Reds looking at mix of players for third-base role
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GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The Reds have yet to decide on one regular third baseman for the season and they could wind up not settling on one at all. It's possible they will have at least three.
Gavin Lux has made the majority of his starts at third base -- including on Thursday vs. the A's in a 12-1 loss -- but Jeimer Candelario and Santiago Espinal are also options.
¡°I think Lux and Candelario, you¡¯ll see Espinal there sometimes. It depends on who is pitching," manager Terry Francona said Thursday. ¡°If we can do this, it allows us to gain like a platoon advantage and lengthen out our lineup without weakening our defense, that¡¯s the idea. I think Candelario -- even just in our workouts -- he¡¯s moving and doing things that you need to do to play the position.¡±
Lux, a lefty hitter who played only second base for the Dodgers last season, was traded to the Reds in the offseason and could wind up playing third base, second base and left field. Candelario, who started at third base on Wednesday vs. the Rangers, is a switch-hitter who can play both corner infield spots, and Espinal is right-handed and a utility player who will see time at third base, shortstop, second base and possibly left field.
During his big league career, Lux has played third base just once. Francona has been pleased with how he's performed in workouts and games.
¡°I think he¡¯s done a really good job," Francona said. "He¡¯s a baseball player, which is what we kind of thought we were getting.¡±
Lodolo works four scoreless
In his third Cactus League start, Nick Lodolo pitched four scoreless innings vs. the A's, with three hits, one walk and six strikeouts. He threw 66 pitches, with 41 strikes, before making additional pitches in the bullpen after he came out of the game.
¡°Definitely I¡¯m feeling like I¡¯m going in the right direction," Lodolo said. "Keep building, that¡¯s the biggest thing. Overall, I¡¯m pretty happy with how I threw it.¡±
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Through his three games, Lodolo has a 3.12 ERA.
¡°I thought he threw some really good breaking balls. You¡¯re seeing his fastball creep up as he gets deeper into spring," Francona said.
Nice defense
In the top of the fourth inning of a scoreless game with a runner on first base, Max Schuemann hit a double off the wall in right-center field. Center fielder Stuart Fairchild played the ball on the carom and fired a throw to Espinal at second base. Espinal threw home to catcher Austin Wynns and nailed Luis Ur¨ªas at the plate trying to score.
¡°It was a great relay," Lodolo said. "Stu played it perfectly off the wall and Espy made a great throw home. Wynns got the short hop and made the tag. I was running to back up home when I saw it and the ball was right on. Props to them.¡±
¡°That was fun to watch, especially at the time of the game," Francona said. "It was 0-0. There wasn¡¯t much offense and we had just done that the day before [in drills]. It was really well done.¡±
In the top of the sixth inning on Tyler Soderstrom's sharp grounder to the shortstop, No. 5 prospect Edwin Arroyo made a slick play on a bad hop. Arroyo blocked the ball and saw it zip up in the air and back into his glove before firing to first base for the out.
¡°He can do some things," Francona said of Arroyo, who is ranked No. 91 overall by MLB Pipeline
Stephenson gets MRI
Catcher Tyler Stephenson, who was scratched as the designated hitter from Wednesday's game vs. the Rangers because of a sore lower back, went for an MRI exam on Thursday.
"Just to make sure we¡¯re not doing something [with him] he shouldn¡¯t be doing," Francona said.