Cincinnati Reds Roster
- NL Central
- Stadium
- Great American Ball Park
Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Nick Lodolo had a strong outing on Friday and picked up the win in the Reds 7-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels. Lodolo struck out six batters and gave up just one run in 6 1/3 innings. He did give up seven hits, but that was his only blemish on the day as none of the hits yielded much damage. The 26-year-old now has two good starts in a row after returning from a tibia injury that held him out of major league action for nearly a year. He'll look to notch another strong start on Wednesday when he faces the Philadelphia Phillies, though fantasy managers may want to temper expectations as the Phillies have been strong against lefties this season.
Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz ran circles around the Los Angeles Angels on Friday in the Reds' 7-1 victory. De La Cruz went 2-4 with a three-run homer and a single. He also recorded three RBI, two runs and three stolen bases. It was his first game with multiple stolen bases this season and the second time in his career he has recorded three stolen bases in a game. The 22-year-old also raised his OPS to 1.002 on the season, a significant bump over his .710 mark last season. De La Cruz now has hit a HR in back-to-back games and will look to continue his hot streak on Saturday against Angels lefty Patrick Sandoval.
Cincinnati Reds starting pitching prospect Rhett Lowder is dominating in his first taste of professional ball. The seventh overall pick in the 2023 Draft has made two starts, totaling nine innings with a 1.00 ERA and 0.89 WHIP, and has racked up ten punchouts. Lowder has only surrendered two free passes, one in each of his starts. The former Wake Forest Demon Deacon should move up the Reds minor league system rather quickly and should be rostered in all dynasty and keeper league formats.
Cincinnati Reds outfielder TJ Friedl (wrist) is expected to begin a rehab assignment soon. Manager David Bell said the plan is for Friedl to begin his rehab work within the next week or two. The 28-year-old has been sidelined since suffering a fractured wrist in March. The organization is hopeful that Friedl can get back on the field for the Reds around early May. He's coming off a career-best 2023 season. Fantasy managers should hold tight for a little longer as Friedl appears to be making progress.
The Cincinnati Reds claimed infielder Livan Soto off waivers from the Baltimore Orioles on Friday and optioned him to Triple-A Louisville. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Reds transferred right-hander Tejay Antone (elbow) to the 60-day injured list. Soto will join his third team of the year after the Orioles designated him for assignment earlier this week. The 23-year-old Venezuelan infielder made his major-league debut in 2022 with the Los Angeles Angels and has hit .375/.414/.531 with a .946 OPS, one home run, nine RBI and a stolen base in just 22 games played the last two seasons in Anaheim. He has a .780 OPS in 32 at-bats this year for Triple-A Norfolk and will now head to Louisville to give the Reds some extra infield depth.