the end of the year.
"He feels fine, but we're just going to make the determination, 'Do we want to do it in a simulated, controlled situation, or put him in a game for two innings?' We don't feel like at this point it's going to be worth it to find two innings and then maybe he turns it up a notch more than he should be trying to and has a setback."
Mahle made the Reds' Opening Day roster, but struggled in 22 starts, posting a 7-9 record with a 4.95 ERA before being optioned to Louisville on Aug. 3.