Reds notes: Peraza steps aside for Gennett

Second baseman Jose Peraza was not in the lineup for Saturday’s second game of the Reds’ four-game series with Washington. He wasn’t ill or injured, manager Bryan Price said.

“He’s fine,” Price said. “I’ve just got to find some ways to get Scooter (Gennett) in there.”

Gennett, the left-handed hitting Lebanon, Ohio, native claimed off waivers from Milwaukee on March 28, already has set a single-season career-high with 15 home runs, and his 47 runs batted in are the most by any National League player with as few as 209 at bats. He hit .389 with three doubles, six home runs and 10 RBIs over his last 15 appearances before the All-Star break, and that was after his historic four-homer, 10-RBI game against St. Louis on June 6.

Gennett finished the “first half” of the season batting .311.

Peraza hadn’t exactly played his way out of the lineup. He had at least one hit in six of his last seven appearances before the All-Star Game, hitting .296 over that span to raise his overall average to .254. He ranks second on the Reds with 15 stolen bases.

Slight adjustment: The bullpen session catcher Devin Mesoraco was supposed to participate in before Saturday's game turned into being allowed to warm up pitchers during the game as he continues to test the strained left shoulder that sent him to the 10-day disabled list on July 3.

“We didn’t have anybody throwing a bullpen, but this is actually better,” Price said. “This will give us a better opportunity to see how he’s doing. We should know by the end of this series whether he needs a rehab assignment or will be ready to be activated.”

Teams have to get permission for players on the disabled list to be in the dugout or bullpen.

“That doesn’t mean he can run out on the field during a brawl and sucker punch somebody,” Price joked.

Homer's payback: Homer Bailey is hoping for a better outcome on Sunday in his second start of the season against the Nationals. It can't get much worse than the first.

Bailey (2-2) completed his comeback from a February arthroscopic surgical procedure by making his 2017 debut on June 24 at Washington and was rocked for six hits and eight runs in 1 2/3 innings of what eventually turned into an 18-3 Cincinnati loss. His earned-run average was 43.20 after the outing.

Bailey has gotten back on track since then. In his most recent two starts, he’s gone 2-0 with a 1.42 ERA, allowing just two earned runs over a combined 12 2/3 innings, but the Nationals have plagued him throughout his career. He’s gone 1-4 with a 6.75 ERA in five career starts against Washington.

Right-hander Tanner Roark (6-6) is the Nationals’ scheduled starter for Sunday’s 1:10 p.m. game. Roark was the losing pitcher in Cincinnati’s 6-2 win on June 25 at Washington.

Family affair: When Washington pitcher Austin Adams makes his major league debut, he expects to have plenty of support. The right-hander, called up from Triple-A Syracuse on Friday, said his mother, Penny, is from Middletown.

“She’s a Middie, so if you hear a bunch of screaming, you’ll know why,” Adams said.

About the Author