“We knew for sure we wanted to give Lamb extra time,” Price said. “He’ll play catch (Wednesday). We’ll get some results from his game of catch. We do have the freedom now to move him down in the rotation and have another day of catch and have him throw a bullpen and ensure the fact he’ll be ready to go in Cleveland. It builds in an extra day for most of our pitchers.”
Bailey update: Homer Bailey got his a second opinion on his sore elbow, and it was consistent with the diagnosis he got from from Dr. Timothy Kremchek, the Reds' medical director. Price said there is no timetable for Bailey to begin a second rehab assignment.
“We have to make sure all the inflammation is out before we add any aggression to his throwing program,” Price said.
First rest: Reds first baseman Joey Votto played in 156 games last season. He started the first 33 this season, the only Red to do so. Price gave Votto his first day off Wednesday.
“I anticipated him taking a day off before the off day to get him back-to-back days off to really get him recovery time and rest,” Price said. “With the rainout, it’ll give us a chance to have him miss only one game and get three days of rest. It couldn’t have worked out any better.”
Votto played in all but five of the 290 innings the Reds were on the field in the first 33 games. He’s hitting .234 but had hits in seven of the first nine games in May and RBIs in the last four games before Wednesday.
“You can’t out-work this guy,” Price said. “He’s put in an unbelievable amount of time with (hitting coaches) Don (Long) and Tony (Jaramillo). We know the history of what Joey does. It was inevitable it would come back around.”
All equal: Entering the series finale against the Pirates, Reds pitchers had hit 39 Pittsburgh batters in the last four seasons, and the Pirates had hit 39 Reds. In the last four years, Pirates and Reds pitchers rank first and second in hit batters (246 and 210, respectively).
Next game: The Reds get their first off day in two weeks Thursday. Brandon Finnegan (1-1, 4.15 ERA) starts Friday night in Philadelphia against Jeremy Hellickson (2-2, 4.91).
The Phillies are 19-11 since getting swept in three games by the Reds in the first series of the season.
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