ARLINGTON -- The Reds placed pitcher Alfredo Simon on the 15-day disabled list on Wednesday with a strained right trapezius near the shoulder. It cleared a spot for pitcher Michael Lorenzen, who was activated from the 60-day DL.
Infielder Jordan Pacheco cleared waivers and was returned from a rehabilitation assignment. The Reds reinstated Pacheco from the 15-day DL and outrighted him to Triple-A Louisville. Pacheco refused the assignment and has elected free agency, which cleared a 40-man roster spot for Lorenzen.
A timetable for Simon's return has not been set. Signed for $2 million on March 17, it's been a poor season for the veteran right-hander. He is 2-7 with a 9.45 ERA in 13 games, including 11 starts. Last week, he was removed from the rotation and put in the bullpen.
"We know there's not a severe shoulder injury, but there is a definitive spasm in that trap. Until that's relieved, throwing isn't really an option," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "We haven't had a great deal of success in relieving that spasm. This has been something that's been there for a while now. You think you'd just go have a massage and the spasm would be out. Apparently that's not the case."
Pacheco, who had been on the DL since June 14 for right shoulder inflammation, batted .157 in 31 games in a limited role off the bench. The Reds had hoped he could be the veteran guy that could subsist on fewer at-bats and lack a role player capable of doing that. The bench is now comprised of mostly younger players like Kyle Waldrop, Tyler Holt, Ramon Cabrera, Jose Peraza and Ivan De Jesus Jr.
"That's a hard part," Price said. "That's the part of having Jordan that we'll miss. I know his numbers certainly aren't robust for us, but that's a daunting task to transition into that role and do it well. … We really don't have that guy, an experienced guy like a [Skip] Schumaker that has experience doing that. We'll do the best we can."
Price indicated that young players could be rotated in and out of the big leagues for limited periods and sent back to Triple-A Louisville for regular at-bats. One player not likely to be summoned for such a role is hot-hitting outfielder Scott Schebler, who was recently named the International League's Player of the Week. Schebler struggled in an earlier callup after opening the season in the big leagues.
"He is doing so well playing every day, I'd hate to put him in a situation to just be getting a handful of at-bats a week and trying to stay sharp that way," Price said. "He's not at that point in his career yet where his swing is that together where he can two, three or four days without at-bats and still hold it together. But I'm really happy with the way he's playing."
Worth noting
• First baseman Joey Votto remained out with a stomach bug on Wednesday. Votto, who could not come to the ballpark on Tuesday, was in the clubhouse but could do little but eat crackers while on a sofa. De Jesus started at first base in Votto's place.
"I don't think I'm going to do any baseball stuff," Votto said.