With Bailey's imminent return, Reds option Iglesias

CHICAGO -- With Homer Bailey ready to take his place in the rotation, the Reds optioned Raisel Iglesias to Triple-A Louisville -- one of multiple transactions the club made on Monday. It included adding catching depth with All-Star Devin Mesoraco dealing with left hip discomfort.

Bailey is expected to start on Saturday at St. Louis after he worked in a rehab assignment game for Louisville on Sunday. Iglesias, who made his Major League debut vs. the Cardinals on Sunday with a 5 2/3-inning no-decision in Cincinnati's 7-5 loss in 11 innings, will continue work as a starter in the Minors.

"We kind of knew this going in barring any unforeseen circumstances that whoever won the No. 5 spot out of Spring Training was probably going to hold it for one game -- if Homer's rehab continued to progress as it anticipated, and it has," manager Bryan Price said.

Bailey allowed four runs (three earned) and five hits over 5 2/3 innings while throwing 91 pitches vs. Toledo.

"At times, I was pretty sharp. Other times, I wasn't," Bailey said Monday. "You're still out there kind of feeling around for things to grab or pinch or whatever. Once we kind of turned loose of things, it was a little better."

Until Bailey's turn to start, the Reds added bullpen help in Josh Smith, who was called up from Louisville and added to the 40-man roster. There was no thought to putting Iglesias in the bullpen because he would not be available to pitch for a few days after his start.

Smith, 27, was a 21st-round pick by the Reds in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft, but was not in big league camp this spring. He had yet to pitch for Louisville this season, but was 10-7 with a 4.70 ERA in 28 games, including 24 starts last season.

"It's nice to have a true length guy in our bullpen with Josh Smith, also a guy we felt like deserved it through his performance in years past," Price said.

Rules dictated that a player on the 40-man roster could not be called up from the Minors until Wednesday, which played in the decision to summon Smith. It also was behind the choice of calling up catcher Kyle Skipworth from Double-A Pensacola instead of Tucker Barnhart from Louisville.

Skipworth had his contract selected from Double-A Pensacola and Smith had his contract selected from Louisville. Additional moves are pending to make room on the 40-man roster for Skipworth and Smith.

Mesoraco remained in Cincinnati on Sunday night to have an MRI on his hip. It was not an issue until Sunday.

"As we speak, he really is day today," Price said. "He's not going on the DL and we do anticipate him being back playing soon."

A non-roster invite to big league camp at Spring Training, Skipworth played 19 games for the Reds and batted .240 with one home run. The 25-year-old was a 2008 first-round Draft pick of the Marlins and played four big league games for them in 2013. To make room on the 25-man roster for Skipworth, infielder Chris Dominguez was optioned to Louisville after he was 0-for-3 in three pinch-hit appearances.

Space was created on the 40-man roster when right-handed pitcher Daniel Corcino and lefty reliever Ryan Dennick were designated for assignment.