Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Hits off tee Monday
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Reds manager Terry Francona said that Encarnacion-Strand (back) hit off a tee Monday, Charlie Goldsmith of the Dayton Daily News reports.
It's the next step in the progression for Encarnacion-Strand, who was given an epidural last week as he works his way back from low-back inflammation. The infielder has several items he still needs to check off the list before a timetable for his return becomes clearer.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Lands on IL with back inflammation
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The Reds placed Encarnacion-Strand on the 10-day injured list Thursday with low-back inflammation.
Encarnacion-Strand had a two-RBI double in Wednesday's loss to the Mariners, but he's been playing through a back issue for a while and the Reds have decided that the best course of action is to rest him for a bit. Jeimer Candelario is likely to handle the bulk of reps at first base while Encarnacion-Strand is out, with Gavin Lux, Santiago Espinal and Noelvi Marte representing the Reds' options at third base.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Drives in two runs Wednesday
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Encarnacion-Strand went 1-for-4 with a two-run double in Wednesday's 5-3 loss to the Mariners.
Encarnacion-Strand had gone 0-for-12 over his previous three games, but he managed to get the Reds on the board in the seventh inning Wednesday with a two-RBI double. He is working his way back from hamstring and back soreness, which caused him to miss two games earlier in the week. Encarnacion-Strand has begun the season slashing .158/.183/.298 with four runs scored, two home runs and five RBI across 60 plate appearances this season.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Returns to lineup Tuesday
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Encarnacion-Strand (back/hamstring) will start at first base and bat seventh in Tuesday's game versus the Mariners.
Encarnacion-Strand missed the last two contests due to back and hamstring soreness, but he's feeling well enough to give it a go in Tuesday's series opener. The 25-year-old is scuffling in the early going this season with just a .498 OPS over his first 13 games.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Out of lineup again
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Encarnacion-Strand is out of the lineup Sunday against the Pirates, with manager Terry Francona noting that the first baseman is "banged up" due to back and hamstring issues, Charlie Goldsmith of the Dayton Daily News reports.
Encarnacion-Strand will miss out on a start for the second day in a row due to the pair of injury concerns, both of which he contended with at points during the 2023 season. However, Francona said he expects Encarnacion-Strand to be available off the bench Sunday, so the Reds don't appear to be too concerned about the 25-year-old potentially needing a stint on the shelf.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Plates run in loss
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Encarnacion-Strand went 0-for-3 with an RBI in Friday's 3-2 loss to the Brewers.
Encarnacion-Strand ended the Reds' 35-inning scoreless streak with a run-producing sacrifice fly in the eighth inning. It was the first productive plate appearance in a while for Encarnacion-Strand, who doesn't have a hit over his last 20 plate appearances.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Back in action Wednesday
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Encarnacion-Strand (hand) will start at first base and bat sixth in Wednesday's contest versus the Rangers.
Encarnacion-Strand didn't play Tuesday after leaving Monday's game following a hit-by-pitch on the right hand, but it will be just a one-game absence for the infielder. The 25-year-old is 4-for-14 with one home run in the early going this season.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Sitting Tuesday
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Encarnacion-Strand (hand) is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Rangers.
The 25-year-old departed Monday's series opener after being hit by a pitch on the right hand and will be absent from the starting nine for at least one game. Encarnacion-Strand already had X-rays come back negative and could be available off the bench, per Reds manager Terry Francona, Charlie Goldsmith of the Dayton Daily News reports. Jeimer Candelario is shifting to first base Tuesday while Santiago Espinal receives a start at the hot corner.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Avoids significant injury
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The Reds announced that X-rays on Encarnacion-Strand's right hand came back negative after he exited Monday's game against the Rangers in the top of the seventh inning, Charlie Goldsmith of the Dayton Daily News reports.
Encarnacion-Strand was pulled from the contest after being hit by a pitch on the hand in the bottom of the sixth inning, but he checked out OK after undergoing further testing. The club will presumably check on the first baseman early Tuesday before determining whether he can be penciled into the starting lineup for the second game of the series.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Has breakout potential
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Encarnacion-Strand went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run in Saturday's spring game against Arizona.
Encarnacion-Strand took advantage of a Jordan Montgomery fastball that stayed up for his third Cactus League homer. Coming back from a wrist injury that limited him to 29 games in 2024, Encarnacion-Strand appears healthy in camp. He's mainly batted in the lower half of the order this spring, but he could provide a middle-of-the-order presence if he continues to mash. Capable of playing both corner infield spots, Encarnacion-Strand has started mostly at first base and is looking like the favorite to win the job. His cause is aided by the shoulder injury to Spencer Steer, who may open the regular season on the IL.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Blasts second spring homer
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Encarnacion-Strand went 1-for-2 with a home run and two RBI in Saturday's spring game against the Padres.
Encarnacion-Strand led off the second inning with a solo home run, his second blast of the Cactus League. He's looking to put an injury-marred 2024 in the past; the 25-year-old corner infielder was limited to just 29 games by a wrist injury last season. While the Reds are using Encarnacion-Strand and others at both corner infield spots, he appears to be the team's expected starter at first base.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Launches homer Wednesday
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Encarnacion-Strand started at first base and went 1-for-3 with a home run in Wednesday's spring game against the Angels.
Encarnacion-Strand has appeared in three games -- two at first base and one at third -- as the corner infield spots are not yet set. He and Jeimer Candelario have seen action at each corner thus far in Cactus League action, but C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic observed that Encarnacion-Strand has spent most of his time at first base during workouts while Candelario's logged plenty of time at third.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Will play in AFL games
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Encarnacion-Strand (wrist) will play in the Arizona Fall League, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Encarnacion-Strand was limited to just 29 games this season due to a wrist injury which eventually required surgery. He will make up for at-bats he lost during the year with some Fall League games and should head into spring training without any restrictions.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Shifts to 60-day IL
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The Reds transferred Encarnacion-Strand (wrist) from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Monday.
Encarnacion-Strand had been on the IL since May 8 with a right ulnar styloid fracture and wasn't expected to begin a rehab assignment anytime soon, so the move to the 60-day IL won't affect his eventual timeline for a return. According to Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer, manager David Bell reiterated Monday that Encarnacion-Strand remains in a bit of a holding pattern in his recovery from the injury. After he had been expected to increase his activity earlier this month, Encarnacion-Strand's rehab progression was put on pause when he sought a second opinion on his wrist from a specialist, who determined that the 24-year-old was dealing with ligament damage. Bell said that the Reds will wait a few more days to see how Encarnacion-Strand's wrist responds to rest before a determination is made on his next step, which could include anything from resuming baseball activities to going under the knife for season-ending surgery.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Fielding grounders
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Encarnacion-Strand (wrist) was on the field Tuesday fielding groundballs, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.
Encarnacion-Strand's right hand remained in a protective cast while he fielded solely with his left (glove) hand. This was his first form of baseball activity since being diagnosed May 8 with a right ulnar styloid fracture on the inside of his hand near the wrist. The Reds still expect him back at some point in June, but a clearer timeline should emerge after Encarnacion-Strand undergoes a follow-up exam scheduled for June 5, the four-week mark of his projected 4-to-6 week recovery.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Sits again Tuesday
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Encarnacion-Strand (hand) isn't in the Reds' lineup for Tuesday's game against the Padres, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Encarnacion-Strand will sit for the third straight game after taking a pitch off his left hand during Saturday's win over Texas. He was available off the bench Monday and may still be used if needed Tuesday, but Jeimer Candelario will be the one starting at first base while Santiago Espinal covers the hot corner.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Sent for precautionary MRI
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Encarnacion-Strand (hand) underwent a precautionary MRI on Monday, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Encarnacion-Strand has been held out of each of his club's last two games while dealing with soreness in his left hand, and the team sent him for further imaging Monday to make sure he's not dealing with anything serious. "He's feeling better, but we're just making sure," said manager David Bell. Encarnacion-Strand will continue to be considered day-to-day heading into Tuesday.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Clubs two-RBI double
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Encarnacion-Strand went 1-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI during Sunday's 3-0 win over the Angels.
Encarnacion-Strand took part in each of the Reds' three runs scored, driving in Nick Martini and Elly De La Cruz on a sixth-inning double before coming around to score on a Jeimer Candelario triple. Although Encarnacion-Strand holds a poor .185/.190/.321 slash line, he ranks third on the Reds with 14 RBI.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Logs two hits in loss
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Encarnacion-Strand went 2-for-5 with two runs scored in Tuesday's 9-5 loss to the Brewers.
Encarnacion-Strand is fighting a slump and entered the night with a .136 average after a 1-for-20 stretch. Cincinnati needs better from the player that bats third in the order. The silver lining is that Encarnacion-Strand's underlying numbers indicate some bad luck (.206 BABIP). His average stands at .163 following Tuesday's two-hit night, but Statcast has him at an expected average of .245.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Belts fourth spring homer
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Encarnacion-Strand started at third base and went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in Wednesday's spring game against the White Sox.
Encarnacion-Strand belted his fourth Cactus League homer and is 12-for-41 (.293) with eight extra-base hits and 12 RBI through 13 games. While he started at the hot corner Wednesday, and third baseman Noelvi Marte (suspension) will miss the first 80 games of the season, Encarnacion-Strand is still expected to be the team's everyday first baseman. Jeimer Candelario will be the primary third baseman to open the season.
