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Home , Adam Duvall, Amir Garrett, Blake Wood, Brandon Finnegan, Bryan Price, Bryan Price (pitcher)

Press Clippings May 18, 2017 THIS DAY IN REDS HISTORY 1912-The official dedication of Redland Field, later known as , is held MLB.COM Reds bring back Garrett for finale vs. Lester, Cubs By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | 6:13 AM ET + 4 COMMENTS

It may seem odd, but the Reds' most consistent starter this season -- rookie -- will return from a brief demotion to Triple-A to face the Cubs and ace in Thursday's series finale at .

Because of two off-days within five days -- which temporarily eliminated the need for five starters -- and the organization's desire to limit Garrett's , the Reds sent him to Louisville following his May 6 start vs. the Giants. Garrett had quality starts in five of his six outings (36 innings), with 22 hits, 14 walks, 28 and a 4.25 ERA.

"Really, you don't even have to make an argument that he was our best when he left here," said. "He gave us a chance to win five out of six times."

While he was away, Garrett threw two bullpen sessions and made one two- start, and struck out all six batters he faced.

Lester is coming off one of his better starts of the season, having tied a season high with nine strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings against the Cardinals on Saturday. But he took a 5-3 loss, with four runs (three earned) on six hits and four walks.

In his previous start vs. the Reds this season, on April 21 at , Lester allowed five earned runs and nine hits over 5 2/3 innings. He is 3-1 with a 3.72 ERA lifetime vs. Cincinnati in 10 starts.

Lester has a 1.44 ERA in four home starts this season, compared with a 5.73 ERA in his four road starts.

Three things to know about this game

• The Reds are 9-1 when they do not allow a homer, second best in the Majors. The Rockies are first, at 13-0.

• Lester throws his only about 9 percent of the time, but he has gotten 18.4 percent of his strikeouts with the pitch this season, up from 6.6 percent in 2016. That would be his highest rate since at least 2008.

• The Cubs will commemorate the 70th anniversary of playing his first game at Wrigley Field. That game, on May 18, 1947, drew a paid crowd of 46,572, which remains the largest paid regular-season crowd in ballpark history. Robinson's granddaughter, Meta Robinson, will help raise a new flag honoring his legacy on the right-field foul pole. The team had previously flown a "JR 42" flag on Wrigley Field's rooftop following the retirement of Robinson's No. 42 by Major League in 1997.

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 or its clubs.

Reds' late surge vs. Cubs can't stop skid By Carrie Muskat and Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | 2:08 AM ET + 58 COMMENTS

CHICAGO -- On Wednesday night, the Cubs didn't need to take advantage of the hitter-friendly 24-mph south wind at Wrigley Field. and each two-run singles to spark a five-run second inning and lift the Cubs to a 7-5 victory over the Reds, who lost their fifth straight, although not without a fight.

"No home runs, even though the wind was blowing out that hard, but we were able to push a lot of runs right there and it was good," Schwarber said.

Kyle Hendricks finally won at home, doing so in his fifth start at Wrigley. The right-hander, who won nine of his 15 starts at home last season, scattered six hits over six innings. He helped himself with a perfectly executed squeeze bunt in the third to drive in Ben Zobrist, who had doubled and moved up on a fielding error by .

"[Hendricks] knew that he was right tonight, and that's a great game to build off of," Cubs manager said. "The wind was blowing out a gale, and pitching as well as he did, there's a lot of confidence to be derived from that."

Reds starter Scott Feldman, making his first career start against his former team, exited after throwing 80 pitches over 2 2/3 innings. The right-hander was coming off two quality starts, including a . This is the fifth time in nine games he could not go past five innings.

Abbreviated outings aren't helping the Reds, whose rotation ranks last in the in and ERA. In the last five games, Reds starters have served up 20 runs over 23 2/3 innings.

"I just didn't execute on pitches today," Feldman said. "When you're facing any lineup, but especially a lineup with some pretty good hitters like the Cubs have, you have to be able to hit your spots and make pitches. I just didn't do that today. I dug us in a hole, and the guys battled back and made a game of it. It was not an ideal way to start the game out."

Despite getting a three-run seventh inning to close the gap amid stellar bullpen work, the Reds are mired in a season-high five-game losing streak, their first such losing streak since dropping five in a row last Sept. 4-8.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Speed racer: After Reds speedster Billy Hamilton singled to lead off the game, the Cubs thought they had him in a rundown between first and second, but Hamilton was too quick and deftly slid under the tag by Rizzo. Hamilton then stole second and scored on 's single. Hendricks did get Hamilton in the second, striking him out to end the inning and strand two runners.

"You have to try to keep [Hamilton] off the bases as much as you can," Hendricks said. "When he gets on there, he'll steal second, steal third at the drop of the hat. You have to pay attention over there."

Second-inning spurt: The Cubs sent 10 batters to the plate in the second. Rookie Ian Happ walked to open the inning, and he reached third on Zobrist's single before scoring on a fielder's choice by Addison Russell. walked, and one out later, Jon Jay was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Schwarber, who lined a single down the right-field line, driving in two. walked to load the bases again, and Rizzo drove in two more runs with a hard-hit single to right for a 5-1 lead.

QUOTABLE

"[The bullpen] really was spectacular and [gave] us a chance to get back in that ballgame. But not enough. We've been down in these games; these last three games that we've lost, we've been down early. You can't ask the guys to continue to bounce back and pull yourself out of four- or five- or six-run holes. That's just not the way you're going to win games." -- Reds manager Bryan Price, after his bullpen gave up one hit over 5 1/3 scoreless innings following Feldman's departure

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS

Cozart led off the Reds' third with his fourth ; he is the first visiting player to homer in five consecutive games at Wrigley Field since Carlos Beltran did so in 2004.

Duvall's RBI single with two outs in the Reds' seventh ended Cubs reliever Mike Montgomery's streak of scoreless innings at 18. Cincinnati added two runs that inning on Eugenio Suarez's .Duvall's RBI single

Duvall's RBI single

Adam Duvall plates Zack Cozart and moves into scoring position with a line-drive single to left field

UNDER REVIEW

With two outs in the Reds ninth, Russell grabbed a Votto grounder on the grass. Votto was called out after Rizzo had to do a split to catch Russell's throw, but the Cubs challenged the ruling. Following a review, the call was overturned, and the game was over.

"We should have a definitive shot of how they could overturn that, and we don't," Price said. "At this point in time, all we have is a call into the league, and they will or will not come up with a shot that's going to convince us they made the right decision. Right now, in the moment. Maybe they will, maybe they do. Maybe they have it. I'd sleep better if I knew they had a definitive shot of that."

Maddon said it was "awkward" to end the game with a call being reviewed.

"I thought there was one angle that they showed on the board that indicated [Rizzo] was on the bag," Maddon said. "The others were not so encouraging. I've learned already from calls that have gone against us that they have a different look in New York and see it in an even more high-def situation and blow it up. Fortunately, it went our way." More >

A BIT OF THE BIZARRE

The biggest drama in the game involved Bryant's broken bat, which got stuck in the netting behind home plate above the Cubs' on- deck circle after his at-bat in the first inning. The bat wouldn't budge when security tried to shake it loose and even threw a ball at it. After the second inning, four staffers used a 20-foot ladder to reach the bat and dislodge it.

"It scared me when they took it down," Montero said. "Everybody's down there holding the ladder, and they threw [the bat] out. What if the bat poked [one of the men] in the face or the eyes or something like that? That scared me the most."

WHAT'S NEXT

Reds: Lefty Amir Garrett will be recalled from Triple-A Louisville to start Thursday's 2:20 p.m. ET series finale at Wrigley Field. Garrett, who went 3-2 with a 4.25 ERA with five quality starts in six games in the Majors, was sent down to limit his innings. In one two-inning start at Louisville on Friday, he struck out all six batters he faced.

Cubs: Lefty Jon Lester will close the series against the Reds on Thursday. In his previous start, against the Cardinals, he tied a season high with nine strikeouts but took the loss. He has a 1.44 ERA in four home starts, compared with a 5.73 ERA in four road starts. First pitch is scheduled for 1:20 p.m. CT from Wrigley Field.

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.

Mark Sheldon has covered the Reds for MLB.com since 2006, and previously covered the Twins from 2001-05. Read his blog, Mark My Word, 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.

Cozart thrives at the Friendly Confines By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | @m_sheldon | 1:22 AM ET + 3 COMMENTS

CHICAGO -- As spring warms into summer, the non-waiver Trade Deadline gossip will pick up steam and Major League scouts could be jotting notes. Perhaps some will be making calls to front offices about Reds shortstop Zack Cozart.

Cozart seems to do some of his best work at Wrigley Field, and that was no exception during his 3-for-5 game in a 7-5 loss to the Cubs on Wednesday. He hit a home run in his fifth consecutive game at the Friendly Confines, something accomplished only eight times by seven players. The last to do it was the Astros' Carlos Beltran in 2004. No one has ever homered in six straight games at the historic ballpark.

"These past two games are the first time, honestly, since I've been playing with the Reds that I've played with the wind blowing out like it has," Cozart said. "Usually, it's the opposite. That makes it a little easier. I don't know what it is. I'm just trying to get a good pitch to hit."

As he did on Tuesday, Cozart took advantage of a stiff breeze blowing out. Leading off the top of the third inning against Kyle Hendricks, Cozart reached outside on a 1-2 changeup and lofted it high in the air to left field.

The wind, reported to be 24 mph at the game's start, did the rest of the work, carrying the ball into the bleachers.

"[Hendricks] just left it up a little bit. And if you hit a fly ball in this wind, it's going to go," said Cozart, who has hits in nine straight games at Wrigley Field. "I knew when I hit it, I was like, 'It's got a good chance,' even though I didn't hit it great."

According to Statcast™, the ball had an exit velocity of 90.9 mph and a launch angle of 36 degrees. That combination gave it a 5 percent hit probability, the third-lowest hit probability on a homer this season. It also was the first home run of the Statcast™ Era (2015-17) to have the combination of a 91-mph exit velocity and 36-degree launch angle.

"The only bad pitch I made was to Cozart, the homer pitch. It was a changeup that I pulled," said Hendricks, who said he was supposed to bring the pitch inside.

Cozart has hits in 10 of his last 11 games and is batting .378 with three home runs. Overall, he is batting .350/.437/.608 with four homers and 17 RBIs.

In this past offseason, prior to Cozart's final season before becoming a free agent, trade talks about him were cool because of a lack of demand for shortstops, and there hasn't been much in the way of glaring need since the season opened. J.J. Hardy is struggling at the plate for the Orioles, but Baltimore has not been connected to Cozart -- or any shortstops -- as of yet.

"[Cozart's] been doing great. He's had a terrific first quarter of the season in every way possible," manager Bryan Price said.

The Reds, despite having dropped five straight games, have been surprisingly competitive, hovering at or above .500 for most of the first six weeks of the season. General manager has shown a willingness to be opportunistic and strike when a player's value is high.

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.

Garrett might be the Reds' post-Cueto ace By Phil Rogers / MLB.com | @philgrogers | 12:00 AM ET + 0 COMMENTS

CHICAGO -- is gone from Cincinnati but nowhere near forgotten.

On Wednesday afternoon in the cramped visiting clubhouse at Wrigley Field, Billy Hamilton and a group of his teammates watched the television intently as Cueto was trying to work out of a jam in his duel against in San Francisco.

"Vamos, Johnny Cash,'' Hamilton said.

Hamilton and others worked along with Giants in trying to call pitches as the former Reds ace faced . "Cambio, cambio,'' Hamilton implored before groaning as Puig laced a 1-2 -- not Hamilton's suggested changeup -- into left field for a two-run single, pretty much putting the game out of reach against Kershaw.

It's understandable that Cueto remains on the mind of so many in Cincinnati, as to date there has been no replacing him.

In the 661 days since the Reds dealt Cueto to Kansas City in one of 2015's most significant deals, they have used 25 starting , with none making more starts than 's 34.

Cincinnati starters are 68-110 with a 5.03 ERA post-Cueto. They've worked only 1,369 1/3 innings in 263 games -- an average of less than 5 1/3 innings per game.

No wonder Reds manager Bryan Price describes the rebuilding of a once-strong starting rotation as "a painful grind, a painful journey to get back to where we can compete."

You've got to start your way back somewhere, and for the Reds, that might just be with former St. John's player Amir Garrett, who is making a high-profile start on Thursday afternoon against the champion Cubs.

Garrett has only six Major League starts, so it's ridiculous to anoint him as a savior. But if everything clicks for the 6-foot-5 left- hander, he could be the ace that Cincinnati has been missing since Cueto departed in a trade that signaled the Reds' commitment to rebuilding.

"What I see is a guy who doesn't let the moment get to him,'' catcher said. "From the first start against the Cardinals to the ones since, he seems in control of his emotions out there and just focused on executing his pitches. That's tough to do for a young guy.''

Garrett, ranked as the Reds' No. 2 prospect according to MLBPipeline.com, enters his Wrigley Field debut 3-2 with a 4.25 ERA, which spiked when he gave up three home runs to the Brewers on April 24 at Miller Park, including two to .

"He's kind of made it look easy,'' Price said. "You can take out the game in Milwaukee and his numbers are pristine, dominant really.''

Five of six starts have been smooth sailing for Garrett, including a 12- game against the Orioles. His ERA shrinks down to 2.20 when you discount the Brewers' game (9 ER/3 1/3 innings), with 27 strikeouts, 10 walks and only 21 hits allowed in 32 2/3 frames.

Garrett has baffled hitters at times, according to Barnhart.

"It's impressive how he's able to throw all three of his pitches in the zone and out of the zone when he's on,'' Barnhart said. "His , sometimes it breaks and sometimes it doesn't break, so you see some expressions from hitters as they either swing and miss at it or take it, whatever. They kind of seem confused.''

Garrett was a two-sport guy until 2014, when he decided his future was in baseball, not the NBA. His fastball has averaged 92 mph, but his success comes from getting outs with that slider and a much-improved changeup.

Price praises Garrett for working hard with pitching Mack Jenkins on his changeup in .

"He didn't add the changeup, but he polished it,'' Price said. "It evolved into a reliable third pitch. I think that can really define a Major League starter -- the quality of the third pitch, not the [No.] 1 and the [No. 2]. If you only have those, you're probably a bullpen guy -- fastball-slider, fastball-split. It's the third pitch [that] defines the starter quite often.''

While a locker had been set aside for Garrett, he wasn't at Wrigley before Wednesday's game. The 25-year-old is returning from a two-inning stint at Triple-A Louisville, where he was sent as part of an organizational plan to limit innings in his rookie season.

If things go according to the Reds' plan, he'll finish this season working alongside , Anthony DeSclafani and Finnegan.

Bailey, who has rarely been on the mound since 2014 after Tommy John surgery and a second procedure this offseason on his elbow, is on an "aggressive" throwing plan, according to Price, and on target to return in late June.

DeSclafani, out with a sprained ligament in his elbow, hasn't been cleared to resume throwing but will be checked next week when the Reds return to Cincinnati. Finnegan is sidelined with a strained trapezius muscle that will keep him out through at least mid- June.

The Reds have developed a deep bullpen filled with power pitchers like and , who are capable of pitching multiple innings, and Cincinnati showed even last year that its lineup is no fun for opposing pitchers.

"We've already made huge steps in the last 80 or 90 or 100 games we've played,'' Price said. "But the huge steps will be when we go out there and we can say every day that our starter is a certifiable, big league starting pitcher, and we're not there yet."

Garrett could wind up being a big part of the solution, and maybe even the Reds' first real ace post-Cueto.

Phil Rogers is a columnist for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Cingrani's latest 'pen session better than first By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | @m_sheldon | May 17th, 2017 + 6 COMMENTS

CHICAGO -- The return of lefty reliever Tony Cingrani from a right oblique strain has taken longer than originally anticipated, but after his first bullpen session on May 9 produced less-than-desired results, Cingrani felt good after he threw again from a mound on Tuesday at Wrigley Field.

Cingrani, who has been on the 10-day disabled list since April 21, threw just 15 pitches in this latest attempt.

"I hate to call it a touch-and-feel, but it was a limited number of pitches," manager Bryan Price said on Wednesday. "He threw the ball really well in his first bullpen and threw more pitches, but I don't think he came out of it as well as we hoped. We gave him more time between bullpens and then decreased the number of pitches, and he came out better [on Tuesday]."

Cingrani is scheduled to throw another bullpen session on Friday in Cincinnati, and it's possible he could begin a rehab assignment soon after. In his absence, fellow left-hander Wandy Peralta has done a nice job taking on higher-leverage situations.

Adleman on track?

Right-hander is still expected to start on Saturday vs. the Rockies, but it's not a stone-cold lock just yet. Adleman exited his previous start, on Sunday vs. the Giants, after one inning because of a stiff neck.

"He's been able to throw. None of his throwing is limited," Price said. "When he threw his bullpen the last time [before the previous start], he had the little thing with his neck, and it didn't bother him at all. I think it was when the effort level went up.

"We're going to have to do everything in our power to create an environment similar to a game situation so he can kind of do a test flight on his neck. We have to really avoid going down that road."

If things don't progress as the club hopes, a backup starter would be needed for Saturday.

"I think we're all optimistic that [Adleman] will be able to make that start without any hindrance," Price noted.

Worth noting

• At some point during the upcoming five-game homestand, Anthony DeSclafani will be re-examined by doctors. If all goes well, he could be cleared to begin a throwing program and travel with the team on the next road trip, which begins on May 24. DeSclafani has not pitched this season because of a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.

• Pitcher Nefi Ogando (strained right thumb) was scheduled to begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Louisville on Wednesday.

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 Reds recap: chase Scott Feldman early, down Cincinnati Reds C. Trent Rosecrans , [email protected] 11:17 p.m. ET May 17, 2017

CHICAGO – The Reds’ late rally fell short and Cincinnati lost its fifth straight, 7-5 to the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Wednesday.

Box score: Cubs 7, Reds 5

Here are some of the main storylines from Wednesday’s game:

Short start for Feldman: After retiring the Cubs in order on 10 pitches in the first inning, Feldman needed 45 pitches to get through the second and didn’t make it out of the third.

Feldman gave up seven runs (five earned) on five hits with three walks, a hit batter and four strikeouts.

After cruising through the first, Feldman allowed five runs on three hits in the second inning, walking three and hitting a batter.

Feldman had a chance to get out of the inning with the score tied at one, but with bases loaded and two outs, Kyle Schwarber ripped a ball to first and went off the glove of Joey Votto into right, allowing two runs to score. After a walk of Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo hit another screamer to the right side, this time to second baseman Jose Peraza, playing in shallow right field. Again, the ball was hit so hard it went off the fielder’s glove, bringing in two more runs.

Reds rally: Cubs reliever Mike Montgomery entered Wednesday’s game with an 18-inning scoreless streak and appeared to be well on his way to 19, recording two groundouts to start the seventh.

Zack Cozart singled and Joey Votto walked to set up Adam Duval’s RBI single to make it 7-3. Cubs manager Joe Maddon replaced Montgomery with right-hander Pedro Strop, who then gave up a two-run double to cut the Cubs’ lead to two, 7-5.

Bullpen gets it done: Feldman may have struggled, but the Reds’ bullpen sure didn’t. Four Reds relievers – Austin Bruce, , Wandy Peralta and Raisel Iglesias – combined to throw 5 ⅓ scoreless to finish the game. The Cubs managed just one hit – a bunt single – against Reds relievers (Storen). That runner was erased on a double play. The Cubs didn’t have another baserunner until the ninth when Iglesias walked the bases loaded but struck out the side. In all, the Reds relievers had five strikeouts, three walks and just two outs recorded in the air.

Rough third for Duvall: talked about the wind helping Cubs home runs on Tuesday and an even harder wind at first pitch made Adam Duvall’s third inning something he’d like to forget.

First Duvall seemed to have a bead on leadoff hitter Ben Zobrist’s fly ball to left, but it went over his head for a double. After a Feldman strikeout, Cubs catcher Miguel Montero hit a high fly ball to left that Duvall missed off his glove for a two-base error. Both runs would score in the inning, giving the Cubs a 7-2 lead.

Cozart feels cozy in Wrigley: With a third-inning home run, Cozart homered in his fifth consecutive game at Wrigley Field. It was the eighth time a player has hit homers in five straight games here and he’s the seventh different player to do it and third visiting player. Cubs Hall of Famer Billy Williams did it twice. No player has hit home runs in six straight at Wrigley Field.

Get your own hot dogs: Reds relievers no longer out in the cold in Wrigley C. Trent Rosecrans , [email protected] 8:24 p.m. ET May 17, 2017

CHICAGO – Blake Wood did something no other Reds pitcher in the 101 years that the Cubs and Reds have played at Wrigley Field had every done. He ran out from the bullpen under the right-field bleachers and into the game.

For the first 103 years of the ballpark , the bullpens were located in foul territory, with the visitors in right field and the home team in left. That changed this year as part of the team’s renovations of the game’s second-oldest ballpark. The bullpens are now located under the bleachers. Only three stadiums remain with bullpens on the field – the Giants’ AT&T Park, the A’s Oakland-Alamena County Coliseum and the Rays’ .

“I always love having mounds on the field,” Reds manager Bryan Price said. “However, if there was a place where the bullpen mounds, at least for the visitors are better suited someplace else, it's here at Wrigley Field.”

While the Wrigley Field bleachers are notorious for hecklers, the bullpens were even worse. For a century before 2017, pitchers sat in chairs along the brick wall and were an arm’s length from fans. That led to conversations and plenty of taunts.

Reds pitching coach Mack Jenkins notes most of his best stories about sitting that close to the fans can’t be printed. However, sitting next to him, current Reds bullpen coach chimed in with a family-friendly story.

When he was playing, Power said he remembered sitting in the bullpen and looking into the crowd. There he saw then-Notre Dame basketball coach Digger Phelps.

At one point, Phelps noticed Power was looking at him. Power mouthed, “Aren’t you Digger Phelps?” Phelps nodded.

Power then held up a ball, pantomimed signing it and asked if Phelps would sign a ball for him. Phelps responded, again, in pantomime, he would if Power would reciprocate. Power and Phelps then exchanged signed .

Autographed baseballs weren’t the only thing visiting pitchers traded. Fox Sports Ohio broadcaster Chris Welsh, who played for the Expos, Padres and Reds, said he and his fellow relievers would take batting practice balls to the bullpen to trade for hot dogs and peanuts.

“A lot of (fans) act like you're watching the game with them, which is not exactly what we're looking for,” said Reds reliever Drew Storen.

So what is a reliever looking for? It’s really not that much:

• A mound that allows them to get loose. That wasn’t always the case on the visitor’s side of the old Wrigley Field setup. The dirt on the mound closest to the field would erode, Price said.

“So a right-handed pitcher, if he's throwing from the right side of the rubber or the side closest to the foul line, his follow-through was almost always landing on the side of the mound or the grass. It was a challenge,” Price said.

Right-handers would have to use that mound if there was a left-hander warming at the same time to limit the potential of contact.

• Enough space to get loose. Former Reds reliever had an elaborate stretching routine and would often have to start that between innings in fair territory. When the inning was about to start, his teammates would have to yell to tell him to get off the field.

Storen said many relievers like to use a foam roller as part of their pre-game stretching routine, and there was no place to do that.

“You don't see guys that are pinch-hitting hitting into a net in the corner of the field,” Storen said.

The new bullpens also have an exercise bike, allowing pitchers to use that to work up a sweat during the game.

• A certain level of comfort. Wrigley often features extreme weather – either cold or hot. In cold months, pitchers in the bullpen have individual heaters. In the summer, the heat can be unbearable.

None of those things are an issue in the new bullpens. Wrigley Field is currently undergoing a $750-million renovation, with several different phases. This past offseason, the bullpens were moved from the lines to what was previously batting cages in left and right field. The visitors’ bullpen is in right field and the Cubs’ bullpen is in left. Unlike in the past, pitchers warming up aren’t visible. There’s one-way glass on the doors of the bullpen, both marked by Under Armour advertising. There are four new rows of seating where the bullpen once stood.

Although the pitchers in the bullpen can see out, Wood said it was tough to see out, especially once the sun went down. Instead, those in the bullpen do the same thing as those at home – watch on TV.

“You go in there and you almost feel like you're at a bar watching the game on TV,” Wood said. “You know you're there. You don't really feel like you're there.”

Both said it was strangely quiet below the bleachers and while the elements had always been a consideration in the previous setup, now Wood didn’t know if the weather had changed from the start of the game to the time he entered in the sixth (it hadn’t, it was still hot, humid and windy).

Like anything, opinions differed after the first night.

While Storen loves the new bullpen and sees it as a model for other teams to follow, Wood felt like something was missing.

“Convenience sake, doing all the things you need to do to get ready, it's better,” Wood said. “But I've always preferred to be outside, even if it's cold or hot. I like feeling like you're involved in the game, not just like you're a spectator. We'll get used to it.”

Bryan Price happy to have Amir Garrett back in Reds' rotation C. Trent Rosecrans , [email protected] 7:13 p.m. ET May 17, 2017

CHICAGO – Bryan Price will get his “best starter” back on Thursday, not from injury but from an attempt to limit injuries.

Left-hander Amir Garrett will start Thursday for the Reds, his first start since being sent down to Triple-A on May 7. With two off days on May 10 and May 15, the reds used that time to send him to the minors to help limit the innings he’ll throw. And aside from that stated purpose, it will also help the team limit his service time and perhaps stave off free agency for another year.

Regardless of the reasons, Price is happy to have Garrett back in the rotation.

“Really, you don't even have to make an argument that he was our best pitcher when he left here,” Price said. “He's five for six in quality starts, gave us a chance to win five out of six times. He had one setback in Milwaukee and other than that he was outstanding. That's something you want to have in your rotation.”

Garrett gave up 10 runs (nine earned) in 3 ⅓ innings at Milwaukee on April 24. In his other five starts, he’s 3-1 with a 2.20 ERA. He’s pitched at least six innings in each of the other five starts, all with two or fewer earned runs.

In Louisville Garrett made one start, striking all six batters he faced against Charlotte, the White Sox affiliate, throwing just 29 pitches.

Will that rest help him in the long run? Price said he’s not so sure.

“Well, the game's changed,” he said. “People have been doing this a lot longer than I have, but in my 34 seasons in , the evolution of how pitchers are used and how we target innings, inning limits, pitch limits – I don't know if it's for the better or not. I really don't.

“You know where I stand, I'm not seeing fewer injuries than when I played, I can tell you that. That being said, it's the culture of pitching, now. This is how the industry treats pitchers. I can either choose to play along or I can move out of the industry and I'd like to stay in the industry a bit longer.”

Adleman progressing

There’s never a good time for a one-inning start, but the day before an off day is the best time for a one-inning start – especially when it came the day after a complete game. The Reds won’t have that luxury on Saturday when right-hander Tim Adleman is scheduled to make his next start. The Reds will have 11 games after Saturday’s game against the Rockies before their next off day, June 1.

Adleman left Sunday’s game in San Francisco with a neck injury. He has thrown since then and been OK, but regular workouts aren’t a great indicator whether he can pitch in a game, Price said.

“When he threw his bullpen the last time, he had the little thing with his neck and it didn’t bother him at all. I think it was when the effort level went up. So he has no limitations,” Price said. “The key is we’re going to have to do everything in our power to create an environment similar to a game situation so he can kind of do a test flight on his neck. We have to really avoid going down that road.”

At this point, Price said he’s optimistic the Adleman will be able to start – and pitch more than one inning – on Saturday.

Injury updates

• Tony Cingrani threw a 15-pitch bullpen on Tuesday, his second since being put on the disabled list with an oblique injury. Cingrani threw a longer bullpen last week, but was sore the next day. Price said he bounced back better this time.

“We gave him more time between bullpens and then decreased the number of pitches and he came out better,” Price said. “He’ll throw again if everything is going well – and today he is feeling good – on Friday.”

• Right-hander Nefi Ogando (thumb) was scheduled to begin a rehab assignment for Triple-A Louisville on Wednesday. He was scheduled for one inning with a maximum of 20 pitches. Ogando was claimed off of waivers from the Pirates in February. He was limited to five spring training appearances and has been on the disabled list since April 2.

BAR: The Reds pitching carousel spins on REDS BLOG Zach Buchanan , [email protected] Published 10:57 a.m. ET May 17, 2017 | Updated 22 hours ago

The Blog Above Replacement a daily look at the Reds, their minor leagues and whatever else is on the mind of Enquirer Reds beat writers, C. Trent Rosecrans and Zach Buchanan. You can follow them on Twitter (@ctrent and @ZachENQ), Facebook (C. Trent Rosecrans and Zach Buchanan) and Instagram (ENQReds).

Lisalverto Bonilla is in the rotation now, and Amir Garrett soon will be back. Tim Adleman has a stiff neck that shouldn't keep him from making his next start, which is good since the Cincinnati Reds really don't have someone who can take his spot.

The next starting pitcher lifted to the Reds should come in the form of Brandon Finnegan, who is on the 60-day disabled list and won't be back until the middle of June. Can the Reds survive that long? Will the bullpen crack under the pressure?

That is one of several topics discussed on this week's episode of the Reds Beat Podcast. Zach and C. Trent also touch on Monday's BAR subject and speculate on who is most deserving of an All-Star nod.

ICYMI

The Cubs homered their way past the Reds. Joey Votto's defense is much-improved. Amir Garrett is back in the rotation. The Reds claimed Peter O'Brien from the Royals. Minor-league roundup

Triple-A: Toledo 5, Louisville 2. RHP allowed two runs over six innings, walking one and striking out five. C homered. [Box]

Double-A: Pensacola 5, Jackson 2. RHP tossed five scoreless innings and allowed just three hits. RHPs Ariel Hernandez and Jimmy Herget combined to toss three hitless frames of relief, striking out six. RF went 2-for-5 with a home run. [Box]

High-A: Daytona 6, Bradenton 3. RHP Jesus Reyes allowed two runs in six innings. 3B and 1B Gavin LaValley each went 2-for-4 with a homer, and 2B Shed Long went 3-for-4 and is hitting .312. [Box]

Low-A: South Bend 1, Dayton 0. LHP Wennington Romero pitched all eight innings in a losing effort, allowing only four hits and no walks while striking out four. SS Hector Vargas collected two of the Dragons' three hits. [Box] TRANSACTIONS 05/17/17 optioned RHP to . Seattle Mariners recalled RHP Casey Lawrence from Tacoma Rainiers. Chicago Cubs recalled Pierce Johnson from . Braves recalled from Gwinnett Braves. placed 3B Adonis Garcia on the 10-day disabled list retroactive to May 16, 2017. Left achilles tendinitis recalled Miguel Castro from . Baltimore Orioles optioned Donnie Hart to . Cincinnati Reds sent RHP Nefi Ogando on a rehab assignment to . placed RHP on the 10-day disabled list retroactive to May 14, 2017. Strained right shoulder. San Diego Padres recalled from . Nationals placed RHP on the 10-day disabled list. Right shoulder inflammation. recalled LHP from Syracuse Chiefs. Baltimore Orioles recalled RHP Stefan Crichton from Norfolk Tides. Baltimore Orioles designated C Francisco Pena for assignment. Pirates placed LF on the 10-day disabled list retroactive to May 15, 2017. Left hamstring strain. recalled OF Danny Ortiz from . Chicago Cubs optioned Jeimer Candelario to Iowa Cubs. activated RHP from the 10-day disabled list. San Francisco Giants optioned 2B Kelby Tomlinson to . activated 2B Christian Colon. assigned to Miami Marlins from . Miami Marlins recalled Brian Ellington from New Orleans Baby Cakes. Miami Marlins optioned Tom Koehler to New Orleans Baby Cakes. Miami Marlins designated SS Mike Aviles for assignment. Miami Marlins placed RHP Junichi Tazawa on the 10-day disabled list retroactive to May 16, 2017. Rib cartelige inflammation.