Jumbo Diaz gets another chance with Cincinnati Reds bullpen

TODAY’S GAME

Cubs at Reds, 7 p.m., FS Ohio, 700, 1410

Jumbo Diaz returned to the Cincinnati Reds clubhouse Monday wearing a T-shirt with the words “Dad Bod” in giant letters on the front.

Diaz may be proud of his 6-foot-4, 280-pound frame, but he and the Reds hope he can improve his other numbers, the ones he has posted in the big leagues this season. He’ll get a third chance to do that because the Reds recalled Diaz from Triple-A Louisville before the start of a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs.

Diaz has a 6.30 ERA in 11 appearances and 10 innings with the Reds. The pitcher has twice been demoted to Triple-A, where he has posted a 0.75 ERA in 22 games and 24 innings.

“He’s got to come out and perform,” manager Bryan Price said. “He’s pitched a lot in Triple-A and been very good and he’s had some nice stretches at the big-league level, but this is markedly better than Triple-A. You have to be good each at-bat, each pitch. Bridging that gap is challenging for anybody. I’d love to see him pitch in similar fashion to Triple-A, but who wouldn’t. Those are really good numbers.”

Reds pitchers rank last in baseball with a 5.35 ERA, mostly because of the bullpen’s 6.13 mark. That would rank as the 10th-worst bullpen ERA since 1913 if it doesn’t improve. Only one bullpen in the last 60 years, the 2007 Tampa Bay Rays (6.16), has recorded an ERA worse than 6.00.

The bullpen got some help with the return of Michael Lorenzen and Raisel Iglesias from the disabled list. The Reds might soon see the return of Caleb Cotham, who has been on the disabled list since May 31 with shoulder inflammation. Cotham threw 20 pitches off the mound Monday and hopes to start a rehab assignment later this week.

“I felt pretty good,” Cotham said. “It’s always different seeing hitters. It’s been about a month.”

Cotham has a 7.40 ERA in 23 games. His shoulder trouble was attributed to being used so often in the first two months of the season.

“The DL’s no fun,” Cotham said. “You don’t even feel like a baseball player. It’s fun to toe the rubber and throw to hitters. I’m looking forward to getting into games because I like to pitch.”