Fraley (illness) is out of the lineup for Friday's game at Texas.
Fraley is out of the starting nine for a seventh straight game as he continues to recover from an illness. Jonathan India will receive another turn at designated hitter while Santiago Espinal starts at second base.
India started at designated hitter and went 0-for-4 in Thursday's 5-0 loss to the Phillies.
India, who made his first appearance since Saturday after dealing with an illness, went hitless for the seventh time in the last nine contests. He entered the game in a 4-for-42 slump over the past 13 games.
Martinez (0-1) took the loss against the Phillies on Thursday, allowing five runs on 11 hits over six innings. He struck out three.
Four of the runs against Martinez came in the third inning, including two on a Bryce Harper home run. After starting the season in the Reds' rotation, Martinez found more success when shifted back to the bullpen, allowing one run on five hits over seven innings in a pair of long-relief appearances. Still, he'll likely make one more start, currently scheduled for Tuesday in San Diego against his former team, with Frankie Montas (forearm) on the IL. The 33-year-old Martinez now sports a 5.48 ERA with a 1.39 WHIP and 17:2 K:BB across 23 innings this year.
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Reds' Stuart Fairchild: Heads back to bench
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Fairchild is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Phillies.
Fairchild will retreat to the bench for the series finale with the Phillies after he had started in each of the Reds' past three games while going 1-for-11 with a walk and a run scored. Though Jake Fraley (illness) remains out of the lineup Thursday, the Reds are seemingly optimistic that he'll be back in action at some point during the weekend series versus the Rangers. Once Fraley returns, Fairchild's opportunities will likely be limited mostly to playing against left-handed starting pitchers.
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Reds' Tyler Stephenson: Resting Thursday
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Stephenson is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Phillies.
Stephenson will get a well-deserved breather for Thursday's day game after he started in each of Cincinnati's last seven games, with six of those starts coming behind the plate. Luke Maile will get the nod at catcher Thursday and form a battery with starting pitcher Nick Martinez.
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Reds' Jake Fraley: Still out Thursday
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Fraley (illness) is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Phillies.
Though Jonathan India will rejoin the lineup as the Reds' designated hitter following a four-game absence due to an illness, Fraley will stick on the bench for a sixth consecutive contest while he's had a slower recovery from an ailment of his own. According to Mark Sheldon of MLB.com, manager David Bell relayed Wednesday that Fraley has been showing improvement, so the Reds are seemingly hopeful that the 28-year-old outfielder will return to action at some point during the weekend series versus the Rangers.
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Reds' Jonathan India: Back in action as DH
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India (illness) will serve as the Reds' designated hitter and No. 6 batter in Thursday's game against the Phillies.
India is back in the starting nine for the first time since Saturday, albeit in a non-defensive role as the Reds look to ease him back in following his bout with an illness that kept him on the bench for four games. He'll likely reprise his usual duties at second base over the weekend, at which point Santiago Espinal will head back to the bench and serve as a utility infielder.
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Reds' Santiago Espinal: Busting out against Phillies
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Espinal started at second base and went 2-for-3 with three RBI and a run scored in Wednesday's 7-4 win over Philadelphia.
Espinal has feasted on Phillies' pitching, going 5-for-7 with a home run and five RBI over the first two games of the series. It was his fourth straight start at second base in place of Jonathan India (illness), but the ailing India was available off the bench Wednesday and presumably will be available for the series finale Thursday afternoon.
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Reds' Will Benson: Delivers against lefty
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Benson went 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBI in Wednesday's 7-4 win over Philadelphia.
Benson put the Reds on the board with a solo home run in the third inning off righty Spencer Turnbull, but his biggest hit came three innings later. The lefty hitter delivered the go-ahead run with two outs off lefty Matt Strahm. Benson was a platoon player in 2023 but is getting more opportunities against southpaws this season. It's not always pretty -- 4-for-22 off them thus far -- but manager David Bell let him stay in the game at a high-leverage moment. Benson, who snapped a career-worst 0-for-18 skid in Tuesday's win over the Phillies, is 3-for-9 in the series heading into the finale Thursday afternoon.
Reds' Elly De La Cruz: Three more steals Wednesday
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De La Cruz went 3-for-5 with a double, an RBI, a run scored and three stolen bases in Wednesday's 7-4 win over the Phillies.
It's already the second three-steal game for De La Cruz this season -- he's up to a league-leading 15 stolen bases on the campaign. The 22-year-old shortstop has been sensational through the first month of the year, batting .313 with a 1.063 OPS, seven home runs, 23 runs scored and 18 RBI through his first 24 games.
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Reds' Nick Lodolo: Goes five innings in no-decision
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Lodolo didn't factor into the decision Wednesday, allowing three runs on six hits and three walks over five innings. He struck out four.
After allowing just one run through his first two starts of the year, Lodolo struggled a bit Wednesday, though he'd ultimately put together a respectable effort against a potent Philadelphia offense as the Reds rallied for a comeback win. Overall, the 26-year-old southpaw is 2-0 with a 2.12 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 20:4 K:BB across 17 innings. Lodolo's currently slated to face the Padres on the road in his next outing.
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Reds' Alexis Diaz: Grabs fifth save
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Diaz earned the save in Wednesday's 7-4 win over the Phillies, allowing one hit in a scoreless inning.
After allowing three runs and blowing a save in his first outing this year, Diaz has converted his subsequent five save opportunities, allowing just one run while striking out 10 over his last nine appearances. His ERA is down to 3.48 with a 1.16 WHIP across 10.1 innings this season.
Reds' Jonathan India: Not starting, but available off bench
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India (illness) is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Phillies.
India and Jake Fraley are being held out of the starting nine for the fourth and fifth consecutive games, respectively, as both work to return to 100 percent health in their recoveries from illness. Santiago Espinal has been serving as India's primary replacement and will draw another start at second base Wednesday. According to Mark Sheldon of MLB.com, India was at the team facility Wednesday and was able to do some hitting, so he should be available off the bench, if needed.
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Reds' Jonathan India: Remains on bench Wednesday
Rotowire
India (illness) is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Phillies.
India and Jake Fraley are being held out of the starting nine for the fourth and fifth consecutive games, respectively, as both work to return to 100 percent health in their recoveries from illness. Santiago Espinal has been serving as India's primary replacement and will draw another start at second base Wednesday. According to Mark Sheldon of MLB.com, India was at the team facility Wednesday and was able to do some hitting, so he should be available off the bench, if needed.
