Roster set as Dayton Dragons open season Thursday

TODAY’S SEASON OPENER

Dayton Dragons at Bowling Green Hot Rods, 7:30 p.m., 980

The Dayton Dragons welcomed another familiar face back to the roster Wednesday as the parent Cincinnati Reds made a move to reach the 25-man Midwest League limit.

With catcher Jose Duarte going on the disabled list and pitcher Jesus Reyes being moved back to rookie-level Billings (Mont.), former Dragons pitcher Mike Sullivan was summoned back from high-A Daytona..

“I’m not mad about the move at all,” Sullivan said Wednesday during media day at Fifth Third Field. “I had a good spring and I hope it will carry over. Everything will fall into place eventually, but I anticipated this happening.”

Sullivan was 2-0 with the Dragons in 2015 with a 2.89 ERA in 18 games with one save.

The move back to Dayton for Sullivan gives the Dragons eight players who spent time on the roster in 2015, and Sullivan sees it as a chance to help the new players adjust.

“You always want to set a good example,” Sullivan said. “You want to show them how we do things here and how to work hard. Dayton is a great place to play. They have great fans. There is a lot of noise, but you can’t let it get in your head and just play and I think they will adapt quick to that.”

Rainey ready: Right-hander Tanner Rainey is ready to take the ball tonight in the season opener at Bowling Green.

The 6-foot-2 West Alabama grad was 2-2 with a 4.27 ERA in 15 starts at Billings in 2015.

“I’m ready to get back at it,” Rainey said.

Rainey, ranked the Reds’ 17th overall prospect by Baseball America, was a power-hitting first baseman and closer in college. He said it took some time to adjust to not hitting.

“But I found a routine and it is working well,” Rainey said. “I tried not to take anything from the box to the mound before and I am going to leave it that way. But, absolutely miss hitting.”

In addition to sporting a 97-mph fastball, Rainey was a terror at the plate in college, clubbing a single-season school record 19 home runs.

Rotation set: Ty Boyles will see a couple of innings in the opener following Rainey.

Left-hander Jacob Constante will throw the second game at Bowling Green on Friday before Jose Lopez takes the hill in the home opener Saturday.

Franderlyn Romero is scheduled to pitch Sunday against Bowling Green. Boyles rounds out the rotation, getting his first start Monday at Lansing.