The Cincinnati Reds had quite an eventful day, marked by some significant roster moves and on-field action. The morning kicked off with the team cutting reliever Hagen Danner, sending the promising non-roster invitee to the minor league camp despite his strong performance in spring training.
As the day progressed, the Reds took the field for split-squad games, where starting pitcher Brady Singer had to leave early. Singer exited in the fourth inning due to a blister on his index finger, a minor setback that the team will hope resolves quickly.
After wrapping up both games, the Reds made another roster decision, optioning right-hander Luis Mey to Triple-A. This move leaves the Reds with 35 players in big league camp.
Mey's spring performance has been a mixed bag, with an overall ERA of 11.87. However, it's worth noting his recent improvement; after a tough start, he hasn’t allowed an earned run in his last 5.0 innings and has shown better control.
If Mey continues this upward trend, his stint in the minors might be short-lived.
Currently, the Reds have 35 players in camp, but not all are competing for spots on the Opening Day roster. Injuries to Hunter Greene and Caleb Ferguson mean they will miss the start of the season.
Additionally, Will Banfield, P.J. Higgins, and Garrett Hampson have been informed they won't make the team, though they opted to remain in camp.
Reliever Kyle Nicolas is also set to be optioned to the minors on Sunday. This narrows the competition to 28 players vying for 26 roster spots.
The final roster decisions include one more pitching spot, likely between Zach Maxwell and Sam Moll. Plus, another position player cut looms, not including the trio who have already been informed of their status. The Reds face a crucial decision soon, as Nathaniel Lowe has an opt-out option on Friday, with the team needing to decide by Sunday if he will be part of the roster.