Press Clippings August 30, 2017 THIS DAY IN REDS HISTORY 1998-Bret Boone is named Player of the Week MLB.COM Schebler's slam leads to win over Mets By Anthony DiComo and Andy Call / MLB.com | 12:28 AM ET + 57 COMMENTS

CINCINNATI -- Joey Votto's patience and 's power remained a lethal combination for the Reds, who leaned on three walks from the former and a from the latter Tuesday in a 14-4 win over the Mets at Great American Ball Park.

Schebler also walked, scored twice and singled home a run, matching his career high with five RBIs. Each of those came against Mets rookie , who allowed seven runs in 4 2/3 innings to bloat his ERA to 6.89. For that, Flexen could mostly thank Schebler, whose first-inning slam made him the third Reds player to reach 27 homers.

"This kid has the opportunity to be a real beast," Reds manager said of Schebler. "The power is phenomenal."

Votto's three walks gave him eight in his last two games and 112 on the season -- 16 more than anyone else in and 26 more than St. Louis' Matt Carpenter, his closest National League rival. Votto also singled home a run and Adam Duvall hit a three-run homer during a seven-run, eighth-inning rally, which prompted the Mets to use backup catcher on the mound for the second time this season.

All the offense made life easy for Reds starter Sal Romano, who held the Mets to three runs in six innings. Retiring 10 straight Mets during one stretch, Romano improved to 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA in his last three starts.

The win snapped Cincinnati's 14-game losing streak to the Mets, which dated back to 2014. It was one shy of New York's franchise- best streak against any opponent.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Five-run first: Schebler's slam capped an opening inning that saw the Reds send eight men to the plate against Flexen, taking advantage of the rookie's suspect control. With two men on base, two outs and no runs in, Flexen issued his second walk of the inning to load the bases. That brought up Eugenio Suarez, who singled home the Reds' first run, before Schebler cleared the bases to give the Reds all the offense they would need.

Fighting back: Mets first baseman Dominic Smith snapped an 0-for-11 funk when he singled home two runs against Romano in the sixth. The Mets' seven-batter rally that inning nearly pushed Romano to an early exit.

But the rookie struck out Juan Lagares with two men on base to end the threat, completing six innings to record his third consecutive quality start.

"He did what he does best," Mets manager Terry Collins said of Smith. "That's hit the ball the other way."

OLD DOG, NEW TRICKS

In need of outfield help with Yoenis Cespedes and done for the year, and Curtis Granderson and traded to contenders, the Mets started Jose Reyes in left for the first time in his 15-year career. Reyes had only one chance at a putout, when Billy Hamilton hit a relatively routine fly ball that soared over his head for a second-inning .

QUOTABLE

"In the moment, I was frustrated. But as soon as the game was over, I went over and addressed it and apologized for that. … Regardless of the frustration or whatever, that can't happen." -- Flexen, who threw his hands in the air in exasperation when Reyes misplayed Hamilton's double

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS

Votto, who walked in five consecutive plate appearances Sunday, made it a team-record six in a row during the first inning before grounding out to end the second. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, only five big leaguers have walked seven straight times in a season: Billy Rogell (1938 Tigers), Mel Ott (1943 Giants), Eddie Stanky (1950 Giants), Jose Canseco (1992 A's) and Barry Bonds (2004 Giants). Votto's streak of six in a row was MLB's longest since Colorado's Brad Hawpe did it in 2008. Votto was playing in his 1,400th career game for Cincinnati, which pushed him past Edd Roush into sole possession of 20th place on the club's all-time list. Dan Driessen (1,480) is ninth.

UPON FURTHER REVIEW

Collins asked for a replay review when umpires called Reyes out attempting to steal second base in the seventh inning. But the crew confirmed the ruling via a 62-second review.

WHAT'S NEXT

Mets: Seeking to retain his rotation spot as and edge toward returns from injury, right-hander Rafael Montero (2-9, 5.64 ERA) will start against the Reds at 7:10 p.m. ET Wednesday at Great American Ball Park. Montero last pitched in relief on Sunday, allowing two runs and recording just one out against the Nationals.

Reds: The series continues Wednesday as Homer Bailey (4-6, 7.99 ERA) will start for the Reds. Bailey came out of his most recent start, Aug. 22 vs. the Cubs, after three innings due to irritation on the back of his right shoulder. He has thrown two bullpen sessions since then. He is 1-2, with a 7.15 ERA in four career starts against the Mets.

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

Anthony DiComo has covered the Mets for MLB.com since 2008. Follow him on @AnthonyDiComo and Facebook, and listen to his podcast.

Andy Call is a contributor to MLB.com based in Cincinnati.

This story was not subject to the approval of or its clubs.

Romano provides consistency on the mound By Andy Call / Special to MLB.com | 12:23 AM ET + 3 COMMENTS

CINCINNATI -- In the world of Sal Romano, Tuesday was another pretty good day, which he seems to be having a lot of lately.

Cincinnati's rookie right-hander posted his third consecutive solid start Tuesday as the Reds defeated the Mets, 14-4, at Great American Ball Park.

"I was pitching to contact and got some when I needed them," Romano said. "It was a pretty good day." The 23-year-old gave up a run in the first inning and two more in the sixth, but shut down the Mets in between. He fell short of becoming the first Reds this season to throw seven or more innings in three consecutive starts, but was solid most of the evening and demonstrated composure even when he wasn't.

"I felt really sharp today," said Romano (4-5, 4.91), who has a 2.70 ERA in his three most recent starts.

Romano survived a rough first inning when he walked Mets leadoff hitter Jose Reyes, who moved up on Romano's wild pitch and scored on Asdrubal Cabrera's double to the left-field corner. Romano bounced back to retire 15 of the next 17.

"He had a few misfires, not missing by a lot, but missing," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "He threw a lot of pitches in the first inning trying to get on line. All of a sudden, he started throwing that hard sinker in there, changing speeds and mixing in some breaking balls. He was also able to control their running game, which makes a difference."

Cabrera's walk was followed by three consecutive two-out hits, including Dominic Smith's two-run single down the right-field line. It appeared Romano's work shift might be done when Mets center fielder Juan Lagares came to the plate, but Romano dispatched Lagares with a rally-killing 2-2 .

"I left some up in the sixth inning, but for the most part, I felt like I was in control," Romano said. Drew Storen replaced Romano, who had thrown 96 pitches, when the seventh inning began. Romano was on the disabled list with a strained right shoulder earlier this season and has not thrown more than 102 pitches in any of his big league starts since being called up following the All-Star break.

Andy Call is a contributor to MLB.com based in Cincinnati. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Trahan, Sparks lead Reds' Fall League crew By Andy Call / Special to MLB.com | August 29th, 2017 + 0 COMMENTS

CINCINNATI -- Shortstop Blake Trahan highlights the list of six Reds prospects who will join the Scottsdale Scorpions when play begins in October.

Trahan, 23, is the No. 27 prospect in the Reds' organization according to MLBpipeline.com. He is hitting .221 at Double-A Pensacola with 17 doubles and 11 stolen bases. Trahan was a third-round pick in 2015. MLB.com ranked him the No. 19 prospect in the organization following the 2016 season when, with Daytona, he scored 90 runs, stole 25 bases and reached safely in 31 consecutive games.

2017 Arizona Fall League rosters

. AFL club MLB clubs Glendale CLE, CWS, LA, PHI, PIT Peoria ATL, BOS, SD, SEA, TOR Salt River ARI, BAL, COL, MIA, MIL Surprise KC, MIN, STL, TB, TEX Scottsdale CIN, LAA, NYM, NYY, SF Mesa CHC, DET, HOU, OAK, WSH

Other Reds prospects who will play for Scottsdale include left-handers Joel Bender and Brennan Bernardino, right-hander Jake Ehret, third baseman Taylor Sparks, catcher Chad Tromp, and two players to be named. Tromp will begin the season on the taxi squad.

Bender, 25, graduated from Oak Hills High School in Cincinnati, and was drafted in the 27th round in 2010. He has pitched 17 games this summer (0-1, 3.00), primarily for Daytona, striking out 22 in 18 innings. He missed all of the 2016 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. In 2015, Bender climbed from Class A to Triple-A in the same season, compiling a 3.61 ERA.

Another Cincinnati native, D-backs right-hander Ryan Atkinson (Colerain High School) will play for the . Bernardino, 25, was a 26th-round pick in 2014. He has made 37 appearances for Pensacola (2-4. 4.46), striking out 40 in 38 1/3 innings, and made 50 appearances for Daytona in 2015 (5-3, 3.71). Bernardino has 181 strikeouts in 181 1/3 pro innings. Ehret, 24, was drafted in the 14th round in 2014. He has pitched in 35 games between Daytona and Pensacola (1-2, 7.46). He was a midseason all-star with Daytona in 2016 before being promoted to Pensacola.

Sparks, 24, a third baseman, was taken by the Reds in the second round of the 2014 Draft. He has been promoted twice this season and is currently with Double-A Dayton, where he has driven in 16 runs in 27 games. Sparks had a combined 14 home runs and 62 RBIs between Daytona and Pensacola in 2016, and has accumulated 37 home runs during his first four pro seasons. Sparks was listed as Cincinnati's No. 23 prospect in both 2015 and 2016.

Tromp, 22, from Aruba, was signed as an 18-year-old in 2013. He has split the season between Daytona and Pensacola, hitting a combined .265 with 13 doubles. He drove in 38 runs for Daytona in 2016.

The Arizona Fall League is a "finishing school" for prospects who meet the eligibility rules and are close to the Majors. Generally speaking, if a team sends a player to the Fall League, it's an indication that team thinks he has the chance to contribute in the big leagues in the near future. In other words, it can be a short leap from the AFL to MLB. More than 2,600 players have made that leap since the league was founded in 1992.

The league has a total of six teams, with five organizations represented on each. Every MLB team is required to send at least six players from its organization. Cincinnati's prospects at Scottsdale will join players from the , , , and Angels. Jay Bell will be Scottsdale's manager. He was Cincinnati's bench coach from 2013 through 2015 and is currently the manager for the Yankees' Class A Advacned team in Tampa. Former Reds shortstop Travis "Gookie" Dawkins will be Scottsdale's hitting coach. He is the hitting coach for Pensacola.

The season opens Oct. 10 and runs through Nov. 18. Games are played Monday through Saturday at six facilities. Andy Call is a contributor to MLB.com based in Cincinnati. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Bailey makes return to take on Mets By Andy Call / Special to MLB.com | August 29th, 2017 + 24 COMMENTS Homer Bailey, who bounced back from an injury scare eight days ago, will return to the mound Wednesday when the Cincinnati Reds host the New York Mets at 7:10 p.m. ET at Great American Ball Park.

The 31-year-old right-hander came out of his Aug. 22 start against the Cubs after three innings when he felt irritation in his right shoulder. The Reds were understandably cautious with Bailey, who has already endured flexor mass surgery, Tommy John surgery and surgery to remove bone spurs from his elbow. He has thrown two bullpens since coming out of that game, without incident.

Bailey has made 12 starts since coming off the DL in June (4-6, 7.99), with varied results. He gave up 10 runs in 3 1/3 innings to St. Louis on Aug. 6. But that forgettable outing was sandwiched by two starts in which he surrendered only three earned runs over 11 innings.

The Mets will counter with right-hander Rafael Montero (2-9, 5.44) in the middle game of the three-game series. Montero has been more effective recently, giving up three runs or fewer in three consecutive starts. He has made 12 starts and 15 relief appearances for New York, including throwing 16 pitches in relief Sunday against Washington. The 26-year-old right-hander has only faced the Reds once, allowing three runs over 4 1/3 innings of a 5-3 Mets victory last September.

Three things to know about this game

• The only active Mets hitter with more than 10 career plate appearances against Bailey is Asdrubal Cabrera (3-for-9, 2 RBIs). The six active Reds who have faced Montero are a combined 2-for-10 off him, including Adam Duvall's .

• Of the more than 1,200 games played at Great American Ballpark, only 103 have not included a home run. One was Sunday's 3-2 Reds loss to Pittsburgh.

• Opponents are 33-for-88 (.375) and are slugging .705 against Bailey's four-seam this season. Both the batting average and are the highest for any pitcher who has ended at least 75 at-bats with four-seamers.

Andy Call is a contributor to MLB.com based in Cincinnati. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs. CINCINNATI ENQUIRER BAR: Reds Beat Podcast on pinch-runners and white walkers C. Trent Rosecrans, [email protected] Published 10:07 a.m. ET Aug. 30, 2017

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).

Sometimes we talk hypotheticals in the Reds Beat Podcast, and just a couple of weeks ago in Episode 46, we wondered when you would pinch-run for Joey Votto.

I was a little more liberal with my use of a pinch-runner than Zach, but Bryan Price beat it to us on Sunday. With the Reds down 5-2 in the ninth inning, Votto drew his fifth walk of the day to load the bases with two outs. Price replaced Votto with pinch-runner , who is not a slow man.

That seemed to be as good a place as any. He represented the tying run and he had a much better chance of scoring than Votto. And with two outs? Well, he had a much better chance of the game ending than Votto coming back to bat.

So give one up to Price, it didn’t work, because Adam Duvall grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the game, but it didn’t not work because of the strategy.

You never know when our hypotheticals will turn into reality.

You may also notice that the podcast is longer than usual and you may be wondering what about this Reds team could we be talking about for more than an hour? Well, turns out, it’s “Game of Thrones.” We’re joined by Enquirer culture reporter Carol Motsinger to talk the Thrones finale. As an added bonus, you get to hear us decide from a host of candidates, what just is Carol’s most embarrassing celebrity encounter. And trust me, it’s a doozy.

How to listen:

• In the podcast section of the Cincinnati.com Reds app, available on iTunes and Google Play

• Subscribe in iTunes or Stitcher Radio

• Subscribe on Audioboom

• Or simply hit play below

ICYMI

• Scott Schebler has been very, very good since coming back from his shoulder injury.

• 2 out, Tucker Barnhart on deck for Reds catchers, but the second baby was not without a good story. Zach talked to Stuart Turner about his time in for the birth of his son. Tucker Barnhart’s wife is scheduled to be induced on Thursday.

• Adam Duvall has struggled in the second half.

#HeyBartender

Friday is mailbag day, and Zach will be handling it this week. Feel free to email Zach, Tweet at me with #HeyBARtender or message Zach on Facebook your questions, Reds or otherwise.

Minor League Roundup

Triple-A: Louisville 7, Indianapolis 4: LHP Amir Garrett gave up four runs (two earned) on seven hits with three walks, a hit batter and four strikeouts. 3B Brandon Dixon had a three-run double and C Jose Duarte had a two-run single to put the Bats in the lead. Jimmy Herget earned his ninth save of the season for the Bats. [Box]

Double-A: The Blue Wahoos were postponed by rain

High-A: Daytona 5, Palm Beach 2, 10 innings: LHP Seth Varner allowed one run on four hits over six innings. He walked one and struck out six. LF Shane Mardirosian had two hits and the go-ahead sac fly int he 10th. [Box]

Low-A: The Dragons were off

Rookie: Missoula 5, Billings 4: The Mustangs hit three solo homers, one each from C Mark Kolozsvary, LF Zeke White and DH Stuart Fairchild. [Box]

The Rotation

1. Jay Bruce has promised to match up to $100,000 in donations made toward Hurricane Harvey relief if you donate at Indians.com/Bruce. Do it. It’s easy, I did it last night.

2. Anthony Rizzo gave $3.5 million to the Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago. [Chicago Sun-Times]

3. Interesting to read the before and after of this MLB.com column critical of the Rangers. [Deadspin.com]

4. A Dallas Morning News photographer knew he had a great image when he took it. I’ve been lucky to work with some amazing photojournalists in my career, and I can’t tell you the value that a real photojournalist — not some schmuck like me with an iPhone — adds to what we do telling stories. Kudos to Louis DeLuca. [Poynter.org]

5. Jason Isbell. Tiny Desk Concert. Check and check. [NPR.org]

A healthy Scott Schebler is a hittin’ Scott Schebler Zach Buchanan, [email protected] Published 11:50 p.m. ET Aug. 29, 2017 | Updated 11:55 p.m. ET Aug. 29, 2017

In the middle of his postgame interview Tuesday, Scott Schebler stopped to ponder a key difference between himself and the rest of his Cincinnati Reds teammates. He’s the only member of the starting lineup who is clean-shaven.

“Huh,” Schebler said, almost emphatically. “That’s interesting.”

If there is some grander link between lack of facial hair and performance, Gillette probably would have sponsored the 26-year-old by now. Instead, there’s a more obvious contrast to be made when it comes to Schebler – how he’s performed when he’s healthy, and how he’s performed when he hasn’t.

Schebler went 2 for 4 with a walk, grand slam and five RBI in Tuesday’s 14-4 win over the New York Mets at Great American Ball Park, continuing the tear he’s been on since he returned from the disabled list on Aug. 18. In that span, he’s hit .387/.459/.839.

“It’s just good to have him back swinging the bat the way he can,” Reds manager Bryan Price said. “I think this kid has an opportunity to be a real beast as a ballplayer.”

Schebler’s recent run has certainly been eye-popping, but it reaffirms an assertion the Reds made when Schebler went on the disabled list in the first place at end of July. For almost two months leading up to that point, the right fielder had been playing with a bruised right rotator cuff suffered when he dove for a ball in early June. Unsurprisingly, his performance at the plate had suffered. The Reds said the shoulder was to blame for the slump.

Schebler had an .858 OPS when he hurt his shoulder, but the next two months were a problem. He tried to play through the injury in June, counting on a rehab regimen to keep him up to speed. It mostly worked, as he recorded an .852 OPS from then until the All- Star Break in mid-July.

But after the break, he ditched his rehab. The shoulder got worse, and he hit just .077 in his first 17 games of the second half. Schebler couldn’t hit the ball the other way even in batting practice. He knew it was time to pipe up.

“The first day after taking about 10 days off, I was like, ‘OK, there was something seriously wrong when I was swinging before,’ ” Schebler said. “I did it for almost a month-and-a-half. I definitely learned my lesson on that. I’ll be more careful next time.”

When healthy this year, Schebler has hit .261/.332/.583. When trying to play through an injured right shoulder, he hit .210/.295/.389.

If injury was the only thing truly keeping Schebler from having success, it’s tempting to wonder what his numbers would look like if he’d treated his injury with the proper importance when he suffered it. Schebler has contemplated as much himself, although he’s tried to avoid dwelling on it.

“You can’t live in the past, as much as you want to sometimes,” Schebler said. “When I was on the DL, I was thinking, ‘Hey, you may have dug yourself a really nice hole here.’ ”

If he can keep up his recent hot streak, it won’t be long until he’s climbed all the way out.

Cincinnati Reds recap: Offense comes alive in win over New York Mets C. Trent Rosecrans, [email protected] Published 10:46 p.m. ET Aug. 29, 2017 | Updated 11:37 p.m. ET Aug. 29, 2017 The Reds scored five runs in the first and seven in the eighth for a 14-4 victory over the Mets in the first game of a three-game series with New York.

Box score: Reds 14, Mets 3

Here are the main storylines from Tuesday’s game:

Grand Schebler: The Reds trailed 1-0 after the top of the first, but Scott Schebler gave Sal Romano some breathing room with the first grand slam of his career.

Eugenio Suarez singled to tie the game at 1 and bring up Schebler after Mets starter Chris Flexen allowed a hit and two walks. Schebler crushed a 1-1 pitch into the stands in right-center field for a 5-1 lead.

Schebler added an RBI single in the two-run fifth, scoring Scooter Gennett from second. His five RBI tied a career-high, set Aug. 27, 2016, at Arizona.

Schebler is hitting .387 since returning from the disabled list with three home runs.

Sal sails: Romano recorded his third straight quality start, giving up three runs on six hits in six innings. He walked two and struck out five.

Both batters Romano walked, Jose Reyes in the first and Asdrubal Cabrera in the sixth, ended up scoring.

Romano gave up two runs in the sixth on a Dominic Smith’s single. He then gave up another single to Amed Rosario but struck out Juan Lagares to end the inning.

Walk this way: After walking in all five plate appearances on Sunday, Joey Votto walked in the first to extend his streak to six consecutive plate appearances with a walk. He was the first big-leaguer to do that since Brad Hawpe did it for the Rockies in 2008.

Votto also walked in the fifth and sixth. He leads the majors with 112. No other player has 100 walks this season.

He also added an RBI single in the eighth inning.

Adding on late: After the first eight batters of the inning reached in the bottom of the eighth, the Mets turned to catcher Kevin Plawecki to try to finish out the inning.

Plawecki got pinch hitter Phillip Ervin to ground into a double play for the first two outs of the inning. He did give up an RBI double to Billy Hamilton before Zack Cozart reached on an error and Votto grounded out to end the inning.

It was Plawecki’s second appearance on the mound this season and he lowered his ERA to 12.00 with his scoreless inning of work.

The Reds finished with seven runs in the inning, all charged to reliever Chasen Bradford. Two runs were unearned.

Reds notes: Adam Duvall struggling in second half C. Trent Rosecrans, [email protected] Published 6:26 p.m. ET Aug. 29, 2017 | Updated 6:29 p.m. ET Aug. 29, 2017

Adam Duvall says he doesn’t feel any different in the second half, even if his numbers are vastly different.

The Reds left fielder’s first half of 2017 was better than it was in his All-Star year of 2016. At the break, he was hitting .278/.321/.557 with 20 home runs and 61 RBI in 85 games. Since then, he’s hitting .208/.276/.429 with 10 home runs and 25 RBI in 42 games.

“I don't know if anything’s different,” Duvall said before Tuesday’s game with the Mets. “I’m working.”

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Duvall said that covered in sweat after spending time with hitting coach Don Long early on Tuesday before the team’s scheduled batting practice was canceled.

“The desire to always try to improve and to get better, which he has, it's one of his best qualities. He's never satisfied,” Long said. “He hit 33 home runs and drove in 103 (last season). He could very easily come to spring training and say, 'I did that. I want to do that again.' But he doesn't think that way. He's like a lot of our guys, always on a quest to improve.“

With a little more than a month to go, Duvall has a good chance at eclipsing both of his home run and RBI totals. He has 30 home runs and 86 RBI. He hasn’t hit fewer than four home runs in any month this year.

Still, his numbers could end up being strikingly similar to last year’s totals, when he hit .241/.297/.498. Heading into Tuesday’s game, he was hitting .255/.306/.513.

Perhaps that’s just who the 29-year-old Duvall is as a player. And with 30-plus home runs, 100-plus RBI and above-average defense, that’s no small thing.

“It’s good fortune he still plays great defense, he’s good on the bases, he plays hard,” Reds manager Bryan Price said. “I’m confident the last five weeks of the season you’ll see a better version.”

Arizona Fall League rosters announced

The Arizona Fall League announced its rosters for the 2017 season, with Reds players playing for the Scottsdale Scorpions alongside players from the Giants, Mets, Yankees and Angels.

The Reds’ participants are left-handers Joel Bender and Brennan Bernardino, right-hander Jake Ehret, catcher Chad Tromp, third baseman Taylor Sparks and shortstop Blake Trahan. The Reds also have roster spots for another pitcher and an infielder to be announced.

Blue Wahoos hitting coach Gookie Dawkins will serve as the hitting coach for Scottsdale under former Reds bench coach Jay Bell, who is now a manager in the Yankees organization.

Reds donating to hurricane relief

The Reds on Tuesday announced an effort to support Hurricane Harvey relief that will take place during this week’s series against the New York Mets. Each game, the Reds Community Fund will send its portion from “Split the Pot” ticket sales to an organization helping in the relief effort in Houston and its surrounding areas.

Fans who want to contribute directly to the American Red Cross can make donations online at redcross.org or by phone at 1-800- RED-CROSS. Donations of $10 also can be made by texting HARVEY to 90999.

Additionally, former Reds Jay Bruce, a native of Beaumont, Texas, told the Enquirer that he was starting a relief fund for his hometown. He will announce further details on his newly resurrected Twitter account, @JayBruce87.

Turner back with club after stressful paternity leave Zach Buchanan, [email protected] Published 5:46 p.m. ET Aug. 29, 2017 | Updated 5:53 p.m. ET Aug. 29, 2017

There is much left to be determined about Cincinnati Reds catcher Stuart Turner as a big-league performer. But after a stressful three-day paternity leave back in Louisiana, it’s pretty clear that his newborn son Easton Michael is clutch.

Turner and his wife Danielle planned to induce labor on the first day of his leave Friday, but life kept throwing obstacles in the way of their birth plan. Twice, unborn Easton Michael was able to move the chains all by himself.

“Not on our timing,” Turner said, “but whenever he was ready he made it happen.”

The plan was to induce at 3 p.m. on Friday, but Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Lafayette, Louisiana was full up with patients, perhaps because of the impending weather from what was then Hurricane Harvey. They returned to a nearby hotel with a promise that they’d be called back in by 10 p.m.

That call never came. They returned again by midnight, with the understanding that if Danielle said she was having labor pains that the on-call doctor would keep her overnight until their planned doctor had arrived in the morning to begin the induction. Again, they were sent away.

Finally, a call came at 3:30 in the morning telling them to be there in an hour. Five minutes later, that order was rescinded by the top executive at the hospital. The finish line was moved again, to Saturday at noon. The rookie catcher was worried.

“It’s going to be a day-and-a-half into my leave, and we’re not even going to be at the hospital yet,” he said. “Ten minutes later, her water breaks.”

There was no turning them away now, but the false starts weren’t quite over. At one point, Danielle’s labor more or less stalled. She was given Pitocin to speed up her contractions, but the baby’s heart rate dropped. They took Danielle off the drug, but tried again later. The same result.

Danielle’s labor was stuck at “five or six centimeters for a while,” Turner said. The doctors were willing to give it one last go. They’d try a lower dosage of Pitocin. If it didn’t work, Danielle would need a Cesarean section.

It worked like a charm. Easton Michael was born not long after, again coming through at the last minute.

“It was kind of a rough start to get the process going," Turner said, "but once it got going it was as smooth as possible."

Turner spent most of his three-day leave bent up in a hospital chair trying to snatch a wink of sleep between feedings and diaper changes, but now is back in Cincinnati. He’s not done worrying, though. Danielle and Easton Michael are back home now, but the weather that has flooded Houston is supposed to cut through their part of Louisiana. Turner checks his phone regularly, both for baby pictures and weather updates.

The Reds are happy to have him back, though. His return means they’ve avoided a catcher-less crisis. Starter Tucker Barnhart and his wife Sierra are set to induce labor for the birth of their son Tatum on Thursday, at which point the Reds will recall catcher Chad Wallach from Triple-A.

“As long as the two that we have at any given time stay healthy,” Reds manager Bryan Price said, “we’re in good shape.”

BAR: Ranking the Cincinnati Reds' contract extension candidates Zach Buchanan, [email protected] Published 11:27 a.m. ET Aug. 29, 2017 | Updated 11:35 a.m. ET Aug. 29, 2017

The Blog Above Replacement a daily look at the Cincinnati 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).

I couldn't work it into my off-day story yesterday, but I asked Reds general manager Dick Williams about possible extension candidates. He was intentionally vague, but here's what he said:

“I think we’ve got a bunch of good young guys on the cusp of arbitration or just getting into the process that we’d look at trying to find an agreeable deal.”

Of course, Williams didn't want to talk specifics. But the Reds will have six guys who are arbitration-eligible this offseason. Billy Hamilton and Scooter Gennett will be in their second year of arb, and Anthony DeSclafani, Tucker Barnhart, Michael Lorenzen and Eugenio Suarez will enter the process for the first time.

So who among that group – and who among the team's pre-arb players – makes the most sense to extend? Here's my own personal ranking, from what makes the most sense to what makes the least.

1. Tucker Barnhart. This has as much to do with Barnhart's solid play behind the plate as the Reds' lack of catching depth going forward. Devin Mesoraco will end the year on the disabled list and next year will be his last under contract. The team will have Stuart Turner and Chad Wallach in the minors, but their higher-caliber catching prospects are further away and have dealt with injury (Tyler Stephenson) or poor performance at the plate (Chris Okey). Barnhart's not the type of hitter who will run up an expensive arbitration tab, but buying out all three years of arb and maybe a couple free-agent years might make sense. Then again, there is no reason this has to happen now.

2. Billy Hamilton. Hamilton will be two years away from free agency and has now spent four full seasons struggling to build consistency at the plate. Some financial security might be attractive to him because of that. As for the Reds, if they like him so much to keep batting him leadoff, they would theoretically want him to stick around. The Reds don't really have another true center fielder until you get to Jose Siri in Low-A.

3. Eugenio Suarez. If Suarez is going to keep shooting up in performance, it might behoove the Reds to work something out with him this offseason instead of going year-to-year with him in arbitration. The presence of Nick Senzel in Triple-A isn't much of a factor. One of them could always move to second base.

4. Adam Duvall. Duvall isn't in arbitration yet, but when he hits it he'll make some dough. Counting stats like homers and RBI pay out in arbitration. He's been an impact defender in left, and approaching him about a deal now might get the Reds a discount. However, the presence of Scott Schebler and Jesse Winker might make Duvall a more attractive trade candidate if the Reds decide the want to deal from the major-league roster.

5. Scooter Gennett. Two factors make this a not-as-likely scenario, from my perspective. First, Gennett has never done anything like this before. Trying to extend him after a breakout year means a higher price tag and a bigger risk that you wind up overpaying for what might be an outlier season. The second factor is Senzel. Dilson Herrera may wind up being a flop, but Senzel can play second. There's not as much of an organizational hole there as some might think.

6. Anthony DeSclafani. DeSclafani's injury issues – especially because the elbow is involved – would make this a risky move. That risk would me mitigated by a lower price tag, but I'm not sure I've seen a pitcher get extended after missing an entire season.

7. Michael Lorenzen. The Reds would probably want to wait and see what Lorenzen is – a starter or a reliever, and if he can turn things around after a frustrating season on the mound – before committing long-term money to him.

ICYMI

- If the Reds want to make an impact move to add pitching, they'll have to spend more than they did this year, or trade someone valuable.

Minor-league roundup

Triple-A: Louisville 4, Indianapolis 3. RHP Luke Farrell gave up three runs in five innings. LF Adam Brett Walker homered. [Box]

Double-A: Pensacola 3, Mississippi 2. RHP Austin Ross allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings, raising his ERA to 1.89. 1B Gavin LaValley doubled and drew two walks, and Nick Senzel missed another game due to illness. [Box]

High-A: Palm Beach 8, Daytona 3. RHP Wyatt Strahan allowed five runs in five innings. SS Luis Gonzalez and 1B James Vasquez each went 3 for 5. [Box]

Low-A: Dayton 6, Great Lakes 3. RHP Andrew Jordan allowed three runs (two earned) in six innings. He walked none and struck out seven. CF went 1 for 3 with two walks and stole his 40th base of the year. [Box]

Rookie-Advanced: Billings 6, Helena 1. LHP Packy Naughton allowed just four hits and one earned run over five innings. He walked one and struck out five. 2B/3B Alejo Lopez tripled. [Box]

And since you made it this far...

- Art Briles is learning he can't outrun the stain on his reputation from his negligence at Baylor. Until he is actually open and contrite about his mistakes and screwed-up priorities at Baylor, he shouldn't even sniff another job in football.

- I'm not sure how I feel about a Memphis theater deciding to no longer have its annual showing of Gone with the Wind. I'm all for removing Confederate monuments, but the movie is 80 years old. You're supposed to appreciate its artistic value while putting its social values in historical context. It's the same way you can enjoy Breakfast at Tiffany's but still think, "Holy crap, that Mickey Rooney character is racist as hell."

- The Bengals traded a linebacker, but not the one whose name is in the headlines so much.

- Today in Zach Watches Too Many Movies and TV Shows: I saw Logan Lucky last night, and it's a pretty fun Steven Soderbergh heist movie, which is pretty much a genre unto itself right now. Some odd pacing at times, but a good time. But I have a question for those who have seen it, so spoiler warning. At the very end, on the last shot that pulls back from Hilary Swank at the bar, does the position of her hand reveal that she too has a prosthetic arm? Are we supposed to catch that hers and Adam Driver's characters were maybe buddies in the military? DAYTON DAILY NEWS Schebler grand slam highlights Reds’ rout of Mets Mark Schmetzer Contributing Writer 11:37 p.m Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017 Sports Facebook Twitter Share 0 SPORTS

CINCINNATI If anybody doubted that Scott Schebler had put behind him the shoulder problems that hampered his batting stroke for weeks after the All-Star break, he erased them with one swing of the bat on Tuesday night.

Cincinnati’s right fielder capped a fivc-run first inning rally with his first career grand slam and tied his single-game career high with five runs batted in as the Reds emphatically snapped their 14-game losing streak against the New York Mets with a 14-4 win.

“I hit a walkoff grand slam in (minor league) High A,” Schebler, who was 3-for-9 with eight RBIs with the bases loaded this season going into into the game, said of his last grand slam. “That’s the last one I remember. It doesn’t happen often, especially not to me. I’m not like Scooter (Gennett), who hits one every other .”

Gennett has hit three grand slams this season.

Before a “Bark in the Park” night crowd of 12,946 – the third-smallest of the season at Great American Ball Park – the Reds beat New York for the first time since a 2-1 win on Sept. 6, 2014, in Cincinnati.

Adam Duvall added a three-run homer in Cincinnati’s seven-run eighth and Eugenio Suarez went 3-for-4. All of the Reds starting position players finished with at least one hit and five had two or more.

The Mets resorted to using catcher Kevin Plawecki to finish the 12-batter eighth. He is the first position player to pitch against the Reds since Pittsburgh’s Jaff Decker in a 15-5 Cincinnati win on July 30, 2015.

Sal Romano came up one inning short in his bid to become Cincinnati’s first starting pitcher this season to go at least seven innings, but the rookie right-hander still turned in a creditable performance as one of the platoon of young trying to gain an upper hand in the competition for 2018 rotation slots. Romano (4-5), who grew up on Long Island a few miles east of the Mets home field, allowed six hits and three runs with just two walks and five strikeouts in six innings.

“I think it was 14,” he said the losing streak to the Mets. “It was nice to get a win today and be a part of it.”

His earned-run average over his last three games is 2.70.

Schebler went into Tuesday’s game hitting .370 with three doubles, a triple, two home runs and six runs batted in over nine games – including seven starts – since coming off the disabled list on August 18. He’d been sidelined for 17 days with a left shoulder strain that had been a primary reason for his .177 batting average, three home runs and seven RBIs since the All-Star break. He hit .254 with 22 home runs and 44 RBIs before the break.

“He’s giving us good, consistent at bats,” manager Bryan Price said. “He’s got good power, but he’s squaring up the ball to right- and left-center field. It’s a good sign that he’s not just pulling it. It’s just good to see him back swinging the bat the way he is. He’s got an opportunity to be a real beast.”

Romano walked Jose Reyes to lead off the game. Reyes scored on Asdrubal Cabrera’s one-out double for a 1-0 Mets lead.

Zack Cozart started the Reds rally by beating out a one-out infield single to shortstop Amed Rosario. Joey Votto, who played his 1,400th game in a Reds uniform, breaking a tie with Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder Edd Roush for 10th on the franchise career games played list, followed with a walk, his sixth in his last six plate appearances.

That’s the longest streak of consecutive walks since Colorado’s Brad Hawpe had six straight on June 22-23, 2008, according to Elias Sports Bureau as reported by the Reds.

Votto walked two more times in the game, giving him eight in his last nine plate appearances, and added an RBI single in the eighth.

Adam Duvall struck out, but Scooter Gennett walked to load the bases. Cozart scored on Suarez’s single to left field, giving the third baseman 20 RBIs in August.

Schebler followed by clubbing a 1-1 pitch into the right-center field seats for his 26th homer of the season. The grand-slam was Cincinnati’s sixth of the season, three short of the club record of nine, set in 2002, the year before moving into Great American Ball Park.

Scooter Gennett drove in one of Cincinnati’s two fifth-inning runs and scored the other. Zack Cozart scored from third on Gennett’s sharp grounder that glanced off Mets starting pitcher Chris Flexen (3-3). Gennett later scored on Schebler’s single to right.

Romano recorded 10 straight outs before the New York collected three consecutive two-out hits and scored two runs in the sixth.

“I have to tip my hat to the defense,” Romano said. “I was pitching to contact and they made a lot of plays.”

Reds notes: Rookie Mahle unruffled by McCutchen stunt Mark Schmetzer Contributing Writer 7:41 p.m Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017 Sports Facebook Twitter Share 0 SPORTS

CINCINNATI Andrew McCutchen admitted after Sunday’s game against the Reds that he was trying to upset the rhythm of Cincinnati right- hander Tyler Mahle, who was making his major league debut, but it wasn’t gamesmanship as much as simple safety.

The center fielder had been forced to twist away from a high-and-inside fastball earlier, and he felt Mahle wasn’t giving him enough time to get set in the batter’s box. McCutchen asked plate umpire Jeff Kellogg for time out three times and got one “Yes” before striking out and then exchanging angry words with the umpire — vehement enough that manager Clint Hurdle and third base coach had to intervene.

“I thought (Mahle) was quick to the plate,” McCutchen said after the game. “I asked (Kellogg) three times, and I got one. It’s all about safety for me. They’d buzzed me earlier. I want to be ready.”

The 22-year-old Mahle didn’t seem to be particularly rattled by the incident.

“He thought I was pitching too quick and was trying to get me out of my rhythm,” Mahle said before Tuesday’s game. “I saw what he was trying to do. It’s part of the game. I didn’t think too much about it.”

Manager Bryan Price didn’t notice any change in Mahle’s approach.

“I don’t think, at that point in time, it affected him,” Price said. “I thought he looked polished.”

“Remarkably so,” someone observed.

“Agreed,” Price responded.

Mahle is scheduled to start against the Pirates at PNC Park in Pittsburgh on Saturday.

Catching up: The catching corps was back to normal for Tuesday’s game against the New York Mets.

Stuart Turner returned in time for the game after spending three days on paternity leave in Louisiana, where his wife, Danielle, gave birth to the couple’s first child, a son they named Easton Michael.

The Reds promoted Chad Wallach to fill in for Turner and sent him back to Triple-A Louisville when Turner returned, but his stay with the Bats will most likely be short-lived. Tucker Barnhart is due to leave the team for the birth of his and his wife Sierra’s first child.

“As long as the two we have at any given time stay healthy, we’ll be OK,” Price said. “Chad will be back at some point in the Mets series.”

Arizona bound: One current Dayton Dragon and five former Dragons will play for the Scottsdale Scorpions in the Arizona Fall League, it was announced Tuesday.

Current Dayton infielder Taylor Sparks will be joined by infielder Blake Trahan, catcher Chad Tromp, left-handed pitchers Joel Bender and Brennan Bernardino and right-hander Jake Ehret.

Jay Bell, who was Cincinnati’s bench coach in 2014 and 2015, will be the Scorpions manager.

Andy’s glove: A recent addition to the counter behind Price’s desk in his Great American Ball Park office is a beat-up, brown, left- hander’s glove — an Andy Pafko model.

The glove was a gift from bullpen coach Ted Power, who got it from a friend whose wife had him get rid of some memorabilia, Price said.

Pafko was a five-time All-Star outfielder for the Cubs, Brooklyn Dodgers and Milwaukee Braves from 1943 through 1959.

By today’s standards, the glove is tiny, reminding some veteran Reds observers of the little glove Hall of Fame second baseman Joe Morgan used during his career.

“I remember that,” said Price, who watched the Reds at Candlestick Park as a Giants fan. “He’d catch those popups with that glove and it looked like he caught it with his bare hand.”

Homer’s back: After being pushed back from his start Sunday, right-hander Homer Bailey (4-6, 7.99 ERA) is scheduled to start Wednesday’s second game of the three-game Mets series.

Bailey was taken out of his start against the Cubs on Aug. 22 after three innings. He slipped on the mound while delivering a pitch and “tweaked” the back of his right shoulder, creating some irritation. He could have started Sunday, he and the Reds say, but Price decided to give him extra time.

Bailey has undergone three surgical procedures on his right elbow and forearm since September 2014.

Right-hander Rafael Montero (2-9, 5.64) is the Mets’ scheduled Wednesday starter. Montero lasted 4 1/3 innings in his only other career start against the Reds last September. He gave up three hits, four walks and three earned runs with four strikeouts without a decision. ASSOCIATED PRESS Schebler leads Reds to 14-4 win, ending 14-game skid vs Mets 12:00 AM ET Associated Press

CINCINNATI -- The Reds knew it had been a long time since they beat the Mets -- nearly three years. Cincinnati busted the slump with a big game all-around.

Scott Schebler hit his first career grand slam , and Cincinnati ended its 14-game losing streak against New York with a 14-4 victory Tuesday night.

The Reds hadn't beaten the Mets since Sept. 6, 2014. They'd dropped their last eight to New York at Great American Ball Park, where the Mets are 30-16 all-time -- the best winning percentage by any NL team, including the Reds.

"I think it was 14," rookie starter Sal Romano said of the slump. "It was nice to be a part of (stopping) it."

Cincinnati put the game away with a seven-run eighth inning that featured Adam Duvall's three-run homer. Mets catcher Kevin Plawecki made his second appearance on the mound this season and induced a double-play grounder.

Romano (4-5) made his third straight solid start, allowing three runs and six hits in six innings.

Schebler homered in the first off rookie Chris Flexen (3-3), who needed 36 pitches to get through the inning. The Reds loaded the bases with the help of a pair of walks, Eugenio Suarez singled in a run, and Schebler connected for his 26th homer and a 5-1 lead.

"It doesn't happen often, especially not to me," Schebler said.

Flexen, called up from Double-A last month, gave up seven runs, seven hits and four walks in 4 2/3 innings. Mets manager Terry Collins thought the rookie was too excited in the first inning.

"Once he gets into the flow of the game, he settles down," Collins said. "Certainly there's a couple things some teams try to do in the bullpen when they're warming up to try to get them to calm down. We might try one of those little things his next start."

Flexen thinks he's made progress over his seven starts. He gave up three or fewer runs in each of his four previous starts.

"I've had some success the past few starts," Flexen said. "Today was a little different. I got touched up pretty good today. I think I've adjusted. I'm learning what guys chase and how to get them out."

Jose Reyes was in left field for the Mets, his first start and second career appearance in the outfield. Reyes played an inning in center on May 13. He hadn't played left field since 2000 in a rookie league.

His inexperience showed on Billy Hamilton's fly in the second. Reyes took the wrong angle and it went over his head for a double. He moved back to shortstop as part of a double-switch in the sixth.

STREAKY

The Mets' 14-game winning streak against the Reds was their second-longest in club history against any team. They won 15 straight against the Pirates from 1986-87. ... New York is 11-3 in its last 14 games at Great American. ... The Reds' 14-game losing streak to the Mets was their longest against a team since they dropped 16 straight to Arizona from 2001-03.

KINDRED SPIRITS

The Mets are 18-27 since the All-Star break. The Reds are 17-27.

WALK THIS WAY

Joey Votto walked in his first plate appearance, extending his streak to six consecutive walks over two games. It was the longest such streak in the majors since Colorado's Brad Hawpe did it in 2008. Votto then grounded out, walked two more times and singled home a run.

THE PITCHING LINE

Plawecki faced four batters and gave up one hit while getting the last three outs with pitches that flirted with 80 mph.

METS' NEXT STOP

New York is scheduled to play a weekend series in Houston but expects to head instead to St. Petersburg, Florida. The Astros currently are playing the Rangers at Tropicana Field because of the heavy rains in Texas.

"I haven't heard anything today," Collins said. "What I heard yesterday was Tampa Bay looks like it's the spot and that's the last I heard. I think that's what we're kind of looking at. I saw a story a few minutes ago that said there's a chance we'll play in Houston. I'll be shocked if that's the case."

TRAINER'S ROOM

Mets: RHP Matt Harvey is scheduled to start on Friday against Houston. Harvey has been on the DL since June with a shoulder injury.

Reds: C Stuart Turner was back after missing a weekend series against the Pirates for the birth of his son.

UP NEXT

Mets: Rafael Montero (2-9) pitched one inning in relief on Sunday. He's 0-3 with a 6.10 ERA out of the bullpen.

Reds: Homer Bailey (4-6) makes his first start in eight days. He was given extra rest after lasting only three innings against the Cubs because of irritation in the back of his shoulder. He's 1-2 in four career starts against the Mets with a 7.15 ERA. TRANSACTIONS 08/30/17 sent RHP Garrett Richards on a rehab assignment to Salt Lake Bees. 08/29/17 Los Angeles Angels sent 3B Yunel Escobar on a rehab assignment to Inland Empire 66ers. sent RHP Evan Scribner on a rehab assignment to Tacoma Rainiers. Los Angeles Angels transferred RHP from the 10-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list. Right groin strain. Los Angeles Angels purchased contract of LF Eric Young Jr.. Los Angeles Angels placed RHP Bud Norris on the 10-day disabled list. Right knee inflammation Milwaukee Brewers sent C Andrew Susac on a rehab assignment to Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. Milwaukee Brewers sent LHP Brent Suter on a rehab assignment to Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. designated LHP Dillon Overton for assignment. San Diego Padres activated RHP Miguel Diaz from the 60-day disabled list. San Diego Padres optioned SS Dusty Coleman to El Paso Chihuahuas. sent LHP TJ House outright to Buffalo Bisons. sent RHP Diego Moreno outright to . sent 3B Steve Selsky outright to Pawtucket Red Sox. Los Angeles Dodgers sent 1B Cody Bellinger on a rehab assignment to AZL Dodgers. optioned LHP Donnie Hart to Norfolk Tides. sent RHP Tanner Scheppers outright to Round Rock Express. Texas Rangers activated 3B Joey Gallo from the 7-day disabled list. Texas Rangers optioned LF Ryan Rua to Round Rock Express. sent LHP on a rehab assignment to Rochester Red Wings. Baltimore Orioles activated RHP Dylan Bundy from the bereavement list. optioned 2B Adrian Sanchez to Syracuse Chiefs. Washington Nationals activated SS from the 60-day disabled list. Washington Nationals transferred LF Ryan Raburn from the 10-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list. Left trapezius strain. Toronto Blue Jays released LF Norichika Aoki. recalled LHP Eric Skoglund from Omaha Storm Chasers. Kansas City Royals placed LHP Brian Flynn on the 10-day disabled list. Left groin strain. sent LHP Wei-Yin Chen on a rehab assignment to Jupiter Hammerheads. Boston Red Sox sent RHP Matt Barnes on a rehab assignment to Portland Sea Dogs. Los Angeles Dodgers sent LHP Adam Liberatore on a rehab assignment to Oklahoma City Dodgers. Toronto Blue Jays optioned RHP Leonel Campos to Buffalo Bisons. Toronto Blue Jays selected the contract of LHP Brett Anderson from Buffalo Bisons. New York Yankees sent OF Matt Holliday on a rehab assignment to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.