Injuries & Moves: Naquin begins rehab assignment
Keep track of the Reds’ recent transactions and injury updates throughout the season.
LATEST NEWS
June 30: OF Tyler Naquin begins rehab assignment with Triple-A Louisville
Naquin, who strained his left quadriceps on May 31 at Boston, joined Louisville on Thursday and batted leadoff while playing right field.
“If I had to guess, it will probably be a week of games. He’ll rejoin us next weekend or for the very beginning of the road trip,” Reds manager David Bell said. “Nothing holding him back at this point other than just getting his at-bats and getting back into the flow of playing baseball. There’s the normal progression.”
June 30: RHP Alexis Díaz has activation pushed back
Díaz, who had a right biceps strain, was originally expected to be activated on July 1-- the first day he was eligible. However, that timetable has been pushed back despite a positive 20-pitch side bullpen session on Wednesday.
“I felt really good yesterday. Everything went really well compared to the last couple of days. I am progressing really well,” Díaz said via translator Jorge Merlos. “I put a little bit more oomph in my pitches just to make sure everything was working right. It seemed like everything was going well.”
Díaz did not throw any sliders during the session, however. He is scheduled to throw another bullpen session on Saturday and then face hitters in live batting practice on Monday.
“If that goes well, he’ll be activated a couple of days later,” Bell said.
INJURY UPDATES
10-day and 15-day injured lists
OF Tyler Naquin (left quad strain)
Expected return: Early July
Naquin began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Louisville on June 30 and will likely be with the Bats for about a week, manager David Bell said.
“Nothing holding him back at this point other than just getting his at-bats and getting back into the flow of playing baseball. There’s the normal progression,” Bell said.
Naquin suffered a grade 2 left quad strain on May 31 at Boston. -- Mark Sheldon (Last updated: June 30)
RHP Vladimir Gutierrez (right forearm soreness)
Expected return: Early to mid-July
Gutierrez is scheduled to face hitters in live BP on July 1 at Great American Ball Park. Over the past week, he has been throwing in the bullpen.
Gutierrez reported tightness in his forearm following a one-inning, 26-pitch relief appearance vs. the Nationals on June 3. On June 6, an MRI showed a Grade 1 UCL sprain but no serious injury. -- Mark Sheldon (Last updated: June 30)
OF Aristides Aquino (left high ankle strain)
Expected return: 4-6 weeks
Aquino has started doing some hitting and other baseball activity. He was expected to miss 4-6 weeks after injuring his ankle during a slide in the Reds’ 7-6 victory over the Cardinals on June 12. -- Mark Sheldon (Last updated: June 30)
RHP Alexis Díaz (right biceps)
Expected return: July 1
Díaz threw 20 pitches on June 29 in Chicago, the second of two bullpen sessions that were originally scheduled. But the club has decided that the right-handed rookie will need one more bullpen, scheduled for July 2, and a live BP session on July 4 before he’s activated. -- Mark Sheldon (Last updated: June 30)
C Tyler Stephenson (broken right thumb)
Expected return: July
Stephenson posted an Instagram story on June 29 that showed him taking batting practice on the field at Great American Ball Park. He has been taking swings for the last few days. Manager David Bell expected Stephenson to be ready for a rehab assignment by the end of the week.
Stephenson fractured his right thumb on a foul tip on June 9 and began some light throwing in the outfield on June 22. -- Mark Sheldon (Last updated: June 29)
RHP Tony Santillan (lower back pain)
After Monday’s outing at Arizona, Santillan experienced lower back pain, which got gradually worse in the following days, leading to the move.
Reds manager David Bell is hopeful that the injury is minor, and that he can get Santillan healthy within the 15 days to pitch the rest of the season.
In Santillan’s absence, Bell remains confident in the other arms he has available out of the pen.
“It's a big loss, but everyone has kind of had that experience of pitching in a lot of different innings and situations, so we’ll get by,” Bell said. “Hopefully it’s just 15 days, he can get on top of this pain, get it out of there and come back and pitch the rest of the year healthy.”
The righty has posted a 5.49 ERA in his 21 appearances out of the bullpen this season. – Will Aldrich (Last updated: June 17)
60-day injured list
LHP Nick Lodolo (lower right back strain)
Expected return: Early July
In his fourth rehab assignment start, Lodolo pitched 4 2/3 innings for Triple-A Louisville and allowed one run and five hits with one walk and five strikeouts while throwing 78 pitches. Louisville lost, 5-3, to Toledo.
“It looked like he pitched really well,” Reds manager David Bell said. “He’ll be making a start for us his next start. I don’t know if it’s going to be Monday or Tuesday yet.”
Cincinnati will be facing the Mets when Lodolo returns. He hasn't pitched for the Reds since April 24.-- Mark Sheldon (Last updated: June 29)
RHP Justin Dunn (right shoulder)
Expected return: Mid-to-late July
Dunn made his first rehab assignment start with High-A Dayton on June 26 and allowed one earned run and three hits over two innings with one walk and one strikeout. He threw 35 pitches in the 4-2 win vs. Lake County.
Up next is another start for Dayton, scheduled for Friday. The expectation is that the right-hander could be ready by around the All-Star break. He's being built up to be a starter in the big league rotation. The Reds acquired Dunn as part of a trade that sent Eugenio Suárez and Jesse Winker to the Mariners. -- Mark Sheldon (Last updated: June 28)
RHP Lucas Sims (lower back spasms)
Expected return: TBD
The Reds moved Sims to the 60-day IL prior to the team's June 17 game against Milwaukee.
Sims was delayed at camp by offseason back issues and was forced to begin the season on the IL. Those issues returned after back-to-back scoreless appearances, and he went back on the IL on May 12.
“No one real setback or new injury or anything like that, it’s just taking longer for him to recover,” manager David Bell said. “It’s taken definitely longer than he wants it to. By the time he comes back to pitch with us, it’s going to be beyond the 60 days.” -- Will Aldrich (Last updated: June 17)
RHP Tejay Antone (Tommy John surgery)
Expected return: 2023
Antone, who has spent the season rehabilitating at the team’s complex in Goodyear, Ariz., was with the club during its three-game series vs. the D-Backs in Phoenix. He has been making steady progress, and has been throwing at distances of up to 135 feet.
“It’s been going good. I am really feeling good,” Antone said. “Mechanically, I feel as good as I was last season. I still have a lot of fatigue and stuff like that I have to build up through. In terms of how I feel and how my body is moving, I feel phenomenal.”
Antone expected to be throwing from a mound in bullpen sessions by the end of August.
“I should be facing some hitters by the end of September," he said. "It sounds like they’re going to let me face some hitters, and then shut me down and let me get ready for the season.”
Antone had Tommy John surgery performed on his right elbow on Aug. 27, 2021, by team medical director Dr. Tim Kremchek in Cincinnati. It was Antone’s second such surgery on the elbow after he also had one as a Minor Leaguer in 2017. -- Mark Sheldon (Last updated: June 15)
OF Jake Fraley (right knee inflammation, left great toe bone bruise)
Expected return: TBD
Fraley was transferred to the 60-day IL on June 13. He was dealing with a bone bruise on his left great toe, which halted his rehab assignment at Triple-A Louisville on May 29. After he saw a foot specialist, Fraley was placed in a walking boot that he will need to wear for a couple of weeks. -- Mark Sheldon (Last updated: June 13)
LHP Justin Wilson (Tommy John surgery)
Expected return: 2023
Wilson underwent successful Tommy John surgery on June 3 after seeking a second opinion for his sore left elbow. He felt pain during his last appearance on April 23 vs. the Cardinals. -- Mark Sheldon (Last updated: June 3)
RHP Connor Overton (Stress reaction in lower back)
Expected return: Second half
Overton was scratched from his May 22 series finale start against the Blue Jays after complaining about back soreness the previous day. An MRI exam revealed a bone bruise caused by a stress reaction in his lower back. The right-hander was shut down from throwing for at least 6-8 weeks. -- Mark Sheldon (Last updated: May 23)
RHP Daniel Duarte (right elbow swelling)
Expected return: TBD
The Reds announced on April 23 that Duarte had been transferred from the 10-day to the 60-day injured list. Duarte had been called up from Triple-A Louisville on April 16, pitching an inning against the Dodgers and allowing one run, then went on the IL the next day. -- Luca Evans (Last updated: April 23)