Reds supervisor David Bell advised reporters, together with Mark Sheldon of MLB.com, that catcher Tyler Stephenson has a fractured proper thumb and can miss 4-6 weeks.
Stephenson was faraway from right this moment’s recreation after taking a foul ball off his throwing hand and evidently testing has now resulted on this analysis that can maintain him sidelined for over a month. It’s one more irritating damage for a Reds group that has been notably unlucky within the well being division this 12 months. The membership at the moment has 14 gamers on their injured checklist, with Stephenson certainly to make it 15 within the subsequent 24 hours or so. Even amongst gamers not at the moment on the IL, lots of them missed prolonged durations of time earlier within the 12 months, contributing to the membership’s disappointing 20-37 report on the season up to now.
The lack of Stephenson, 25, shall be notably deflating to the group as he’s been one of many few optimistic tales on this otherwise-frustrating season. After a robust exhibiting in his first 140 MLB video games over 2020-2021, the Reds felt adequate about his capacity to take over because the common catcher that they traded Tucker Barnhart to the Tigers as quickly because the offseason started, actually the day after the World Collection ended. Stephenson has justified the membership’s religion in him by placing up a slash line of .305/.361/.468. That manufacturing quantities to a wRC+ of 128, or 28% higher than the league common hitter. Since catchers usually hit slightly bit lower than the opposite gamers within the lineup, that manufacturing is particularly priceless. Amongst backstops with no less than 150 plate appearances this 12 months, solely Willson Contreras and Alejandro Kirk have been higher with the bat this 12 months.
Subtracting that stage of manufacturing would damage any group however will particularly sting the Reds. The group’s total batting line was .236/.308/.380 coming into right this moment, amounting to a wRC+ of 90 that locations them forward of simply 4 groups within the league. With out their star catcher, the lineup will possible drop down by one other couple of pegs.
Aramis Garcia has been the first backup in Cincy this 12 months, entering into 25 video games however hitting simply .169/.194/.231 for a wRC+ of 13. His profession line is a bit higher however nonetheless quantities to only a 57 wRC+. The one different catcher on the 40-man roster is Mark Kolozsvary, who made his MLB debut this 12 months however didn’t impress in a small pattern of simply six video games. If the membership have been to contemplate choices not on the 40-man roster, they’ve veteran Sandy Leon within the group on a minor league deal. He’s solely hitting .193/.309/.281, 66 wRC+ in Triple-A this 12 months, however that’s in a small pattern of simply 20 video games. Even when he wouldn’t present a ton with the bat, he’d no less than deliver 10 years of MLB expertise to the membership. After all, if the Reds aren’t happy with that group, they may look exterior the group for an addition of some sort.
