PITTSBURGH -- The Reds had banked on having veteran pitcher Alfredo Simon as an innings-eater for the rotation when they brought him back during Spring Training on a one-year, $2 million contract. Simon was not able to deliver innings or solid work.
Because of the return of soreness in his right shoulder area, the Reds have shelved Simon for the remainder of the season. He has been in Cincinnati during the four-game series at Pittsburgh, and he is scheduled to have arthroscopic surgery on Tuesday.
"He is, for all intents and purposes, not capable of pitching," Reds manager Bryan Price said on Sunday.
Simon was on the disabled list with a strained right trapezius near his shoulder from June 22 to Aug. 28. He made two relief appearances after being activated, including his final outing on Sept. 5 vs. the Mets where he gave up three runs and three hits in one inning.
In 15 games, including 11 starts, Simon was 2-7 with a 9.36 ERA and 2.045 WHIP over 58 2/3 innings.
With Simon out and Cody Reed unavailable because of a lower back injury, the Reds have a shortage of long relievers in their bullpen. Keyvius Sampson is slated to get some starts from the rotation, including on Monday vs. the Brewers. That leaves Josh A. Smith as the sole reliever capable of working several innings.
Price indicated the Reds will likely call up a pitcher to fortify the bullpen.
"Hopefully in the next day or two, potentially," Price said. "There's a chance we could, now that the playoffs are done in Double-A [Pensacola]. We kind of went through this last year. We didn't have a robust group of Triple-A pitchers or 40-man roster guys to promote. We're trying to do the smartest thing with the guys that are on the roster and not getting promoted in preparation for next season."
On the 40-man roster and at Pensacola, the Reds have prospects Rookie Davis and Sal Romano, both right-handed starters. The more likely selection could be Abel De Los Santos, who had a 1.54 ERA in 17 relief appearances for the Blue Wahoos this season after being claimed off of waivers from the Nationals on July 19.
Injury report
• Shortstop Zack Cozart was scratched from Sunday's lineup vs. the Pirates because his surgically-repaired right knee was bothering him. The team has been cautious with Cozart's knee and gives him games off when it's not feeling great.
"It's a little bit of a breather from going back and forth with the patella," Price said. "It's just a little cranky today, and it's what we've been trying to avoid, getting to that point where we try to push him through it."
• Infielder/outfielder José Peraza hurt his right pinky finger when it was hit by a pitch he fouled off the bottom of his bat on Saturday. Peraza was also out of the lineup and scheduled to see the Pirates' team doctor.
"It mashed his finger," Price said of the pitch. "His finger is multi-colored purple, stiff and sore. He played through it. He could play, but it's probably not the smartest thing to do."