Press Clippings March 27, 2017

THIS DAY IN REDS HISTORY 1993-The Reds trade Chris Hammond to the Marlins for Hector Carrasco and Gary Scott

MLB.COM Mesoraco not expected to be on Opening Day roster Club waiting for to build up workload so he can play back-to-back games By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | @m_sheldon | March 26th, 2017 + 93 COMMENTS

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Working his way back from left shoulder and right hip surgeries last year, Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco has been free of setbacks or issues throughout . The only thing Mesoraco is lacking, really, is time.

Mesoraco isn't expected to be on the Opening Day roster after camp breaks because he hasn't built up enough of a catching workload yet.

"I'd just say it's unlikely," Reds manager Bryan Price said on Sunday. "We can't rehabilitate him [in the Majors]. We tried to have scheduled off-days for him last year. For me, we're better served with him being 100 percent and saying if he needs to catch three days in a row, he catches three days in a row. If we say we want him to go every other day, you can't do that.

"Let's say every other day he catches one day and [Tucker] Barnhart takes a foul tip off his thumb and needs a couple of days. Devin's got to be the guy that plays. It's unfair to him for us to activate him before he's ready to handle the workload."

Mesoraco, 28, has been limited to 39 games over the last two seasons -- including 18 behind the plate. His left hip underwent an operation in 2015. All three surgical procedures he had involved repairing the labrum.

"Honestly, nobody has discussed anything with me," Mesoraco said. "But I don't think it's an extended, super-long period of time. Today, I'm supposed to play six or seven innings. I know they want me to go back-to-back [games]. I don't feel, physically, that would be an issue. I just have to get out there and do it."

Before Mesoraco is deemed ready, Price would like to see him catch nine innings on back-to-back days.

"With Devin, it's a process of getting him back to full in-season shape," Price said. "I'm not implying that he came here out of shape. He's just not built up to take on the workload."

Mesoraco, who is making $20.45 million over the final two years of his four-year contract, was expected to split time evenly with Barnhart in the early part of the season.

With the introduction of the 10-day disabled list this season, it's possible that Mesoraco won't miss too much time once he's ready. But roster constraints create a tough decision about whom the Reds select as Barnhart's backup in the interim.

Stuart Turner is a Rule 5 selection who could be subject to returning to the Twins if he's not on Cincinnati's 25-man roster all season. Rob Brantly is a non-roster invitee.

"I'd be happy with either one of those guys," Price said. "I think they're both big league guys and I think they both can help our team. The challenge is, we could lose them both. If Turner doesn't make the club and we take Brantly, he's out of options. When Devin comes back, we risk losing [Brantly] on a claim."

Mesoraco has felt more explosive moving behind the plate after the hip surgeries. His shoulder has not affected him when trying to .

"The shoulder has gotten much better here the last couple of weeks," he said. "At this point, I don't even have to think about it. It feels really good. I'm happy with everything that we're doing. I'm trying to keep the ball rolling."

Mark Sheldon has covered the Reds for MLB.com since 2006, and previously covered the Twins from 2001-05. Follow him on Twitter @m_sheldon and Facebook and listen to his podcast. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League or its clubs.

Winker homers, Reds can't keep Cubs in park By Carrie Muskat / MLB.com | @CarrieMuskat | March 26th, 2017 + 20 COMMENTS

LAS VEGAS -- Anthony Rizzo hit a home on the first pitch he saw and Albert Almora Jr. smacked a pair of homers and an RBI to finish with five RBIs and power the Cubs to a 22-4 victory on Sunday over the Reds in a split-squad game for both teams at Cashman Field.

Cubs prospect Bijan Rademacher added a in an eight-run sixth, and Victor Caratini drove in three runs for the game. Charcer Burks hit Chicago's fifth homer of the game, a three-run shot in the eighth, and Yasiel Balaguert capped the Cubs' scoring with a two-run double in the ninth.

The Cubs sent 11 batters to the plate in the first against Tim Adleman. Rizzo, who lobbied to lead off to get more at-bats, justified the switch and launched the first pitch from Adleman over the right-field wall for his third spring homer. Kris Bryant doubled to right, Kyle Schwarber walked and Almora followed with a three-run homer for a 4-0 lead.

One out later, Chesny Young and Caratini hit back-to-back doubles to put the Cubs ahead, 5-0. Eddie Butler added an RBI single.

Adleman, who is in contention for either the Reds' rotation or the , settled down and did not give up another hit over the next 2 1/3 innings.

Jesse Winker led off the Reds' second with a , one of seven hits off Butler, who will likely open the season at -A Iowa. Winker also doubled to lead off the fourth and reached third on a groundout. Winker tried to score on Phillip Ervin's fly ball to right, but third-base umpire Dana DeMuth ruled Winker left third base early.

Chicago added three more runs in the fourth against Nick Routt on an RBI double by Almora, an RBI single by Tommy La Stella and an RBI double by Caratini.

For Butler, this may have been his last chance to impress the Cubs.

"I've been able to throw a lot of strikes and let the guys play behind me and they've been putting up runs every time I'm out there," said the right-hander, who threw his more on Sunday to work on it.

The Reds' Joey Votto did get two singles off Butler, who wasn't surprised.

"He's a tough out," Butler said of the Reds' first baseman. "He has one of the best two-strike approaches. He shortens down, gets on top of the plate and he's just battling. Today, he flicked a couple balls to left field and got a couple knocks off me."

Butler is projected to open the season at Triple-A Iowa.

"I understand there's business behind it," Butler said. "I'm trying to make that decision as hard as I can. If I end up down there, I'll do everything I can to be back up as quick as possible. I'll go out and dominate as much as I can and show them I should've made the team out of spring."

Schwarber was lifted for a pinch-runner in the first. He had played Friday and Saturday and just wanted one at-bat on Sunday. This spring, he's played back-to-back games and gotten the third off as he comes back from knee surgery last April.

Reds Up Next: Following two days of split-squad games, the Reds will be one bunch again Monday when facing the Giants at 4:05 p.m. ET in Scottsdale, Ariz. Cody Reed will get his last opportunity to make a bid for the rotation. The left-handed Reed has a 3.24 ERA through his five games, including three starts.

Cubs Up Next: Opening Day starter Jon Lester will have his final tuneup on Monday when the Cubs face the Indians in a night game in Goodyear, Ariz. First pitch is scheduled for 8:10 p.m. CT. This will be Lester's third Cactus League start -- he's made two starts in Minor League games, as well. Lester faced the Tribe three times in the 2016 , including three innings in relief in Game 7.

Watch every out-of-market regular-season game live on MLB.TV.

Carrie Muskat has covered the Cubs since 1987, and for MLB.com since 2001. She writes a blog, Muskat Ramblings. You can follow her on Twitter @CarrieMuskat and listen to her podcast. This story was not subject to the approval of or its clubs.

Peraza stays hot in loss to Mariners By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | @m_sheldon | March 26th, 2017 + 4 COMMENTS

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Scoring twice in the top of the eighth inning, the Mariners emerged with a 7-6 victory over the Reds on Sunday at Goodyear Ballpark.

It was a 5-5 game in the eighth when Reds Minor League camp pitcher Lucas Benenati began the inning by allowing back-to-back hits that led to Carlos Ruiz's sacrifice fly for the go-ahead run. Ian Miller chipped in a RBI single to add a second run.

Chad Wallach got the Reds close with a home run in the ninth inning.

Back from his time pitching for the gold-medal winning Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, Mariners lefty Drew Smyly made his first Cactus League start and worked four innings. Smyly allowed five earned runs on six hits -- including three home runs -- with four walks and one .

"I couldn't throw two pitches in the same spot the whole day," said Smyly. "It was frustrating. But games like that are probably good in Spring Training. It helps you bear down and compete in those long innings when you need to pitch. I had to do that today it seemed like every inning. Not how I wanted it to be, but I learned some things and will go on to the next one."

The Reds' first batter, Jose Peraza, led off with a homer to left field against Smyly, with Desmond Jennings beginning the bottom of the second with a homer to left-center field. Two batters later, Reds pitcher slugged a first pitch from Smyly for a long homer to left field.

Davis, who is trying to earn a rotation spot in the big leagues for Cincinnati, had a mixed day on the mound. The right-hander had seven in 4 2/3 innings but gave up five runs (three earned) with six hits and one walk. The outing raised his spring ERA from 3.27 to 4.02 after five games.

"I feel like I've gone out and competed every time," Davis said. "That's been a huge emphasis of mine, to enjoy it, to compete and I feel like I've set myself up in the best position possible. Today, it was just one of those days where you have to fight. You've got to battle through it."

Seattle took a 2-1 lead in the second inning when Taylor Motter hit a first-pitch, two-run homer to left-center field -- part of his 2- for-4 game. It was Motter's second home run in the past two days and third of the spring. Davis endured two-out trouble when three runs in the fourth inning with Ruiz hitting a double, followed by two blooped RBI singles by Ben Gamel and Tyler Smith and Guilleromo Heredia reaching on third baseman Hernan Iribanrren's throwing error that plated another run.

Reds bench candidate Ryan Raburn exited the game after four innings with a left hip contusion. Raburn, who started at first base, was hurt diving back to the bag on a pickoff when he was a base runner in the third inning.

Mariners Up Next: Yovani Gallardo starts Monday against the Padres in Peoria in a 1:10 p.m. PT game that will be broadcast live on MLB Network. Closer Edwin Diaz is expected to make his second straight appearance and James Pazos, a rookie lefty competing for a roster spot, will also be among the scheduled relievers.

Reds Up Next: Following two days of split-squad games, the Reds will be one bunch again when facing the Giants at 4:05 p.m. ET in Scottsdale. Cody Reed will get his last opportunity to make a bid for the rotation. The left-handed Reed has a 3.24 ERA through his five games, including three starts.

Watch every out-of-market regular-season game live on MLB.TV.

Mark Sheldon has covered the Reds for MLB.com since 2006, and previously covered the Twins from 2001-05. Follow him on Twitter @m_sheldon and Facebook and listen to his podcast. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Impressive Luetge could be a part of bullpen By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | @m_sheldon | March 26th, 2017 + 0 COMMENTS

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The Reds have yet to reveal whether they will have a seven-man or eight-man bullpen when they break camp. This much seems clear: they will likely carry a second left-hander besides Tony Cingrani to take one of the remaining spots.

That means either Lucas Luetge (pronounced LIT-key) or will make the team.

"I don't see Tony as your prototype left-on-left guy. I would like to have a lefty that has a little bit more of a breaking ball component to his mix," Reds manager Bryan Price said on Sunday. "I think there's a strong possibility that we'll have another left- hander in our pen, yeah."

Peralta, 25, had an 8.59 ERA in 10 games as a September call-up to the Reds last season and a 5.91 ERA in nine spring games. He worked one scoreless inning with two walks vs. the A's on Saturday.

Luetge, 30, was signed to a Minor League contract in November and in camp as a non-roster player. He has a 1.93 ERA in his eight spring games, including two scoreless innings with two walks and two strikeouts vs. Oakland. It was the first time he had to really battle out of a jam during camp.

"You need that in camp to show yourself and the team that when things aren't always there, you can get it going," Luetge said. "You're not going to be riled up or flustered by it."

Luetge spent all of 2016 in Triple-A, save for a four-day call-up to the Angels where he didn't appear. He had a 4.85 ERA in 48 games with Salt Lake but has 111 games of big league experience with the Mariners from 2012-15.

"They told me the scouting reports and info they had on me said I should be a big leaguer," Luetge said. "They want to see why I'm not because they don't understand why I wasn't. That gave me the confidence that they believe in me. I have a history of doing good things in the big leagues and I'm waiting for the opportunity again."

In the big leagues, right-handers are batting .299 vs. Luetge over his career, compared to .209 for left-handers.

"For me, there's certain things that jump off the page," Price said. "One was the natural cut to his fastball, which I thought would be very effective against right-handers. Then his ability to spin the breaking balls, curveball and . Being left-handed and being a reliever, the breaking ball becomes a pretty big part of what you do, especially if I'm going to match up to a left-handed hitter."

Worth noting:

• Reliever Raisel Iglesias, who has a bone bruise in his right elbow from a fall in the shower, long tossed from 90 feet on Saturday and felt no trouble. Price expected Iglesias to get one more outing before camp ended. He hasn't pitched since March 14 but Price was hopeful he wouldn't have to open the season on the DL.

"I'm hoping that the time off doesn't set him back so much that he couldn't be on the Opening Day roster," Price said.

• Pitcher Homer Bailey, recovering from arthroscopic elbow surgery last month, was scheduled to play catch for the first time on Monday.

• and bench candidate Tony Renda was listed as day-to-day after being hit by a pitch on his right wrist Saturday vs. the Cubs in Las Vegas.

Mark Sheldon has covered the Reds for MLB.com since 2006, and previously covered the Twins from 2001-05. Follow him on Twitter @m_sheldon and Facebook and listen to his podcast. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Arroyo inching closer to making team Veteran missed the last two seasons after TJ surgery By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | @m_sheldon | March 26th, 2017 + 7 COMMENTS

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Reds manager Bryan Price wasn't yet ready Sunday to say that veteran pitcher Bronson Arroyo has made the club. To make the starting five, however, Arroyo appears to only need to get through the final days of camp healthy.

Trying to come back from two years out of the big leagues as a non-roster invite, Arroyo is scheduled to pitch in a Minor League game on Tuesday. He will remain in Arizona after camp breaks to pitch in another Minor League game on April 2.

"I think what we have to see, and we've seen it for four innings, we have to see it for those five- and six-inning outings," Price said. "Beyond just the general health, I'm really pleased with how he's pitched and how he's rebounded from pitching.

"The question coming in was the durability and the ability to provide length. I would be very satisfied and optimistic to see as he goes through his next two outings if he's able to satisfy that requirement. I don't have any doubt at this point in time that he's going to be pitching in the big leagues with us."

Arroyo, 40, pitched for the Reds from 2006-13 before enduring Tommy John surgery on his elbow and a shoulder surgery in 2014 with the Diamondbacks. He has a 4.70 ERA through three starts -- including one outing that was shortened when he was struck in the head by a thrown ball.

In his last start on Thursday vs. the White Sox, Arroyo gave up two earned runs and four hits over four innings.

"The thing I want to make sure we check off before he is pitching for our club is that he has done everything that he needs to do to check off every box to make sure that he is confident that he's got the workload to be prepared to pitch back in the big leagues as a ," Price said.

"No one knows what the threshold is. He hasn't pitched for two-and-a-half years, but he's pitched for [15 years] in the big leagues. The most important thing is he knows and he's confident that he's ready to take on a workload. He's such an honest and direct guy, he'll let us know."

Price and general manager Dick Williams still have to discuss the final roster decisions, including Arroyo.

"I'm not going to say anything until we're ready to announce that," Price said.

Mark Sheldon has covered the Reds for MLB.com since 2006, and previously covered the Twins from 2001-05. Follow him on Twitter @m_sheldon and Facebook and listen to his podcast. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

CINCINNATI ENQUIRER Game report: Mariners 7, Reds 6 Zach Buchanan , [email protected] 8:06 p.m. ET March 26, 2017

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Cincinnati Reds RHP Lucas Benenati gave up two runs in the eighth to break a tie, and the Reds fell 7-6 to the on Sunday at Goodyear Ballpark.

Benenati gave up three hits, including a double, to go with a walk and a sacrifice fly to give the Mariners a 7-5 lead. Reds C Chad Wallach clubbed a solo homer to right-center in the bottom of the ninth to make things closer.

THE ARMS

RHP Rookie Davis gave up some hard contact, but also struck out seven in 4 2/3 innings in his final Cactus League start. He allowed five runs, but only three were earned.

An issue with Davis' fingernail prevented him from using his spike curveball, but he was able to use his new slider more often and found success.

"The slider was really good," Davis said. "The curveball, I had it rip on me earlier in the bullpen. I threw two or three of those and it got worse. We saw an opportunity to throw more sliders."

Most of the earned-run damage on Davis came in the second, when he walked 1B Danny Valencia and gave up a homer to SS Taylor Motter with no outs. Davis gave up three more runs in his final 1 2/3 innings, but was hurt by a pair of errors by 3B Hernan Iribarren. But he also benefited from LF Adam Duvall robbing Valencia of a homer at the left-field wall to start the fourth.

Davis finished Cactus League play with a 4.02 ERA.

"I feel like I've gone out and competed every time," Davis said. "That's been a huge emphasis of mine, to enjoy it and compete."

LHP Tony Cingrani and RHPs Blake Wood and combined for 2 1/3 innings of hitless relief.

THE BATS

Four Reds hit home runs, including three in the first two innings. 2B Jose Peraza led off the bottom of the first with a homer to left that bounced back into play and caused brief confusion, and CF Desmond Jennings smacked a homer to center to start the second.

The most impressive shot might have belonged to Davis, though. The burly right-hander ambushed a first-pitch fastball from LHP Drew Smyly and deposited it three-quarters of the way up the outfield grass in left.

THE REST

1B Ryan Raburn left the game before the fifth with a left hip contusion. Raburn was hurt diving back to the bag on a pickoff attempt after drawing a walk in the third. Reds manager Bryan Price said he tentatively has the veteran in the lineup for Monday, however.

UP NEXT

The Reds will visit Scottsdale Stadium for the last time in 2017 when they take on the . LHP Cody Reed will make his final Cactus League start, with Cingrani, Wood and RHPs Barrett Astin and Michael Lorenzen set to appear in relief. LHP Madison Bumgarner will start for the Giants, and RHP is scheduled to pitch as well. The game will be carried on 1360 WSAI AM at 4:05 p.m. Eastern.

Game report: Cubs 22, Reds 4 C. Trent Rosecrans , [email protected] 7:57 p.m. ET March 26, 2017

LAS VEGAS — Reds RHP Tim Adleman started spring training with a shot at the Reds’ rotation and he finished it with an 11.81 ERA, including a six-run first inning in Sunday’s 22-4 loss to the Cubs.

“Not too much in my career in my pro baseball career has come easily," Adleman said Sunday. "The path I've taken is unique and if that trend continues, it's not like I'm going to crawl up in the fetal position and hide somewhere.”

Adleman was once told he wasn’t good enough to make the independent league Florence Freedom, yet made his big-league debut for the Reds last season. Not only did he pitch for the Reds last year, he also started 13 games and went 4-4 with a 4.00.

This spring, Adleman has given up multiple runs in five of his six outings.

“With the exception of the outing against the A's and the first inning today, I feel like I've thrown the ball better than what you would see on paper,” Adleman said. “It is what it is, it's all out of my control at this point, I've just got to get ready for the next opportunity.”

Cubs 1B Anthony Rizzo hit Adleman’s first pitch of the day over the wall in right field, the first of five Cubs home runs on the day. Adleman gave up two homers in the inning and three doubles. After the first time through the order, Adleman allowed just one more baserunner, walking 2B Tommy La Stella in the second.

Adleman left after getting Rizzo to ground out to start the fourth inning.

“The first was a nightmare, I got a couple of balls up. Bad place to pitch, made a couple of good pitches, they got a broken-bat infield single and a bloop to right. It was shaping out to be not a very good day -- and it wasn't a very good day, but I finished on a much higher note.”

THE ARMS

RHP Louis Coleman was the only Reds pitcher to not give up a run. Coleman struck out three and walked one in the fifth inning. Coleman, who appeared in 61 games for the Dodgers last season, has allowed just one run in five innings this spring. He also has six strikeouts and two walks. Coleman and Adleman were the only to appear in Sunday’s game that are in big-league camp. The other three — Nick Routt, Sandy Lugo, Jake Paulson and Wendolyn Bautista were responsible for the other 16 runs.

THE BATS

The Reds had 13 hits but managed just four runs. RF Jesse Winker was 2 for 4 with his second home run of the spring. 3B/2B Arismendy Alcantara was 3 for 5 with two doubles and two RBI. 1B Joey Votto was 2 for 2 with a walk and his replacement, Patrick Kivlehan added a RBI double.

THE REST

During his third-inning at-bat, Votto could be seen talking to a fan in the stands at Cashman Field. A fan in the section told The Enquirer that another fan was yelling for time out during Votto’s at-bat. The fan received words from not just Votto, but also home- plate umpire Dan Bellino.

UP NEXT

Like Voltron, the Reds reunite for a full-squad game in Scottsdale, Ariz., against the Giants. LHP Cody Reed will make his final Cactus League start of the season for the Reds. Reed is scheduled to be followed by RHPs Blake Wood, Barrett Astin and Michael Lorenzen, as well as LHP Tony Cingrani.

Notes: Tony Renda scratched with forearm issue C. Trent Rosecrans , [email protected] 4:38 p.m. ET March 26, 2017

LAS VEGAS -- Reds utility man Tony Renda was scratched from Sunday’s lineup after suffering soreness in his forearm following a diving play in Saturday’s exhibition against the Cubs.

Renda said Sunday morning that he was experiencing a little soreness, but it shouldn’t hurt his ability to play when he returns to Arizona for the final week of Cactus League play. Renda, 26, is in the competition for one of the team’s bench spots.

Renda said he was examined by Reds head athletic trainer Steve Baumann who is in Las Vegas with the team. Renda had been scheduled to start at third base, but Arismendy Alcantara was moved from second to third. Juan Perez started at second base.

In the seventh inning of Saturday’s game, Renda dove for a ball and his glove stuck in the grass and he rolled over it. He waived off trainers are the time and stayed in the game. In the top of the eight, he went to the plate and took a swing that looked awkward that drew the attention — and a visit — of trainers. He stayed in the game to complete the at-bat. After he walked, he was replaced by a pinch-runner.

“I hate coming out of games and competition,” Renda said. “The guy hung a slider and I took a big hack. I guess they aren’t used to seeing me take swings like that.”

Arms needed?

The last week of spring training can be a transactional frenzy, with veterans not able to make big-league rosters opting out of their contracts, being granted their release or being placed on waivers. The Reds have pounced in the past for help – like last year’s waiver claim of Dan Straily – but Reds general manager Dick Williams doesn’t think his team absolutely requires that type of addition.

“We’ll be looking, but we’re pretty happy with the group we have,” Williams said.

The Enquirer's Zach Buchanan contributed to this report.

Raisel Iglesias, Homer Bailey, Austin Brice all returning from elbow troubles Zach Buchanan , [email protected] Published 3:48 p.m. ET March 26, 2017 | Updated 18 hours ago

GOODYEAR, Ariz. – Three Cincinnati Reds right-handers are on their way back from elbow issues. Raisel Iglesias played catch Saturday, reliever Austin Brice was set to do throw a bullpen Sunday and Homer Bailey is scheduled to play catch on Monday for the first time since his bone spur surgery.

Price expects Iglesias to be able to get a bullpen session in before camp ends, since his injury had nothing to do with pitching. (Iglesias said he suffered his bone bruise when he fell in the shower.) The righty has a better chance of breaking with the club than catcher Devin Mesoraco, whom Price has said is unlikely to be ready for Opening Day.

“I’m hoping that the time off doesn’t set him back so much that he couldn’t be on the Opening Day roster,” Price said.

Bailey has been shut down from throwing since the first week of February, when he had his third elbow surgery since 2014. He was expected to be shut down four to six weeks from throwing, and has recently begun a weighted ball program to build up strength. Monday will be his first time throwing a baseball since the surgery, however.

Brice has been dealing with ulnar nerve inflammation for much of the last month. He first felt it at the beginning of March after doing an exercise with a medicine ball, but tried to pitch through it. That didn’t go well.

“I was basically throwing through knives in my elbow trying to get a feel for it,” Brice said. “I had no clue where the ball was going.”

The Reds shut him down for seven days and put him on a 12-day cycle of anti-inflammatories for his elbow. He’s spent the last seven days building back his arm strength in preparation for his Sunday session on a mound.

He’s missed his shot at making the Opening Day roster, and may have to stick back a few days when big-league camp ends before he can join the minor-league season. But he’ll trade the missed opportunity for a healthy elbow.

“It stinks that it basically ate through the heart of spring training for me,” he said. “It’s one of those things where you’ve got to go ahead and risk a week over seven months. It kind of balances out."

Devin Mesoraco 'unlikely' to be ready for Opening Day Zach Buchanan , [email protected] Published 2:09 p.m. ET March 26, 2017 | Updated 18 hours ago

GOODYEAR, Ariz. – Cincinnati Reds manager Bryan Price has hinted at it in the last week, but as spring training winds to a close it’s become more of a reality. Starting catcher Devin Mesoraco, coming off shoulder and hip surgeries last season, is “unlikely” to be ready for Opening Day, Price said.

Mesoraco has suffered no setbacks in his recovery. There just hasn’t been enough time to for the 28-year-old to build up his stamina for a regular workload in the majors.

The Reds were likely to have Mesoraco split time with Tucker Barnhart early on anyway, but want Mesoraco to be able to handle a fuller load if necessary before he joins the team.

“He’ll be an active participant on our club when he’s ready to take on the workload,” Price said. “We can’t rehabilitate him (in the majors). We tried to have scheduled off days for him last year. For me, we’re better served with him being 100 percent and saying if he needs to catch three days in a row, he catches three days in a row.”

None of that comes as a surprise to Mesoraco. After surgeries have limited him to 39 games the last two years, he’s willing to be patient. When he comes back, he wants it to last.

That means slow-playing things as he builds up his durability. Mesoraco has yet to catch a full nine innings in a spring training game, nor has he played on consecutive days. He’s scheduled to catch his first back-to-back games the final two days of spring training, but will not go the distance in either.

“I don’t feel, physically, that would be an issue,” Mesoraco said. “I just have to get out there and do it.”

In fact, Mesoraco feels pretty good. He's still searching for his rhythm at the plate -- he's taken only 14 at-bats in Cactus League play -- but the shoulder that had been slow to respond to rehab exercises is causing him no trouble now.

He didn't feel limited by hip pain last year. (One hip had been surgically repaired the year before, while the other was only proactively fixed after the shoulder knocked him out of the 2016 season.) He did feel fatigued. Not anymore.

"I feel more explosive," he said. "If I have to go down and get a ball, I feel I can get to it quicker. I don’t have to anticipate it as long."

The minimum stay on the disabled list was lowered from 15 days to 10 this year, but Price isn’t willing to project a specific date for Mesoraco’s return. No matter how long the Reds are without him, it does put them in a tough spot choosing backup catcher early in the season.

There are two options. Rob Brantly is a left-handed hitter in camp on a minor-league deal, and Stuart Turner bats righty and was the team’s pick from the . No matter whom they choose, the Reds will risk losing the other.

The path of least resistance would be to keep Turner. He’d have to be offered back to the Twins no matter what – either at the end of spring training if he doesn’t make the club, or whenever Mesoraco comes back if he does. If the Reds kept Brantly instead, they’d have to offer Turner back and then risk losing the out-of-options Brantly on waivers upon Mesoraco’s return.

“You hate to be somewhat naked losing both those guys in a short window of time,” Price said. “I think that certainly plays into the final decision if Devin doesn’t start the season with us.”

WCPO - Channel 9 Remember the Easter night Reds home opener of 1994? Schott to fans: 'Treat this like an exhibition' By Pat LaFleur Posted: 10:33 AM, Apr 5, 2015 Updated: 2 hours ago

CINCINNATI -- Twenty-one years ago almost to the day, if you asked two different people when the Reds' home opener was, you might have gotten two different answers.

On April 3, 1994, the St. Louis Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds opened the major-league baseball season with a controversial night game at Riverfront Stadium, a game even then-owner Marge Schott didn't want to call the "home opener."

It was controversial because it was Easter, because of the weather (a very "unbaseball" 39 degrees), because it was a night game, and, finally, because that meant there'd be no parade.

And everyone knows Reds fans need their parade to kick off the season right.

Mark Tomasik, former sports editor for the Cincinnati Post, wrote this detailed recap of the Easter night home opener, where he argues that because of all these factors, "the game probably shouldn't have been played."

Nevertheless, because this would be ESPN's inaugural season opener television broadcast, he explains, the network promoted the game so much that not playing didn't seem like an option.

In retrospect, the most entertaining part of the story, but also indicative of the very real frustration stakeholders and fans felt at the time, is probably Schott's reaction to the whole thing. Schott, who initially agreed to the night opener, balked after learning the city would not allow the Opening Day parade to be held on Sunday, right before the first home game, as is tradition:

Schott urged fans and her team to treat the opener like an exhibition. She spoke about the importance of the parade that would be held Monday morning. “We’ll have 20 more floats than we’ve ever had before,” she told the Associated Press. “The Air Force is coming in. Oh, and we’re going to have 300 pigeons, so keep your hat on.”

Twenty-one years later, we have another near collision of Easter Sunday and Opening Day. Thankfully, this year, we aren't facing the same problem.

TRANSACTIONS 03/27/17 optioned Blake Swihart to . Boston Red Sox optioned Deven Marrero to Pawtucket Red Sox.

03/26/17 Boston Red Sox optioned Noe Ramirez to Pawtucket Red Sox. signed free agent C Derek Norris to a minor league contract. optioned John Hicks to . Detroit Tigers released RHP Mark Lowe. selected the contract of Mark Reynolds from Albuquerque Isotopes. Colorado Rockies placed RHP Chad Bettis on the 60-day disabled list. testicular cancer LHP Jared Lyons assigned to . RHP Matt Sergey assigned to Oakland Athletics. 2B Vimael Machin assigned to . 1B Matt Rose assigned to Chicago Cubs. OF Connor Myers assigned to Chicago Cubs. RHP Logan Cozart assigned to Colorado Rockies. C Campbell Wear assigned to Colorado Rockies. C Hamlet Marte assigned to Colorado Rockies. OF Trenton Brooks assigned to . C A.J. Kennedy assigned to . OF Jodd Carter assigned to Cleveland Indians. C Aldemar Burgos assigned to San Diego Padres. SS Alexis Pantoja assigned to Cleveland Indians. C Bryant Aragon assigned to San Diego Padres. C Juan De La Cruz assigned to Cleveland Indians. C Logan Ice assigned to Cleveland Indians. C Ryan Miller assigned to San Diego Padres. IF Luis Anguizola assigned to San Diego Padres. C Daniel Gonzalez assigned to . RHP Yordy Cabrera assigned to San Francisco Giants. RHP Omarlin Lopez assigned to Texas Rangers. RF Logan Moon assigned to . 3B Wander Franco assigned to Kansas City Royals. RHP Lenix Osuna assigned to . LHP Christian Stolo assigned to Los Angeles Dodgers. RHP Jack Anderson assigned to Seattle Mariners. OF Monte Harrison assigned to . 2B Javier Betancourt assigned to Milwaukee Brewers. Milwaukee Brewers optioned to Colorado Springs Sky Sox. Minnesota Twins released CF . Cleveland Indians optioned Joseph Colon to . Cleveland Indians optioned Mike Clevinger to Columbus Clippers. Seattle Mariners optioned Chris Heston to . LHP Ross Detwiler elected free agency. Oakland Athletics optioned Jesse Hahn to . RHP Jared Carkuff assigned to . 2B Dale Burdick assigned to . RHP John Brebbia assigned to St. Louis Cardinals. C Collin Yelich assigned to . C David Gauntt assigned to Miami Marlins. LHP Mike Zagurski assigned to Detroit Tigers. OF Josh Almonte assigned to Toronto Blue Jays. RHP Jackson Lowery assigned to Toronto Blue Jays. RHP Adonys Cardona assigned to Toronto Blue Jays. RHP Alfredo Mena assigned to Cincinnati Reds. LHP Hoby Milner assigned to . LHP Austin Davis assigned to Philadelphia Phillies. LHP Sean Keselica assigned to . SS Reed Harper assigned to . Oakland Athletics optioned Bruce Maxwell to Nashville Sounds. SS Kyle Holder assigned to . OF Raul Wallace assigned to Cincinnati Reds. OF T.J. Friedl assigned to Cincinnati Reds. SS Carlos Rivero assigned to Cincinnati Reds. C Tyler Stephenson assigned to Cincinnati Reds. RHP Lucas Benenati assigned to Cincinnati Reds. OF Myles Straw assigned to Houston Astros. C Jamie Ritchie assigned to Houston Astros. 1B Taylor Jones assigned to Houston Astros. SS Osvaldo Duarte assigned to Houston Astros. Tampa Bay Rays placed RHP Kevin Gadea on the 60-day disabled list.